One of the 7 fur seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Otariidae
Arctocephalus gazella
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
The Antarctic fur seal is a pinniped mammal of the family Otariidae, one of the seven species in the genus Arctocephalus. It lives in Antarctic waters, and was first seen in the Kerguelen Islands.
Weight
84.5 kg on average
Size
1.2 m – 2 m
Life expectancy
20 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Estimated population
944,000 mature individuals in 2025, against the 2,187,000 estimated in 1999: a fall of more than 50%
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Arctocephalus gazella · IUCN, comunicado de 9 de abril de 2026: pasa de Preocupación menor a En peligro · IUCN, comunicado de 9 de abril de 2026
Best time: From November to February on South Georgia and other subantarctic islands, during the breeding season, when the beaches fill with territorial males and pups.
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 13 of 23.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Antarctic Fur Seal — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The antarctic fur seal is classified as endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 2 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about antarctic fur seal.
