Australian sea lions are lending a hand or maybe a flipper in the establishment
or maybe a flipper in the establishment
or maybe a flipper in the establishment of South Australia’s marine parks and
of South Australia’s marine parks and
of South Australia’s marine parks and along the way the National Geographic
along the way the National Geographic
along the way the National Geographic Crittercam
Crittercam
Crittercam captured a never-before-seen act of
captured a never-before-seen act of
captured a never-before-seen act of predation a sea lion capturing and
predation a sea lion capturing and
predation a sea lion capturing and eating a large octopus the project led
eating a large octopus the project led
eating a large octopus the project led by South Australian research and
by South Australian research and
by South Australian research and development institute scientist dr. Brad
development institute scientist dr. Brad
development institute scientist dr. Brad Page is reviewing critical information
Page is reviewing critical information
Page is reviewing critical information about South Australia’s seafloor
about South Australia’s seafloor
about South Australia’s seafloor environments and is revealing valuable
environments and is revealing valuable
environments and is revealing valuable insights into the behavior and foraging
insights into the behavior and foraging
insights into the behavior and foraging habits of the endangered Australian sea
habits of the endangered Australian sea
habits of the endangered Australian sea lion sea lions fitted with GPS trackers
lion sea lions fitted with GPS trackers
lion sea lions fitted with GPS trackers and a National Geographic critter cam
and a National Geographic critter cam
and a National Geographic critter cam are taking scientists on amazing
are taking scientists on amazing
are taking scientists on amazing journeys to previously unknown marine
journeys to previously unknown marine
journeys to previously unknown marine hotspots these areas are important not
hotspots these areas are important not
hotspots these areas are important not only for providing the sea lions food
only for providing the sea lions food
only for providing the sea lions food but also for maintaining fish
but also for maintaining fish
but also for maintaining fish populations the critter cams are
populations the critter cams are
populations the critter cams are deployed at dangerous reef in Spencer
deployed at dangerous reef in Spencer
deployed at dangerous reef in Spencer Gulf a rocky island the size of a
Gulf a rocky island the size of a
Gulf a rocky island the size of a football field and home to the biggest
football field and home to the biggest
football field and home to the biggest Australian sea lion colony combining the
Australian sea lion colony combining the
Australian sea lion colony combining the two instruments the sea lions themselves
two instruments the sea lions themselves
two instruments the sea lions themselves are showing the researchers behavior
are showing the researchers behavior
are showing the researchers behavior never before witnessed by scientists and
never before witnessed by scientists and
never before witnessed by scientists and exactly where and how they feed it’s
exactly where and how they feed it’s
exactly where and how they feed it’s answering many questions about the
answering many questions about the
answering many questions about the endangered sea lions which will help
endangered sea lions which will help
endangered sea lions which will help make sure the areas to be designated as
make sure the areas to be designated as
make sure the areas to be designated as marine parks protect key sea lion
marine parks protect key sea lion
marine parks protect key sea lion habitat dr. Paige says one important
habitat dr. Paige says one important
habitat dr. Paige says one important discovery is that the sea lions always
discovery is that the sea lions always
discovery is that the sea lions always feed on the sea floor and they don’t eat
feed on the sea floor and they don’t eat
feed on the sea floor and they don’t eat open ocean fish known as pelagic this is
open ocean fish known as pelagic this is
open ocean fish known as pelagic this is critical information because the marine
critical information because the marine
critical information because the marine parks are being set up to protect
parks are being set up to protect
parks are being set up to protect seafloor habitats
seafloor habitats
seafloor habitats that the scientists can now confirm will
that the scientists can now confirm will
that the scientists can now confirm will protect critical sealion resources in
protect critical sealion resources in
protect critical sealion resources in one of the more spectacular pieces of
one of the more spectacular pieces of
one of the more spectacular pieces of Crittercam video so far we can see this
Crittercam video so far we can see this
Crittercam video so far we can see this female working hard to handle a
female working hard to handle a
female working hard to handle a challenging prey item a large octopus
challenging prey item a large octopus
challenging prey item a large octopus too big to swallow in one gulp she drags
too big to swallow in one gulp she drags
too big to swallow in one gulp she drags it to the surface where she can breathe
it to the surface where she can breathe
it to the surface where she can breathe while she works at breaking it down into
while she works at breaking it down into
while she works at breaking it down into bite-sized pieces at several points the
bite-sized pieces at several points the
bite-sized pieces at several points the octopus tries to get away but the sea
octopus tries to get away but the sea
octopus tries to get away but the sea lion is relentless she bites off
lion is relentless she bites off
lion is relentless she bites off tentacles one by one the octopus drifts
tentacles one by one the octopus drifts
tentacles one by one the octopus drifts away but again the sea lion goes back
away but again the sea lion goes back
away but again the sea lion goes back for more of her meal all the while
for more of her meal all the while
for more of her meal all the while keeping the prey near the surface where
keeping the prey near the surface where
keeping the prey near the surface where she can take some breaths the three-year
she can take some breaths the three-year
she can take some breaths the three-year project has been substantially funded by
project has been substantially funded by
project has been substantially funded by the Australian Marine Mammal Center and
the Australian Marine Mammal Center and
the Australian Marine Mammal Center and is being conducted by sardine and the
is being conducted by sardine and the
is being conducted by sardine and the Department of the Environment water
Department of the Environment water
Department of the Environment water heritage and the arts
heritage and the arts
heritage and the arts with support from Flinders University a
with support from Flinders University a
with support from Flinders University a marine innovation South Australia
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