3.2 Macronutrient content in sea otter diets
Energetic intake (kcal/gram) and percent protein composition varied by recolonization zone (Fig. 3A) and reproductive status (Fig. 3B). Energetic intake, percent lipid, and protein composition varied by season (Fig. 3D). For example, fall and winter varied from spring and summer in overall energetic intake (fall: 4.3 Kcal/gram, winter: 4.2 Kcal/gram, spring: 3.8 Kcal/gram, summer: 3.8 Kcal/gram). The variation in energetic intake is driven by both percent protein and percent lipid (fall: 8.0% lipid and 58.4% protein, winter: 8.1% lipid and 58.0% protein, spring: 7.4% lipid and 51.3% protein, summer: 7.5% lipid and 51.1% protein). In contrast, females with and without pups had variation in overall energetic content driven only by the percent protein in the diet (with pup: 3.9 Kcal/gram, 7.2% lipid, and 53.6% protein, without pup: 4.4 Kcal/gram, 7.4% lipid, and 61.2% protein).