These are the smallest of all fur seals, but have the longest nursing period of all.

Statistics
Males (bulls): 1.5m, 60-65 kg. Females (cows): 1.2m, 22-34 kg.

Physical description
Galapagos fur seals have a grey-brown coat and a short, pointed snout.

Distribution
They are restricted to the Galapagos islands.

Diet
Galapagos fur seals hunt during the night and feed on fish, squid and octopus.

Behaviour
They do not tend to overlap territories or compete for food with Galapagos sea lions. They prefer to inhabit rocky shores with caves and they do not appear to travel far from land. Dives of up to 169m have been recorded.

Reproduction
Galapagos fur seals have the longest nursing period of all fur seals, and pups remain with their mother for 1-3 years.

Conservation status
The Galapagos fur seal is classed as Vulnerable by the 2000 IUCN Red List. Numbers were drastically depleted by hunting during the 19th Century, and the effects of El Niqo (decline in fish stocks) have also led to a decrease in numbers.