Initial growth of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) colonies at the South Farallon, San Miguel, and Bogoslof Islands

Understanding the colonization or recolonization of breeding sites used by colonial animals is fundamental to metapopulation theory and has practical applications in conservation biology. Historically, pinniped species were heavily exploited worldwide, resulting in some breeding colonies becoming extirpated. As populations recover, some abandoned sites may be recolonized or new sites can be colonized. We analyzed aerial and ground survey data on...