| Home: Special status species: Guadalupe fur seal: Natural history |
SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES: GUADALUPE FUR SEAL (Arctocephalus townsendi)
NATURAL HISTORY |
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| General |
| Taxonomy: |
Order Carnivora, Suborder Pinnipedia, Family Otariidae. Only member of the genus Arctocephalus that occurs in the northern hemisphere.
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| Appearance: |
Like all members of Family Otariidae, this species has external ear flaps (pinnae), fore-flippers with long digits used for propulsion under water, and hind-flippers that rotate forward under the hips allowing the animal to walk on land. Males are longer and significantly heavier than females. Males average 1.8 m and 160-170 kg. Females average 1.2 m and 40-50 kg.6 Both sexes are covered with uniformly dark brown to dusky black fur, but males have a thick mane on the neck with guard hairs that are light tan. The head and snout is long and narrow. |
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| Feeding Behavior |
| Overview: |
Foraging behavior and diet is poorly understood. Appear to feed mostly at night. During nursing, females will spend an average of 9-13 days foraging at sea before returning to land to nurse her pup for an average of 5-6 days. |
| Prey Items: |
Squid and bony fish (e.g., lanternfish, mackerel, sanddabs, rockfish).5 |
| Method of
Capture: |
Dive to capture prey. A tagging study showed that most dives were <20 m (65 feet) and ranged 2-4 min.11 A separate study showed similar results with a max depth of 82 m and max time of 18 min.10 |
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| Reproduction |
| Overview: |
During breeding season, males establish and defend territories that extend from shore for several meters into the water. Territories tend to be in or near areas that provide shelter from sun, wind, and rough seas (e.g., caves or tidepools). Males fast while maintaining territories for an average of 6 weeks. |
| Time to Maturity: |
Unknown |
| Longevity: |
Males: 18 years. Females: 23 years |
| Breeding
Season: |
Pups are born from early-June to early-August; breeding occurs approximately 7 days after birth.10 |
| Frequency
of Breeding: |
Annual |
| Gestation
Period: |
Approximately 12 months (including a delayed implantation period of 4 months)17 |
| Number of
Offspring per Pregnancy: |
One |
| Parental
Care: |
Maternal; female nurses pup for approximately 8-11 months |
| Mating
System: |
Polygamous18; males hold territories and attempt to mate with up to a dozen females during the breeding season. |
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