PORT PHILLIP BAY


New Zealand Fur-seal 

Arctocephalus forsteri

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

See below for information.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Otariidae
Genus:
Arctocephalus
Species:
forsteri

General Description

Dark grey fur (grey-black when wet). Pointed nose with long whiskers. Ear visible behind each eye. Up to 2.3 m long.

Biology

New Zealand Fur Seals change their diet from season to season, eating squid, octopus and fish. Killer Whales and White Sharks are their main predators. They live for about 15 years.

Humans interactions include:
Intensive commercial fishing is threatening the diet of this species. Some individuals may also become tangled in fishing nets.

Habitat

Coastal and continental shelf waters.

Open water

Distribution guide

New Zealand and southern Australia.

Species Group

Mammals Seals

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

Surface Midwater

Max Size

2.3 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

  • CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix II)
  • DSE Advisory List : Vulnerable
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Least Concern

Author

article author Fitzgerald, E.

Dr. Erich Fitzgerald is a Senior Curator of palaeontology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Jefferies, R.

Dr. Ryan Jefferies is a volunteer online editor at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Fitzgerald, E. & Jefferies, R., 2011, New Zealand Fur-seal, Arctocephalus forsteri, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 09 Oct 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/3851

Text: creative commons cc by licence