Subantarctic Fur Seal
By E.L.
Description
- Classification- Marine Mammal
- Body Covering- Fur; Creamy orange chests and faces; Bellies are more brownish
- Size- Males are 2 meters and 160 KG
- Size- Females are 1.4 meters and 50 KG
- Unusual fact: Pups are black at birth, then molt at 3 months
Food Chain and Habitat
- Food Sources- Finds food in the ocean
- Carnivore
- Predator- Yes; Hunts for birds or krill
- Location- Antarctica; Southern Ocean
- Terrain- Ice
- Climate- Polar
- Home- Ice and/or water
Adaptation
- Their snout is short and flat
- Their flippers are wide and thick which help them swim in order to catch their prey
- most fur seals spend most of the winter and early spring (c. June - September) away from the breeding grounds and probably out at sea
- Their whiskers are very long, sometimes reaching past the ears and down the chest
- Most of the population spends much of the winter and spring (June-September) at sea
Reasons for Endagerment
- They were hunted for their pelts throughout the 19th century
- They are predated by sharks and killer whales
- There are groups who are trying to keep the rocky terrains out of reach from humans who might hunt them with big groups
- The pups are the ones being harmed the most which affect the population and the breeding