2022-2023 University of Victoria study finds northern elephant seals in British Columbia use deep-sea sonar as a "dinner bell" to locate sablefish prey.
A study by the University of Victoria found that northern elephant seals off the British Columbia coast used deep-sea sonar as a "dinner bell" to locate prey, particularly sablefish. The seals associated the sonar noise from research instruments at 645 meters deep with food availability. Conducted between 2022 and 2023, the research also noted the seals engaging in unique behaviors like "power napping" on the sea floor, as published in the journal PLOS ONE.
September 04, 2024
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