The Behavior And Distribution Of The Pacific Harbor Seal Phoca Vitulina Richardsi At Point San Pedro San Mateo County California PDF Download

Coastal ecosystems are under intense pressure from anthropogenic and environmental factors in California. Human development, pollution and climate change continue to degrade coastal habitats. Marine predators such as marine mammals that depend on nearshore ecosystems are at risk from these anthropogenic and environmental factors. The Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) is one of the most common marine mammals along the coast of northern California and likely to be heavily impacted by changes in the coastal environment, yet little is known about their foraging behavior or habitat use. To accurately predict the response of local marine predators to changes in the coastal environment an understanding of their foraging behavior is required.