Behavioral thermoregulation of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri)

Behavioral thermoregulation of New Zealand sea lions (Phocaraos hookeri) was Studied at a male haul-out-ground at Papanui Beach, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. The proportion of time spent by sea lions in each Of five Postures (prone, curled, oblique, ventral-up, dorsal-LIP) and also with the number of flippers exposed or tucked (hind and fore) at different black-bulb temperature (T-bb degrees C) ranges was recorded. Use of prone and curled postures (0-1 flippers' exposed) declined as increased, Suggesting that these are adopted to conserve hear; oblique and dorsal-Lip postures (3-4 flippers exposed) use increased with T-bb indicating a role in heat dissipation. The transition between heat conserving and heat dissipating postures Occurred at about 14 degrees-20 degrees C (T-bb). Both foreflipper and hind flipper exposure increased with T-bb and the trends were similar, but overall hind flipper exposure was 89% of foreflipper exposure. The results show that surface area of flippers exposed to air is largely controlled by postural adjustment. The increase in flipper exposure with T-bb provides evidence of behavioral thermoregulation and that flippers are major sires for heat loss in the New Zealand sea lion, as observed for other octariid species. Nonpostural thermoregulatory behaviors such as flipper waving and sand flipping increased with T-bb, and may provide additional means of dissipating heat. Total body surface areas of six sea lions ranged from 1.72 to 3.39 m(2) (curvilinear length range from 1.60 to 2.35 m), and total flipper surface area averaged 22.7% of total body surface area. As otariids do not employ their hind limbs for aquatic propulsion, their role in behavioral thermoregulation may provide an explanation for the relatively large size of the hind flippers of the New Zealand sea lion.