Steller sea lion
research > Open
water project
Steller sea lions dive into research
The Open Water Project is conducted in collaboration with the Vancouver
Aquarium Marine Science Centre. It’s primary goal is to determine
how much energy Steller sea lions spend looking for food. This is integral
to assessing the impact of change in prey types or distributions on
wild sea lions, and ultimately discovering what might be done to help
the declining wild populations recover.
The facility opened in 2003. The first trained sea lions helped to
evaluate one of the key components in the cost of foraging — namely,
the cost of diving to different depths.
Each day, trainers and researchers bring animals to Burrard Inlet
to conduct experimental trials from a research platform. The
animals are trained to swim into a respirometry dome that is placed
at the water surface. Air in the dome is sampled to measure the rate
of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. Thus, we can estimate
the number of calories Steller sea lions burned while diving by knowing
how much oxygen they used and how much carbon dioxide they produced.
Using a pump and a series of pipes, Research Technicians constructed
a way to send fish to preset depths. This experimental apparatus is
being used to learn what decisions Steller sea lions make when diving
to various depths to fed from dense or sparse patches of fish.
Training aquarium-raised sea lions to take part in experiments in
the open ocean has been the ultimate challenge for staff at the Open
Water Research Station. Before any research can be carried out, the
sea lions have to be relaxed in their new marine environment, and they
must be accustomed to the variety of new sights and sounds that the
sea has to offer. Similarly, the sea lions have to be comfortable swimming
around boats, and jumping on and off their transport vessel — the
Steller Shuttle. They also have to complete various tasks while out
of sight of their trainers and researchers for prolonged periods. In
other words, the dual requirement of a strong bond between animal and
trainer and being an independent animal is crucial for the success
of our research project. >>>NEXT: OPEN
WATER PROJECT: Past, Present, Future
