A female Galápagos fur seal on a rock

Galápagos fur seal

Galápagos fur seals are the smallest, most terrestrial species of all the fur seals, spending only 70% of their life in the water. These little seals are endemic to the Galápagos Islands where they are widely distributed. During the breeding season one male may mate with as many as 16 females within his stretch of rocky shoreline territory. Defending this territory against rival males in a hot climate is tiring work, so male seals can often be seen cooling off in the sea at midday.

Scientific name: Arctocephalus galapagoensis

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Distribution

The Galápagos fur seal can be found in a number of locations including: Galápagos. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Galápagos fur seal distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Endangered

EX - Extinct
EW
CR - Threatened
EN - Threatened
VU - Threatened
NT
LC - Least concern

Population trend: Decreasing

Year assessed: 2008

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

The Galápagos fur seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) breeds on the Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific, west of mainland Ecuador.

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Classification

Sounds

Galápagos fur seal bull (5:49)

Find wildlife

Elsewhere on the web

Animal Diversity Web (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
ARKive: Images of Life on Earth (arkive.org)
IUCN Red List information (iucnredlist.org)
Galápagos Fur Seal (wikipedia.org)

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