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Swimming Performance Assessment in Fishes
Published on: May 20, 2011
How fast does a seal swim? Variations in swimming behaviour under differing foraging conditions
Susan L Gallon1, Carol E Sparling, Jean-Yves Georges
1NERC Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK. slg36@st-andrews.ac.uk
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|September 4, 2007
Summary
Grey seals adjust swim speeds for foraging dives, decreasing speed with distance to conserve oxygen. Interestingly, seals swim faster towards prey patches than returning, suggesting behavioral choices influence underwater transit.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Animal Behavior
- Physiological Ecology
Background:
- Breath-hold diving in marine mammals is limited by oxygen availability.
- Swim speed directly impacts oxygen consumption, influencing dive duration and foraging efficiency.
- Optimal foraging theory predicts speed adjustments based on dive depth and duration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how grey seals adjust their swimming behavior during simulated foraging dives.
- To test predictions from optimal foraging models regarding transit swim speeds.
- To explore the influence of prey availability and travel distance on seal swimming patterns.
Main Methods:
- Seven captive female grey seals (adults and pups) participated in simulated foraging trials.
- Seals swam horizontally underwater to a submerged feeder with variable distances and prey delivery rates.
- Swimming behavior, including speed and dive duration, was recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Mean swim speed significantly decreased as the distance to the prey patch increased.
- Transit swim speeds did not show a significant relationship with prey density.
- Seals consistently swam 10-20% faster when traveling to the prey patch compared to their return journey.
Conclusions:
- Grey seals modify their transit swim speeds in response to travel distance, aligning with optimal foraging predictions.
- Behavioral factors, not solely energetic costs or prey density, appear to influence swimming speed.
- The observed speed asymmetry suggests a combination of buoyancy effects and deliberate behavioral choices in foraging strategies.
Related Concept Videos
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