EOP CRITTERCAM Deployments on French Frigate Shoals monk seals

CRITTERCAMs, were deployed on a 42 monk seals at French Frigate Shoals Hawaii. Sixty nine hours of video comprised of 3192 recording segments collected at standardized intervals. Dive depths of the seal were digitally logged every 10 seconds throughout the camera deployment. The video cameras were programmed to record images and sound for 6 min each daylight hour (1.5 min were recorded every 15 min or 3 min every 30 min). Assuming the seals remained at sea continuously the tape recorded a fixed sampling of their activities for the duration of the tape cartridge. A conductivity and depth switch (<1 m) was used to stop sampling when the seal was on the beach or at the surface resting to maximize collection of images of the seals foraging on the bottom. Five seals were fitted with night vision CRITTERCAMs and the sampling was limited to evening hours only. The night vision systems were able to ?see? the bottom area extending 3 meters in front of the seal. Most of the deployments were made on adult males but 9 deployments were made on juveniles including males and females.