Guadalupe Fur Seal | Oceana
Home / Guadalupe Fur Seal
Marine Life Encyclopedia > Marine Mammals > Guadalupe Fur Seal

Guadalupe Fur Seal

The Guadalupe fur seal was once thought to be extinct until the surprise discovery of a group of seals in a cave on Guadalupe Island off the coast of Mexico. Since then, this species has made a slow but promising recovery thanks to legal protections and conservation efforts.

 

The Guadalupe fur seal is a member of the eared seal family and has strong flippers that allow them not only to swim but effectively walk on land. Females typically weigh around 49 kilograms (108 pounds), but males can be about four times that size! While these seals are generally solitary and thought to be non-social at sea, they can be found in small groups on coastal rocky habitats and caves during breeding season. During this time, males will establish a territory occupied by a group of females, which they defend from other males through vocalizations, aggression, and displays. 

The Guadalupe fur seal’s breeding ground are almost entirely on Guadalupe Island, though recently they’ve been found on the islands of San Benito and the Northern Channel Islands. Outside of breeding season not much is known of their whereabouts at sea. These seals hunt primarily at night, feeding on squid and small fish. 

 

 

Guadalupe fur seals were heavily hunted by commercial sealers in the 1700’s – 1800’s. By the early 1900’s they were thought to be extinct until 1954 when a small group was rediscovered breeding in a cave on Guadalupe Island. This small group has since grown with recent surveys suggesting the population has grown to about 31,000 individuals.  

Their recovery is largely due to protections from the Mexican and United States governments. In 1985, the United States listed them as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and has since listed them as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). 

But while their populations have continued to grow, the Guadalupe fur seal still faces threats like entanglement in fishing gear, oil spills, and even military activities.  

 

 

These fur seals are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act – both pieces of critical legislation designed to protect wildlife from extinction and help them recover from serious threats. Ensuring laws like this stay strong is critical to the continued recovery of the Guadalupe fur seal. Oceana also campaigns to stop offshore drilling, which can lead to oil spills, and prevent animals from accidentally getting entangled in fishing gear.  

 

 

 

GET INVOLVED

DONATE TODAY

SUPPORT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE OCEANS BY GIVING TODAY

With the support of more than 1 million activists like you, we have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean.

DONATE

TAKE ACTION NOW

SUPPORT POLICY CHANGE FOR THE OCEANS

Decision-makers need to hear from ocean lovers like you. Make your voice heard!

ACT NOW

VISIT OUR ADOPTION CENTER

SYMBOLICALLY ADOPT AN ANIMAL TODAY

Visit our online store to see all the ocean animals you can symbolically adopt, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

SHOP THE STORE

DOWNLOAD OCEAN ACTIVITIES

HELP KIDS DISCOVER OUR BLUE PLANET

Our free KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) empower children to learn about and protect our oceans!

LEARN MORE

FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Save the Oceans, Feed the World

We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people.

Learn More

MORE CAMPAIGNS

Protect Habitat

Bycatch

Plastics

View All

CONTACT

Oceana International Headquarters
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 USA

General Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
info@oceana.org

Donation Inquiries
+1(202)-569-4895
wavemaker@oceana.org

Press Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
press@oceana.org

OCEANA'S EFFICIENCY

BECOME A WAVEMAKER

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A DONATION

We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Donate Now

QUICK LINKS: