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New Zealand fur seal

Arctocephalus forsteri

Photo by lori.tas
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

The New Zealand fur seal is an ‘eared’ seal. It differs from earless or ‘true’ seals such as leopard seals, which have no external ear flaps and cannot use their hind legs when on land.

New Zealand fur seal has a more pointed snout than the Australian sea lion and is a darker grey to brown colour. The bulls have mane can weigh 120-180 kilograms and reach up to 2.5 metres in length and are much larger than the cows, which are only 35 to 50 kilograms and only one to 1.5 metres long.

Habitat:

South sea coasts.

Notes:

This young female was sunning in a rock just off the coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand.

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Photographed
PublishedMay 28, 2011

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