South American fur seal

남아메리카물개

A fur seal of South American rocky coasts on both the Pacific and Atlantic sides. Males reach about 200 kg, and the species has a pointed, upturned nose and dense fur.

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At a glance

Class: Mammals
Lives in: Coasts of Peru, Chile, Uruguay and the Falklands
Diet: Meat eater (carnivore)
Weight: about 100 kg
Length: about 1.65 m
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN LC)
Habitat: coasts

Quick answers

Where does the South American fur seal live?

It lives in coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. On the globe you can find it near Coasts of Peru, Chile, Uruguay and the Falklands.

How big is the South American fur seal?

It grows to about 1.65 m and 100 kg.

What does the South American fur seal eat?

Its diet: meat eater (carnivore).

Is the South American fur seal endangered?

It is listed as Least Concern (IUCN LC).

The South American fur seal is a stocky, dark grey or brown seal that breeds on rocky coasts from Peru around Cape Horn and north to southern Brazil, including the Falkland Islands. Despite the name, it is an eared seal, a close cousin of sea lions, and it has dense fur that keeps it warm in cold water.

Scientists think there are roughly 300,000 to 450,000 of them, and the IUCN lists the species as of least concern. Males are much bigger than females and grow a thick neck and a mane of long hairs. Hunting and changes in the environment still affect some colonies.

What does it eat and how does it hunt?

South American fur seals are carnivores that mostly catch fish living near the seabed and in open water. They are described as nocturnal hunters, so they do much of their feeding in the dark. They are social and often hunt in groups. On land they talk to each other with barks, growls, whimpers and high wails, and mothers use special calls to find their own pups in a crowded colony.

Males, females and pups

Adult males can reach about 2 metres and 150 to 200 kilograms, while females are about 1.5 metres and only 30 to 60 kilograms. Newborn pups are around 60 centimetres long. Males compete for territory and for females, forming a ranking of who is in charge. The breeding season runs from October to December. People often confuse these seals with South American sea lions and several other fur seals and sea lions that look similar.