Seascapes of fear and competition shape regional seabird movement ecology

This study investigated the Seascape of Fear Hypothesis in the Benguela marine ecosystem off South Africa, examining how predator fear and competition with fisheries influence Cape gannet movement ecology. Using electronic tracking data, researchers found that gannets co-occurred with their predator, the Cape fur seal, during the day and competed with fisheries in coastal areas. At night, gannets shifted to offshore areas with lower seal attendance to reduce predation risk, demonstrating how fear and competition shape the seascape of threatened Cape gannets. These findings have implications for the design of marine protected areas.

Nicolas Courbin, Lorien Pichegru, Mduduzi Seakamela, Azwianewi Makhado, Michael Meÿer, Pieter G. H. Kotze, Steven A. Mc Cue, Clara Péron, David Grémillet