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Rick Bout

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (4): 0917-0948

    Krista van der Linde, Ingrid N. Visser, Sarah E. Richard, Tracy E. Cooper, Terry M. Hardie & Rick Bout
    Troubled waters: A case study of cohabitation conflicts for a leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx de Blainville, 1820 (Mammalia Phocidae) in northern New Zealand
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.4.917.948

    ABSTRACT
    The >9.5-year residency of an adult female leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx de Blainville, 1820 (Mammalia Phocidae) in New Zealand (NZ) provided an opportunity to investigate this species in the framework of human-wildlife conflicts and management. We examined >2,000 sighting records and collated observations of this leopard seal. We qualitatively describe conflicts originating from both the humans and leopard seal’s perspectives. Humans created conflicts for the leopard seal by providing misinformation about the species (and therefore negatively influencing public perception), making proposals or threats to disturb/harm, and causing inconvenience, tension, disputes, disturbance and harm to her. Conversely, the leopard seal created conflicts for humans including, causing inconveniences, tension, damage to property and disturbance. Short-term mitigation tools along with longer-term preventive strategies to reduce, mitigate and/or eliminate these conflicts are provided and we recommend that the NZ Government Authorities, who are legally mandated to protect the species, take the lead in implementing these in collaboration with stakeholders. Implementation of these tools and strategies, in a proactive rather than reactive manner, will assist with protection and management of leopard seals in all areas where they cohabitate with humans (both within NZ and internationally).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (3): 0685-0693

    Ingrid N. Visser, Krista van der Linde, Sarah E. Richard, Tracy E. Cooper, Terry M. Hardie & Rick Bout
    Can a leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx de Blainville, 1820 (Mammalia Phocidae), change its spots? (Spoiler alert: at least one adult female can)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.3.685.693

    ABSTRACT
    Leopard seals, Hydrurga leptonyx de Blainville, 1820 (Mammalia Phocidae) have variable spots on their pelage, allowing for identification of individuals. We monitored a subset of spots (n=40) on the face and neck of an adult female leopard seal residing in New Zealand. We compared images that were 1,701 days (~4 years and 8 months) apart. The use of scars, acquired from wounds, allowed for cross-matching and confirmation that this was the same individual. We investigated if the spots were more visible when the animal was wet or dry. We found that all 40 spots were visible during this time period and when the animal was both wet and dry. However, they were better defined, and therefore more visible, when the pelage was wet. Additionally, we identified a number of new and emerging spots, none of which masked or obscured the 40 aforementioned spots. These changes illustrate that diligence must be applied when matching individuals over long periods, to ensure that mis-matches and missed matches do not occur. Our findings do not invalidate photo-ID studies for leopard seals, rather they show that this is a robust system of identification, as spots were not lost over time and spot patterns were an effective tool for both individual identification and observing pigmentation change.