
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bodley, B. 
A1  - Mercer, the late J. R. 
A1  - Bryden, M. M. 
T1  - Rate of passage of digesta through the alimentary tract of the New Zealand fur seal (<emph type="2">Arctocephalus forsteri</emph>) and the Australian sea lion (<emph type="2">Neophoca cinerea</emph>) (Carnivora : Otariidae)
JF  - Australian Journal of Zoology
JO  - Aust. J. Zool.
Y1  - 1999
VL  - 47
IS  - 2
SP  - 193
EP  - 198
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO98001 
N2  - The inert marker titanium dioxide was added to the food of two male New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) and three Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) in Taronga Zoo, Sydney, in a series of 15 trials. The enclosures were checked constantly during daylight hours, and defaecation times and location of samples noted. Samples were collected at feeding times, at approximately 0930, 1300 and 1500 hours. During the night the animals were checked at 30-min intervals, the location of samples noted, and samples collected at the first feeding time next morning. Faecal collections were made for up to 50 h after dosing. Marker concentrations in faecal dry matter were determined and mean retention times calculated from the mean concentration-time curves. The mean time between dosing and first recovery of marker (Initial Recovery Time) was 4 h for A. forsteri and 6.5 h for N. cinerea. Mean retention time, a better index of rate of passage of digesta, was 14.6 h for A. forsteri and 14.9 h for N. cinerea. Thus, the marker concentration curves indicated a rapid rate of food transit through the gastrointestinal tract, as has been observed in several (but not all) pinniped species. 
ER  -

