NOAA Technical Memorandum
NMFS-AFSC-68
Hot branding: A technique for long-term marking of pinnipeds
Abstract
Long-term studies of pinniped population dynamics, behavior, and movements require a sample of uniquely identified, permanently marked animals from the population. The mark must be large enough for animals to be identified from a distance and the marking process should subject the animal to minimal stress. Hot branding provides a marking technique which meets these criteria. Using hot branding equipment and techniques developed for studies of Steller sea lions, 1,489 pups were branded in 1987-89 at rookeries in Alaska and Russia. Survival in the month following branding was high (99.8%). Observed returns of branded pups (through their eighth month) at Marmot Island, Alaska, may be different from returns of unmarked pups, but the differences are difficult to confirm because of possible immigration of unmarked pups from other rookeries. Most (95.8%) of 142 brands observed 5-8 months after branding were legible, and 92.3% of 26 brands seen 6-7 years after branding were legible. Of 751 pups branded at Marmot Island in 1987-88, 151 (20.1 %) have been resighted at least once. Most resightings (56.9%) occurred at Marmot Island, but animals have been resighted up to 1,700 km away.
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