Charming fur seals are truly fascinating creatures. They inhabit both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and there are several dozen species of them worldwide. Despite the differences, all species of fur seals are quite similar to each other; they live almost identical lifestyles, and they eat, breed, and bask in the sun in similar ways. Fur seals usually pose no threat to humans, and watching them is a delightful experience—there are even special tours designed for this.
Facts About Fur Seals
- Species Similarity: Most fur seal species mainly differ in size, but otherwise, they are very similar in appearance.
- Strong Odor: Fur seal rookeries, where they come ashore, often have such a strong fishy smell that even humans can detect it from several kilometers away.
- Zoological Classification: Zoologists classify fur seals as “eared seals,” a group that also includes sea lions.
- Waterproof Fur: It’s difficult to get their fur wet because their soft underfur traps air, creating an insulating layer between the wet outer fur and the skin. This helps them stay warm in cold water.
- Time Spent: Fur seals spend about half of their lives in water and the other half on land.
- Breeding Battles: During mating season, males fiercely fight each other for females, biting aggressively. However, they usually bite each other’s necks, where fur seals have the thickest layer of subcutaneous fat, protecting them from serious injury.
- Underwater Vision: With their sharp vision, fur seals can see prey and hunt successfully even deep underwater, where it is always dark.
- Diving Depths: During hunts, fur seals can dive to depths of up to 200 meters.
- Swimming Speed: They can swim at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour.
- Social Structure: Fur seals usually lead solitary lives or gather in small groups, but during the breeding season, they form large colonies that can sometimes number tens of thousands of individuals.
- Lifespan: The average lifespan of fur seals varies by species, ranging from 12 to 30 years.
- Diet: Their diet mainly consists of fish and mollusks, but they won’t hesitate to catch an unsuspecting seabird if the opportunity arises.
- Single Offspring: Female fur seals always give birth to a single pup, similar to elephant seals.
- Long Gestation: Their pregnancy lasts longer than that of humans, from 11 to 12 months.
- Delayed Implantation: The fertilization of a female fur seal’s egg can be delayed for up to 3 months after mating, a process she can control.
- Lifelong Lactation: After giving birth to her first pup, a female fur seal continues to produce milk throughout her life.
- Mother-Child Recognition: Female fur seals can easily recognize their offspring by voice and scent. These traits allow them to identify each other even after years of separation.
- Dominant Males: Dominant male fur seals sometimes gather harems of 30-40 females.
- Size Difference: Northern fur seal species are larger than their southern counterparts.
- Population: The global population of fur seals is currently estimated at around 1.2 million individuals.
- Habitat Concentration: About two-thirds of the world’s fur seals live in the Bering Sea.
- Size Disparity: Male fur seals are about a third larger than females and can weigh 3-5 times more.
- Largest Rookeries: The largest fur seal rookeries, consisting of hundreds of thousands of individuals during the breeding season, are found on the Pribilof Islands.
- Predators: Sharks and killer whales often prey on fur seals.
- Historical Threats: In the 19th century, fur seals were slaughtered for their fur, but hunting them was banned in 1911. Today, they are no longer at risk of extinction.
- Weight Differences: Adult females can weigh as little as 25-40 kg, while particularly large males can weigh up to 300 kg. However, within a single species, the weight differences are not as significant.
- Sensitive Whiskers: Fur seals’ sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) allow them to detect the slightest water movements, helping them hunt in the dim light of the ocean depths.