Galapagos Fur Seal

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Galapagos fur seals (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) are endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and are found across most of the archipelago. They are almost as abundant as the Galapagos sea lion, but you won’t see them nearly as frequently. That’s because they tend to live along the less-visited rocky shores of the islands, often sheltering in the shade of boulders, caves or under lava ledges, making them harder to spot. Two of the best places to see them are James Bay on Santiago and Darwin Bay on Genovesa.

The Galapagos fur seal is the smallest of all the otariids, or eared seals. On average, adult males are about 4 feet 11 inches long and weigh about 141 pounds, while adult females are about a foot shorter and weigh half as much.

Another characteristic that sets the Galapagos fur seal apart from other seals is the amount of time it spends on land. Most seals spend about half their time on land and half in the water. But Galapagos fur seals spend about 70% of their time on land.

When they do venture into the water to hunt, Galapagos fur seals tend to stay relatively close to shore and near the surface, although they are capable of diving to depths of 550 feet. They are also primarily nocturnal hunters, as their prey — which typically consists of fish, squid and shellfish — is easier to catch at night.

The Galapagos fur seal is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, with the total population consisting of around 10,000 mature individuals. During the 19th century, however, things were far worse for the fur seals, when whalers and sealers harvested them almost to extinction. Galapagos fur seals are now fully protected, but they remain vulnerable thanks to human activities, El Niño weather events and climate change.

Read more about the Galapagos Fur Seal at Galapagos Conservation Trust.

Galapagos Cruises Where You are Likely to See the Galapagos Fur Seal

Other Galapagos Wildlife

American Flamingo / Blue-Footed Booby / Flightless Cormorant / Frigatebirds: Great and Magnificent / Galapagos Giant Tortoise / Galapagos Hawk / Galapagos Penguin / Galapagos Sea Lion / Land Iguana / Marine Iguana / Nazca Booby / Red-Footed Booby / Santa Fe Land Iguana / Waved Albatross

Galapagos Travel Guide

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The Main Galapagos Islands and Visitor Sites

Baltra Island / Bartolomé Island / Chinese Hat Islet / Eden Islet / Española Island / Fernandina Island / Floreana Island / Genovesa Island / Isabela Island / Mosquera Islet / North Seymour Island / Rábida Island / San Cristóbal Island / Santa Cruz Island / Santa Fe Island / Santiago Island / South Plaza Island

Galapagos Cruise Ships

Galapagos Legend / Santa Cruz II / La Pinta / Isabela II / Coral I & II / Galapagos Sea Star Journey / Infinity / Natural Paradise / Horizon / Petrel / Treasure of Galapagos / Galapagos Seaman Journey / EcoGalaxy

Other Galapagos Tours

Ecuador Amazon Tours / Ecuador & Chile Tours / Ecuador & Peru Tours / Galapagos Adventure Tours / Galapagos & Amazon Tours / Galapagos Luxury Tours / Galapagos, Machu Picchu, & Easter Island Tours / Galapagos Wildlife Tours / Machu Picchu & Galapagos Tours / Peru & Ecuador Tours / Quito to Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Cruises by Duration

4-Day Galapagos Cruises / 5-Day Galapagos Cruises / 6-Day Galapagos Cruises / 7-Day Galapagos Cruises / 8-Day Galapagos Cruises

Ecuador Travel Guide

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Top Ecuador Travel Destinations

Baños / Cuenca / Guayaquil / Otavalo / Quito / The Ecuadorian Amazon / The Galapagos Islands

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