Cape fur seal

케이프물개(남아프리카물개)

The Cape fur seal lives on the coasts of southern Africa, kept warm in cold seas by an extremely dense coat. Colonies of tens of thousands breed on rocky shores and islands, and the seals dive to dozens of metres to hunt fish.

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At a glance

Class: Mammals
Diet: Fish eater
Weight: about 160 kg
Length: about 1.9 m
Lifespan: up to about 20 years
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN LC)
Habitat: coasts

Quick answers

Where does the Cape fur seal live?

It lives in coasts of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

How big is the Cape fur seal?

It grows to about 1.9 m and 160 kg.

What does the Cape fur seal eat?

Its diet: fish eater.

How long does the Cape fur seal live?

It can live up to about 20 years.

Is the Cape fur seal endangered?

It is listed as Least Concern (IUCN LC).

The Cape fur seal is the brown fur seal of southern Africa. Scientists call the species Arctocephalus pusillus, and it is the largest and sturdiest of all the fur seals. The southern African kind lives along the coast from Cape Cross in Namibia around the Cape of Good Hope to near Port Elizabeth in South Africa.

A close relative, the Australian fur seal, lives in Bass Strait. Cape fur seals have a broad flat head, a pointed snout and small external ear flaps, which tell them apart from true seals. Males are dark grey-brown with a darker mane, while females are lighter. They breed on rocky islands and beaches, and big colonies can reach tens of thousands of seals.

Where does it live and what does it eat?

These seals prefer rocky outcrops, small islands, ledges and reefs, but some large colonies sit on sandy beaches in South Africa. They spend most of the year at sea, yet they rarely go far from land. They have been recorded 160 kilometres out, but that is unusual. Their diet is roughly 70 percent fish and 20 percent squid, with a little crab and other crustaceans.

How big are they?

Males of the African kind average about 2.3 metres long and weigh 200 to 300 kilograms. Females are smaller, around 1.8 metres and 120 kilograms. Pups are born black and turn grey with a pale throat within three to five months. Because they are fur seals, they have a thick coat that keeps them warm in cold water. Their fore-flippers are mostly bare and dark, and their hind flippers are short for such a big body.

Fun facts

Colonies on the coasts of Namibia and South Africa can hold tens of thousands of seals.
It is the largest and most robust of all fur seals.
Pups are born black and turn grey within three to five months.
Some colonies on the Namibian and South African coasts hold tens of thousands of seals.