Breeding site choice fails to explain interannual associations of female grey seals

摘要: Consistent, widespread fine-scale preferences for breeding sites may favour the emergence of intrasexual associations and hence sociality. Pairwise association was defined a terrestrially phocid seal in which intraseasonal colony mixing is limited mothers spend only 3 weeks ashore breeding. Interannual occur between pairs female grey seals at North Rona, Scotland because pupping site fidelity, 90% return rates variability parturition dates that individual show. Associations can when are found together irrespective location, or joint locations. Mothers were sedentary unlikely to interact if they separated by >20 m. Using spatial temporal criteria, 160 176 known had with least one other mother, 14 126 (11.1%) repeated 2 years. The likelihood years as result date variation quality modelled. changed their up median observed fidelity ( 40 m from previous year’s almost five times greater than model predicted. We conclude active adult not determined solely habitat preference, argue examination simple sociality temporarily aggregating species contribute significantly socioecological models social evolution.