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dc.contributor.authorSchakner, Zachary A.
dc.contributor.authorGötz, Thomas
dc.contributor.authorJanik, Vincent M.
dc.contributor.authorBlumstein, Daniel T.
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-02T00:31:34Z
dc.date.available2018-02-02T00:31:34Z
dc.date.issued2017-10
dc.identifier.citationSchakner , Z A , Götz , T , Janik , V M & Blumstein , D T 2017 , ' Can fear conditioning repel California sea lions from fishing activities? ' , Animal Conservation , vol. 20 , no. 5 , pp. 425-432 . https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329en
dc.identifier.issn1367-9430
dc.identifier.otherPURE: 246363318
dc.identifier.otherPURE UUID: e7362f68-4b36-4ac6-9272-f036343c9940
dc.identifier.otherScopus: 85011112273
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0001-7894-0121/work/60427856
dc.identifier.otherWOS: 000413319000007
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0002-4630-3328/work/71221489
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10023/12649
dc.descriptionZ.S. was supported by a NSF predoctoral fellowship and by a grant from the LaKretz Center for California Conservation Science. D.T.B. was supported by the NSF during manuscript preparation.en
dc.description.abstractMarine mammal interactions with fisheries create conflicts that can threaten human safety, economic interests and marine mammal survival. A deterrent that capitalizes on learning mechanisms, like fear conditioning, may enhance success while simultaneously balancing welfare concerns and reduce noise pollution. During fear conditioning, individuals learn the cues that precede the dangerous stimuli, and respond by avoiding the painful situations. We tested the efficacy of fear conditioning using acoustic stimuli for reducing California sea lion Zalophus californianus interactions from two fishing contexts in California, USA; bait barges and recreational fishing vessels. We performed conditioning trials on 24 individual sea lions interacting with bait barges. We tested for acquisition of conditioned fear by pairing a neutral tone with a startle stimulus. Avoidance was strongest in response to the startle stimulus alone, but low when paired with a neutral tone. From actively fishing vessels, we tested for fear conditioning by exposing sea lions to a neutral tone followed by a startle pulse, a startle pulse alone or a no sound control. We conducted playbacks from 146 (including 48 no sound control) stops over two summer fishing seasons (2013, 2014). The startle stimulus decreased surfacing frequency, reduced bait foraging and increased surfacing distance from the vessel while the conditioned stimulus only caused a mild reduction in surfacing frequency with no other behavioral change. Exposing animals to a pair of a conditioned stimulus with a startle pulse did not achieve the intended management outcome. Rather, it generated evidence (in two study contexts) of immediate learning that led to the reduction of the unconditioned response. Taken together, our results suggest that for fear conditioning to be applied as a non-lethal deterrent, careful consideration has to be given to individual behavior, the unconditioned/conditioned responses and the overall management goals.
dc.format.extent8
dc.language.isoeng
dc.relation.ispartofAnimal Conservationen
dc.rights©2017 The Zoological Society of London. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at onlinelibrary.wiley.com / https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329en
dc.subjectConservation behavioren
dc.subjectMarine mammal fisheries conflicten
dc.subjectFear conditioningen
dc.subjectNon-lethal deterrentsen
dc.subjectSea lionsen
dc.subjectAcoustic stimulien
dc.subjectStartle effecten
dc.subjectHuman-wildlife conflicten
dc.subjectBF Psychologyen
dc.subjectQH301 Biologyen
dc.subjectNDASen
dc.subjectSDG 14 - Life Below Wateren
dc.subject.lccBFen
dc.subject.lccQH301en
dc.titleCan fear conditioning repel California sea lions from fishing activities?en
dc.typeJournal articleen
dc.description.versionPostprinten
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. School of Biologyen
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Instituteen
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Uniten
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotlanden
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciencesen
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolutionen
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. Bioacoustics groupen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.date.embargoedUntil2018-02-01


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