Temporal changes in the quality of hot-iron brands on elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) pups

摘要: Hot-iron brands were used to mark permanently 14 000 six-week-old southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina L.) pups at Macquarie Island between 1993 and 2000. We assessed temporal changes in the quality of 4932 applied 1998 1999 determine duration brand wound, relationships healing, readability amount skin hair damage peripheral characters. Most (98%) wounds healed within one year. Brand-mark significantly (P 95%) for marked population. The mean number characters with decreased over same period. seal’s annual moult is process that contributed most healing wounds. also our branding technique whether any features we measured a poor-quality brand. Excessive pressure during brand-iron application probable cause unsightly damage, but this short lived.