386 The bioenergetics of marine mammals; insights from laboratory and wild studies.

The history of the study of the bioenergetics of marine mammals is an example of the overlap in information gathering and application between animals in the wild and those under human care. The topic was first a concern for resource managers wishing to quantify the assumed competition with the fishing industry. The first scientific studies of energy requirements commenced in the early 1980’s with marine mammals under human care. The debate over whether the basic energy demands of marine mammals are higher than terrestrial counterparts continues despite an increasing number of species studied. At the same time, these laboratory studies also began to reveal the innate complexity of marine mammal bioenergetics, including extreme seasonality and a dis-synchronicity between energy expenditures and energy intake. Laboratory studies also quantified numerous components of marine mammal energy budgets, including digestive studies detailing the ability of different prey to satisfy nutritional requirements. Studies with trained animals facilitate detailed measures to be conducted year-round under controlled conditions, leading to more accurate models. They are limited, however, in sample size, the species studied, and the scope of natural behaviours that the animals can perform. However, these studies promote the development and validation of techniques to conduct more detailed studies with animals in the wild. This enables scientists to better document the energetics of wild populations, and how they might be affected by environmental perturbations. This marriage of wild and laboratory studies has produced a clearer picture of the unique aspects of marine mammal energy budgets, and has led to breakthroughs in the management of both groups of animals. As we increase our knowledge of the season-specific requirements of animals both in aquariums and in the wild, we can better manage the resources required both to allow both groups to thrive.