Australian scientists have released the first results of a study that equipped sea lions with cameras and sensors to map the seafloor while supporting conservation efforts for the endangered marine mammals.

The study, funded by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program and the Ecological Society of Australia, was published in Frontiers of marine science.

It shows maps of the seabed and the animals’ habitat in different areas and also provides valuable insights into the behavior of sea lions.

According to the Guardian, sea lions were hunted until the early 20th century, but more recently, fishing nets and traps have posed a greater threat to their survival.

As a result, the number of sea lions has declined by 60% over the past 40 years. There are now only about 10,000 left, most of which are scattered across 80 breeding grounds along the south and west coasts of Australia.

One of the challenges the study seeks to overcome is the difficulty of studying the seafloor, which is traditionally time-consuming as it must be done from above by boat. Scientists believe that understanding the health of these marine habitats is crucial to ensuring the survival of the species.

The sea lions are stepping in: so far, eight females from two seal colonies have shot almost 90 hours of film material over an area of ​​more than 500 km², helping scientists to map 5,000 square kilometers of habitat.

The adult sea lions selected for the study were first anesthetized and then fitted with cameras attached with a neoprene rubber patch the size of a credit card.

When the sea lions lose their hair, the patch and camera fall off naturally. For the study, females were selected that regularly return to land to feed their young, so that the data from the cameras can be collected.

Interestingly, the study has also provided new insights into the behavior of sea lions. Among other things, it has shown that individual animals have different tastes. According to the researchers, some look for cod, others for octopus or squid, while others “dig up” their prey by rolling over rocks with their nose and flippers.

Professor Simon Goldsworthy, who supervised the research project, describes the recorded footage as “the best slow TV ever”.

“Information has been so hard to come by because they feed on the sea floor,” he told the Guardian. “Now we’re getting these amazing, exquisite details. They’re giving us a glimpse into their world that we didn’t have before.”