Galapagos Fur Seal

Galapagos Fur Seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis)

The Galapagos Fur Seal is the smallest of the sea lion family and one of the hardest animals to spot in the islands. Despite its name, it is not a true seal but a “fur sea lion,” using its front flippers to move through the water in graceful, wing-like strokes. At first glance, it can be mistaken for the Galapagos Sea Lion, but a few key features help tell them apart.

How to Tell Them Apart From Sea Lions

The Galapagos Fur Seal is roughly one third the size of a sea lion and has a shorter, bear-like snout, large protruding eyes, and small ears that stick out. Its thick, double-layered coat provides insulation in the cool, nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt and Cromwell Currents, but it also makes the animal prone to overheating on land. For this reason, fur seals are usually found resting in the shade during the day, tucked among the rocks or under ledges, rather than basking in the open sun like their sea lion cousins.

Fur seals hunt at night, a behavior that helps them avoid direct competition with sea lions. Their large eyes are adapted for low light, allowing them to spot squid and small fish that rise to the surface after dark. They can dive to depths of around 100 meters and may spend much of the night working the same stretch of shoreline, methodically searching for prey. When the moon is bright, they reduce feeding activity, probably because their prey can see them more easily and because sharks are more active.

Life on the Rocks

Fur seals favor the shaded, rocky coastlines of the western islands, particularly along the lava terraces of Isabela Island. They are agile climbers, able to scramble up steep rock faces that sea lions cannot reach, often resting high above the water in the crevices of cooled lava flows, a strategy that helps them retain body moisture through the heat of the day.

Their total population is estimated at around 25,000 individuals, but numbers fluctuate dramatically with changes in ocean temperature and food supply. During extreme El Niño years, when the surface waters warm and prey becomes scarce, mortality among pups can approach 100 percent.

Breeding and Family Life

Breeding takes place between August and November. Females give birth to a single pup, which they nurse for up to three years. Because of this extended care, females usually raise one pup every two years, although older siblings sometimes compete with new arrivals for milk.

Males defend territories fiercely, expending so much energy maintaining their harems that they have little time to feed, a strain that can prove fatal during food shortages.

Survival and Conservation

The Galapagos Fur Seal was once hunted to near extinction in the 19th century for its dense, velvety coat. By the early 1900s, only a few colonies survived.

Populations later began to recover, helped by the isolation of their breeding grounds and periods of favorable oceanic conditions. However, they remain extremely sensitive to climatic shifts, particularly during El Nino years.

Where to See Them

Galapagos Fur Seals are found throughout the archipelago, though sightings are less common than of sea lions. As nocturnal hunters, they are rarely seen at sea during the day, preferring to rest in the shade of cliffs or lava ledges.

Some of the best places to see them on our Safaris are on the islands of Bartolome, North Seymour and Isabela, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when they are most active.