Galápagos Fur Seal
Arctocephalus galapagoensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyOtariidae (Eared Seals)
- GenusArctocephalus (Southern Fur Seals)
- SpeciesArctocephalus galapagoensis (Galápagos Fur Seal)
The Galápagos fur seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) is one of eight seals in the genus Arctocephalus. It is the smallest of all eared seals. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific. The total estimated population as of 1970 was said to be about 30,000, although the population has been said to be on the decline since the 1980s due to environmental factors such as pollution, disease, invasive species, and their limited territory. Due to the population having been historically vulnerable to hunting, the Galápagos fur seal has been protected by the Ecuadorian government since 1934. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Galápagos Fur Seal sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 284 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Galápagos Fur Seal in Galápagos Islands?
About 26% of wildlife watchers report a Galápagos Fur Seal sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 284 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Galápagos Fur Seal in Galápagos Islands?
August has the highest sighting rate for Galápagos Fur Seal in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.