The Guadalupe fur seal (Arctocephalus townsendi) is one of eight species in the fur seal genus Arctocephalus. These seals are the northernmost members of this group. Sealers reduced their population to only a few dozen by the late 19th century. However, by the late 1990s, the population had grown to about 10,000 individuals. Many of these seals live on Guadalupe Island in Mexico.

Description

Adult Guadalupe fur seals have dark brown or dusty gray fur with yellowish silver guard hairs on the back of their necks. These seals show differences in size between males and females. Males are much larger, growing up to seven feet long and weighing over 400 pounds, while females are usually about five feet long and weigh around 110 pounds. Males also tend to have larger heads and lighter brown coloring. Both males and females can live for about twenty years. Guadalupe fur seals have ear flaps and large flippers that help them walk on land, which means they are not true seals (phocids) but are more closely related to sea lions. Baby Guadalupe fur seals are born with black fur similar to adults. However, young Guadalupe fur seals can be hard to tell apart from young California sea lions and Northern fur seals because they share some similar physical traits.

Distribution and habitat

Guadalupe fur seals breed along the eastern coast of Guadalupe Island, about 200 kilometers west of Baja California. They have also been seen in the southern California Channel Islands, including two males who claimed territory on San Nicolas Island. One seal has been found as far north as Oregon, and a dead seal has been discovered as far north as British Columbia.

Guadalupe fur seals once lived in Baja California, Mexico, and Southern California. However, they were hunted heavily in the 19th century and were thought to be extinct. In 1954, they were found again on Isla Guadalupe, Baja California, in a cave. This is now the only place where Guadalupe fur seals reproduce. In 2013, their population was estimated to be between 34,000 and 44,000, which is about one-fifth of their estimated historical population size.

Feeding

Guadalupe fur seals live in the open ocean and spend most of their time there. They dive underwater to find food and search for it for about two weeks before returning to land to eat. These seals usually hunt in shallow water, which is up to 250 feet (76 meters) deep, and they eat squid, mackerels, and lanternfish. They only feed during the night.

Behavior

Guadalupe fur seals build caves on land, which can lead to social pressures among the seals. Seals that do not breed often interact by barking, lunging at each other, and pushing each other into the water. Other behaviors include waving their hind flippers in the water while lying face down. When near humans, these seals are usually not aggressive. They are often seen with their heads underwater and do not pay much attention to people observing them.

Breeding

Observations show that male animals of mature age often stay in specific areas for several years. Once these areas are claimed, males rarely fight over them. Male animals stay in their territories for 35 to 122 days. During the mating season, males mate with up to twelve females. Baby animals are born between mid-June and mid-July, with most births happening in June. After birth, females nurse their pups for 8 to 10 days. For nine months after giving birth, female animals spend 9 to 13 days searching for food and 5 to 6 days nursing their pups. After this time, the young animals are considered adults and live independently. Mothers and pups recognize each other through unique sounds and scents.

Impacts on Guadalupe fur seals

The main reason for the Guadalupe fur seal's drop in numbers was hunting by people for their fur during the late 1700s and early 1800s. By 1825, the seals were driven to extinction in the waters off southern California. Hunting for their fur continued in Mexican waters until 1894.

Conservation and recovery efforts

The Guadalupe fur seal is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. The main reason for the decline of this species was commercial sealing. Today, the species is protected from such activities across its entire range, and the level of danger to the species is considered low. The part of the Guadalupe fur seal's range that falls under U.S. jurisdiction is at the edge of the species' range. No activities in areas controlled by the United States are known to harm the recovery of this species. Therefore, management efforts in the U.S. portion of its range are unlikely to greatly help its recovery. However, the species is protected from federal actions that could harm it through cooperation between government agencies under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. No other specific actions needed for the species' recovery have been identified, and no direct recovery efforts are currently being carried out.

In Mexico, the Guadalupe fur seal, which was rediscovered after being thought to be extinct, is protected in the Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve.

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