Wildlife
Antarctic fur seals are one of the eared seals from the same family as sea lions, rather than one of the true seals like the common seal seen in the UK. Antarctic fur seals feast primarily on tiny krill, but they also hunt fish and squid.
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December gathering
More than a million Atlantic fur seals head to South Georgia to breed.
More than a million Atlantic fur seals head to South Georgia to breed.
Seals hunting penguins
Penguins run the gauntlet of ferocious fur seals to reach their hungry chicks.
Cameraman Ian McCarthy hitched a three-week ride on a tuna trawler through the notorious Roaring Forties to reach the obscure island where this behaviour had been reported. He and his camera equipment had to be sterilised to avoid contaminating the island. For the next four weeks, he braved Antarctic gales and the highly aggressive bull fur seals to capture this unique behaviour.
The Antarctic fur seal can be found in a number of locations including: Antarctica. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Antarctic fur seal distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Increasing
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) is one of eight seals in the genus Arctocephalus, and one of nine fur seals in the subfamily Arctocephalinae. As its name suggests, the Antarctic fur seal is distributed in Antarctic waters. Around 95% of the world population breeds at the Island of South Georgia. It is named for the German naval vessel, the corvette SMS Gazelle, which collected the first specimen from Kerguelen Island. The species is also known as the Kerguelen fur seal.
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Coastal
Intertidal zone
Shallow seas
Open ocean
Helpless young
Migration
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Hierarchical
Acoustic communication
Maternal care
Moulting
Polygynous
Predator
Social
Sexual dimorphism
Territorial
Viviparous