The brown fur seal, also called the Afro-Australian Fur Seal, is a marine mammal discovered alongside the coasts of southern Africa and Australia. It’s the largest and most strong fur seal species.
Brown fur seals have a thick layer of brown fur and a robust, streamlined physique tailored for swimming. They feed totally on fish, squid, and crustaceans, diving deep to hunt.
These marine mammals reside in massive colonies and are identified for his or her loud, social habits. Regardless of previous threats from searching, their populations have largely recovered as a result of safety.
Learn on to find extra concerning the brown fur seal…
Web page Index
Brown Fur Seal Details At A Look
- Scientific Identify: Arctocephalus pusillus
- Subspecies: 2 – Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus (Cape fur seal – southern Africa); Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus (Australian fur seal – southern Australia)
- Order: Carnivora
- Class: Mammalia
- Household: Otariidae
- Genus: Arctocephalus
- Male Weight: 200–350 kg (440–770 lb)
- Feminine Weight: 40–110 kg (88–243 lb)
- Male Size: 2.0–2.5 m (6.6–8.2 ft)
- Feminine Size: 1.2–1.8 m (3.9–5.9 ft)
- The place Discovered: Coastal areas of southern Africa and southern Australia, together with Tasmania
- Typical Habitat: Rocky shores, islands, and seashores; prefers uncovered coastal areas for breeding and haul-outs
- Food plan: Carnivorous – feeds primarily on fish, squid, and crustaceans; opportunistic and expert hunters, usually diving as much as 200 meters
- Conservation Standing: Least Concern
You may see extra ocean animals on this web page: Ocean Animals Record with Photos & Details
Ocean Conservation Namibia
You could have seen brown fur seals being rescued from entanglements and marine particles on the favored Ocean Conservation Namibia YouTube channel. This non-profit group, based in 2020, has documented quite a few seal rescues to boost consciousness about ocean air pollution’s impression on marine life. You may see one in every of their movies under:
Bodily Description
The brown fur seal has a robust, muscular physique coated in thick, brown to grayish-brown fur. Males are a lot bigger than females and have a thick neck with a mane of coarse hair. They’ve lengthy, pointed snouts, massive eyes, and visual exterior ears. Their entrance flippers are lengthy and highly effective, serving to them swim effectively, whereas their hind flippers can rotate ahead, permitting them to maneuver properly on land.
Brown Fur Seal Diversifications
- Streamlined physique for environment friendly, quick swimming
- Highly effective entrance flippers for propulsion within the water
- Rotatable hind flippers for agile motion on land (compared to true seals)
- Thick fur coat with a dense underlayer for insulation
- Blubber layer to retain physique warmth and retailer vitality
- Massive, spherical eyes tailored for low-light underwater imaginative and prescient
- Nictitating membrane – a clear, third eyelid to defend eyes from salt and particles
- Potential to shut nostrils and ears to maintain water out whereas diving
- Slowed coronary heart charge throughout dives to preserve oxygen and keep underwater longer
Fur Seals – Household & Associated Species
The brown fur seal is one in every of 9 species of fur seals, all of that are family members Otariidae. This household is also called the eared seal household, and can also be house to sea lions.
Eared seals have exterior ears and might stroll on land utilizing their flippers. They differ from true seals (household Phocidae), which don’t have seen ears and transfer awkwardly on land.
Eared seals, true seals, and the walrus (which belongs to a household all of its personal, Odobenidae) all belong to a bigger group referred to as pinnipeds, that are marine mammals tailored for all times each in water and on land.
Are Fur Seals Sea Lions?
Fur seals are not sea lions, however they’re associated. Fur seals and sea lions are each eared seals, however fur seals have thicker fur and longer hind flippers, whereas sea lions are typically bigger and extra vocal with a bulkier construct.
Brown Fur Seal Distribution & Habitat
The brown fur seal is discovered alongside the coastlines of southern Africa and southern Australia, (together with Tasmania).
It usually lives in rocky coastal areas, offshore islands, and seashores, the place it comes ashore to relaxation, breed, and look after its younger. The seals favor locations which are uncovered to the open ocean, with easy accessibility to deep waters for searching their prey.
Brown Fur Seal Life-Cycle & Lifespan
The life-cycle of a brown fur seal begins when a pup is born after an virtually year-long gestation interval (this features a 3-4 month delayed implantation of the embryo).
Pups are often born through the summer time breeding season, with every feminine giving start to a single pup. After start, the mom nurses the pup for about 4 to 12 months, though she could start mating once more simply days after giving start.
Throughout the breeding season, males compete fiercely for territory and mating rights, with profitable males attracting a gaggle of females generally known as a “harem”. Males don’t assist elevate the pups.
Because the pups develop, they be taught to swim and hunt, changing into unbiased round one 12 months outdated. Brown fur seals attain sexual maturity at round 4–6 years of age. Within the wild, they will reside as much as 20–25 years.
All through their lives, brown fur seals spend most of their time at sea, coming ashore primarily to breed and relaxation. Females and pups usually “haul out” to relaxation on seashores.
Searching And Food plan
The brown fur seal is a talented and agile hunter that catches its prey whereas swimming and diving within the ocean. It usually hunts alone, utilizing its wonderful imaginative and prescient and fast actions to chase and seize meals underwater.
The marine mammal’s food plan primarily consists of fish, squid, and crabs. They’re opportunistic feeders, that means they eat no matter is most accessible of their setting. Sometimes, they could additionally scavenge or eat seabirds.
Diving Skills
Brown fur seals can dive to depths of round 200 meters (656 ft) and keep submerged for as much as round 7.5 minutes.
Variations Between Cape fur seal and Australian Fur Seal
The 2 subspecies of the brown fur seal—the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) and the Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)—differ primarily of their geographic vary; there’s little or no distinction in bodily look between the subspecies. The Cape fur seal tends to be barely bigger than its Australian cousin, and hunts at shallower depths.
The Cape fur seal is discovered alongside the coasts of Namibia and South Africa, whereas the Australian fur seal lives alongside the southeastern coast of Australia, together with Victoria, Tasmania, and close by islands.
Brown Fur Seal Predators, Threats And Conservation Standing
The brown fur seal faces a number of pure and human-related threats. Within the wild, pure predators resembling nice white sharks, orcas, and sometimes leopard seals prey on them, particularly younger or inexperienced people. On land, pups might be taken by jackals, hyenas and even lions.
Human-related threats embody fishing nets and equipment, the place seals can turn out to be by accident entangled and drown. Overfishing additionally reduces the provision of their meals sources. In some areas, they’re nonetheless hunted or culled, significantly when seen as competitors with fisheries. Air pollution, resembling oil spills, plastics, and chemical runoff, can hurt the seals’ well being and habitats.
Regardless of these threats, the brown fur seal has a inhabitants of simply over a million grownup people, and the species is at present (April 2025) rated Least Concern.
Uncover Extra With Energetic Wild
You could find out extra about seals on the next pages:
