Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Specy

Guadalupe Fur Seal

Mammals

The Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi, is the northernmost of the fur seals. Sealers cut the population to a few dozen by the late nineteenth century, and the species was believed extinct until animals were found in a cave on Isla Guadalupe, Baja California, in 1954; it is still the only place where they breed. Numbers had recovered to about 10,000 by the late 1990s. Adults are dark brown or dusty gray with yellowish silver guard hairs on the neck, males about seven feet long and females about five. The species is pelagic, diving in shallow water for squid, mackerel and lanternfish, and individuals live about twenty years.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 1
Population Trend
Increasing 2
System (Realm)
Marine 1
Threats
Biological Resource Use 3
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 4
Body Size Band
Large 2
Activity Pattern
Nocturnal 1
Lifespan
20 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G2 Imperiled 3
CITES Appendix
Appendix I 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Arctocephalus, Taxa
Source Guadalupe fur seal (Wikipedia)
Otariidae, Taxa
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Arctocephalus townsendi (Animal Diversity Web)

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Guadalupe fur seal (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Mexico

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Guadalupe fur seal (Wikipedia)Article text, range
Quote, Article text, range
Many individuals can be found on Mexico's Guadalupe Island.
Sources
1. Guadalupe fur seal (Wikipedia)
  • Article text, sys
    Guadalupe fur seals are a pelagic species that spend most of their time in the open ocean.
  • Article text, diet
    catch squid, mackerels, and lanternfish
  • Article text, ext
    Many individuals can be found on Mexico's Guadalupe Island.
  • Article text, life
    Both males and females have a twenty-year lifespan.
  • Article text, hum
    were heavily hunted in the 19th century
  • Article text, range
    Many individuals can be found on Mexico's Guadalupe Island.
  • Behaviour
    They feed exclusively at night.
  • Child Taxon Of: Arctocephalus, Lead, tax
    is one of eight members of the fur seal genus Arctocephalus
  • In Biome: Marine, Article text, biome
    Guadalupe fur seals are a pelagic species that spend most of their time in the open ocean.
  • In Group: Pinnipeds (Seals, Sea Lions and the Walrus), Article text, grp
    is one of eight members of the fur seal genus Arctocephalus
View the Source
2. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Arctocephalus townsendi (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Physical Description, range mass
    50 to 160 kg
  • Conservation status
    The population of Guadalupe fur seals is growing
  • Child Taxon Of: Otariidae, Scientific Classification
    Family Otariidae fur seals and sea lions
View the Source
3. NatureServe Explorer: NatureServe Explorer: Arctocephalus townsendi
NatureServe Explorer
  • Global rank
    roundedGRank
  • Global rank reasons
    Entanglement in commercial fishing gear is the primary contemporary threat.
View the Source
4. SeaLifeBase: Arctocephalus townsendi
SeaLifeBase
  • IUCN Red List Status
    Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 10 October 2014
  • CITES status
    Appendix I: International trade banned
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.