Two persons cut out an appropriate male from the group that has 

 been driven away from the water, or cut off a single individual from 

 its escape route. A third person handles the net. In some cases a 

 fourth person may be required to control a pod of large animals that 

 has been driven inland to prevent them from scattering while the indi- 

 vidual capture is taking place. 



In this technique the ultimate objective is to get the hoop over the 

 animal's head and all the way to the ground with the animal's head 

 inside the bag in the deep end of the net and then to have the animal 

 step over the hoop and into the net with at least one of its front flip- 

 pers. Since a running animal will be less aware of the net in the air 

 over its head and will be less likely to bite the hoop as it descends, it is 

 best to induce the animal to run away from the net handler before the 

 capture attempt. A running animal can sometimes be properly netted 

 in a single stroke. Avoid netting stationary animals. Males isolated at 

 a safe working distance from other seals will remain stationary, fac- 

 ing their captors, unless goaded into running. Stationary animals can 

 bite the hoop and break their canine teeth. They can also shake their 

 head and neck vigorously to dislodge the hoop. Stationary males can 

 be made to mn by a series of jabs to the ribs or flanks with a pole. 



Once the hoop is over the animal's head a second effort is fre- 

 quently required to drive the animal entirely into the net and complete 

 the capture. For this step of getting the animal into the net, the net 

 handler should be behind the animal. Maintaining this position may 

 require running around the animal while holding onto the handle of 

 the hoop since netted seals tend to spin. The other two members of 

 the party must try to stay out of the net handler's way in this exercise. 

 A bamboo pole can be used to lift the net and bag into the air over the 

 head of the animal while the hoop is forced to the ground so that the 

 bag drops over the seal's head. 



One final step is important to prevent the seal from backing out of 

 the net. The animal should step forward over the hoop, so that it is 

 standing with at least one and preferably both flippers on the metal 

 hoop, or on the net outside the hoop. Once this is accomplished the 

 animal will be holding the net stationary with its own weight. If the 

 seal will not voluntarily step forward, have one worker grasp both 

 rear flippers and pull backward (out of the net). Seals resist this pull 

 by obligingly stepping forward. To secure the net, the rear flippers 

 are tucked inside the hoop, and the net handler stands atop the junc- 

 tion of the loop and the handle. 



Although the animal will be noticeable quieter with its head in the 

 bag, the net allows considerable freedom of movement of the seal's 

 head and upper body. Precautions must be taken to prevent workers 

 from being bitten through the bag. Two persons work on opposite 

 sides of the animal from the rear angle. One reaches across the back 

 of the animal, forces a bamboo pole into the ground just forward of 

 the front flipper, and holds it vertically between the seal's head and 

 the third person, who attaches tags to the front flipper (see Fig. 9). It 

 is also possible to help control the animal by grasping the mesh of the 

 net low down on the animal's back and pulling the seal off balance 

 sideways. 



Tags may be applied through the mesh of the net. The person 

 applying the tag must be conscious of maintaining good balance, and 

 of not becoming entangled in the net, since netted animals can still 

 lunge dangerously. It is easy to become involved in the concentration 

 of getting tagging pliers into the proper position or to become frus- 

 trated with a difficult animal. This can lead to dangerous situations. 



The animal is released by lifting the net up and moving it forward, 

 allowing the seal to back out. If the animal becomes tangled in the net 

 during capture the purse string at the end of the net can be cut to 

 release the animal through the deep end of the net. The animals are 

 generally disoriented for several seconds after release. Nevertheless, 



Figure 9.— A method of capturing male fur seals weighing up to 160 kg using a 

 hoop net. The seal's vision is obscured by a bag sewn into the deep end of the 

 net. One worker stands on the handle of the net and keeps the seal off balance 

 by pulling on the net. A second person holds a pole between the seal's head and 

 front flipper to protect a third worker, here applying a tag, from being bitten. 



one person with a bamboo pole should stand by to protect the net han- 

 dler. Avoid snaring the tags in the mesh, since they may be pulled out 

 of the flippers as the net is being removed. 



Adult Females 



Each capture situation with females is unique, depending on the 

 time of year, type and number of females desired, the stage of the 

 reproductive cycle, and the amount of disturbance the worker is will- 

 ing to create. The procedures described here have evolved over sev- 

 eral years of catching animals. Although certain of the precautions 

 should not be violated, successful captures frequently depend on the 

 worker's ability to be inventive or to make fast decisions in the midst 

 of the situation. 



1) Noose captures.— At the right time of year adult females can be 

 captured individually with relatively little disturbance to the rookery. 

 The basic technique consists of locating and ensnaring a newborn 

 pup whose mother is identifiable, holding the pup until the mother 

 can be ensnared with a long choker, and then pulling the two out of 

 the rookery. 



11 



