Southern Fur Seal
Kim and Grace
Southern Fur Seal
Antarctic fur seals are more accuraely called'Southern Fur Seals'. Fur Seals are the smallest seals and closely related to dogs and seal lions , able to walk on all fours.
The scientific name of Southern Fur Seals is Arctocephalus forsteri.
Appearance
In appearance and manner they resemble a large dog.This seal has slanted eyes, small nears and thick, soft skin. They are able to bring their rear flippers under thier body on thier fore-flippers and so are much more agile on land compared to others such as elephant, wedell crabeater seals. The males can reach 200kg and can be up to 4 times larger than the female. The thick coat of the fur seal helps insulate it from the cold.
Habitat
Breeding
Diet
Other info
*Leopard seals and orcas are known to eat fur seals.
*The cycle of nursing and feeding last for about 4 months
*The fur seal is the only eared seal.
*The bulls stake out their own territory on the beach and defend it.
Bibliography
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/Antfurseal.htm 19-3-2014
Gough,Sue Creatures of the Antarctic By The Jacaranda Press 1992