"Nick Gales said it appeared the main cause of pup death on Enderby Island was now starvation although some disease deaths were still occurring, while on Dundas the main cause seemed to be the mystery cause being investigated. Mr. Donoghue said the deaths of adult sea lions, especially the females or cows, was a greater concern as the remaining sea lion pups would die from starvation if their mothers did not return with food for them, in addition to losing potentially pregnant females. Cows usually left their pups while they foraged for food for up to three to five days, so it was difficult to know when or if the mothers would return.
At Davies Point on Campbell Island, 24 dead pups had been found and two of six adult females there appeared to have symptoms. About 95 percent of the sea lions breed on two small islands, Dundas and Enderby, which are part of the Auckland Islands group.
Minister of Conservation Nick Smith said a decision to review the sea lion bycatch from the squid fishery, will be made when further information on the cause of the deaths is known later in the month.
No results were expected immediately from the postmortem examinations. DOC would release final results when they were received. Mr. Donoghue said the three most likely possible causes of the deaths were a virus, a bacteria or a biotoxin, although it could be weeks before any definite results were available."
|
Location
|
Total pups born
|
No. dead pups
|
% mortality
|
|
Dundas Island
|
2374
|
1246
|
52.5
|
|
Sandy Bay (Enderby
Island)
|
488
|
161
|
33
|
|
Figure of Eight
Island
|
120
|
34
|
28
|
|
South East Point
(Enderby Island)
|
51
|
20
|
40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
3033
|
1461
|
48
|
% --summarized from A NZ DEC press release by Martin Hugh-Jones <mehj2020@vt8200.vetmed.lsu.edu> on ProMED-mail <promed@usa.healthnet.org>