Galapagos Fur Seal

   

Galapagos Fur Seal


Conservation status: Vulnerable

<tr><th bgcolor=pink>Scientific classification <tr><td>
<tr><td>Kingdom:<td>Animalia <tr><td>Phylum:<td>Chordata <tr><td>Class:<td>Mammalia <tr><td>Order:<td>Carnivora <tr><td>Suborder:<td>Pinnipedia <tr><td>Family:<td>Otariidae <tr><td>Subfamily:<td>Arctocephalinae <tr><td>Genus:<td>Arctocephalus <tr><td>Species:<td>galapagoensis </table> <tr><th bgcolor=pink>Binomial name <tr><td align="center">Arctocephalus galapagoensis
Heller, 1904 </table> The Galapagos Fur Seal is the smallest of all the pinnipeds. It breeds on the Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific - making it the only fur seal to breed in tropical waters. The number of Galapagos Fur Seals successfully bred in a year is very sensitive to El Niņo weather events. In the El Nino summers of 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 greatly increased infant mortality. Increased water temperature decreases the abudance of prey during these summers.

References

  • Randall R. Reeves, Brent S. Stewart, Phillip J. Clapham and James A. Powell (2002). National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.. ISBN 0375411410.


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