One of the 7 fur seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Otariidae
Galapagos Fur Seal
Arctocephalus galapagoensis
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
The Galápagos fur seal is the smallest otariid in the world and one of the few that lives in the tropics. It is endemic to the Ecuadorian archipelago, where it occupies rocky coasts with caves and overhangs that give it shade: its dense fur, adapted to cold water, leaves it very vulnerable to overheating. It feeds on squid and fish that it hunts at night, when the deep scattering layer rises. El Niño events, which warm the water and crash productivity, cause mass die-offs.
Weight
27 kg – 68 kg
Size
1.2 m – 1.6 m
Lifespan
22 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.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- comportamientoIt is the smallest pinniped in the world and, unlike other fur seals, hunts mainly at night to keep clear of sharks during the day.
- It is the smallest eared seal in the world and one of the very few tropical pinnipeds: it survives on the equator only thanks to the cold Humboldt Current, which cools the waters of the archipelago.
- It hunts almost entirely at night and needs shade during the day, so it depends on caves and volcanic crevices: without them, its cold-water coat would cook it under the equatorial sun.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Rocky volcanic coasts with caves and shade, on the western islands of the Galápagos archipelago
- Sexual maturity
- 4 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 7 months
- Litter / clutch size
- 1
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctocephalus_galapagoensis
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Galapagos Fur Seal — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Galapagos Sea Lion
Zalophus wollebaeki
Galapagos Penguin
Spheniscus mendiculus
Least ConcernMagnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens
EndangeredWhale Shark
Rhincodon typus
VulnerableSperm Whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Least ConcernBlue-footed Booby
Sula nebouxii
How to help
The galapagos fur seal is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 7 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
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Based on what we already know about galapagos fur seal.
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