Male Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus Gazella), Antarctic Peninsula
Since the 1800's when they were killed for their dense fur to the brink of extinction, the Fur Seal has made a strong comeback, with all populations stable or increasing in number. Over 90% of Antarctic Fur Seals breed at South Georgia. Territorial males spend a good deal of time patrolling their land and making sure that their females do not leave it, and pups are born around December. They feed mainly on krill, but have also been known to eat penguins in certain areas.The species may be at increased risk from disease outbreaks and environmental change in the future, given that it lost much of its genetic diversity by experiencing a “bottleneck” due to historical overexploitation.
Year: 2016
From album: Antarctic Biodiversity
Photographer: Peter Prokosch