The Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) is a species of seal found only in Endless Ocean 2.
They are usually brown or brownish-grey in color. They were once almost extinct thanks to human hunting in the 18th and 19th centuries, but they are now a protected species, and their numbers have recovered.
In-Game[]
Marine Encyclopedia[]
Endless Ocean 2[]
Description[]
"These seals are grey or brown, and the male has long whiskers. As their name suggests, they were once hunted extensively for their fur, almost to the point of extinction. Laws protecting them have resulted in a great increase in their numbers."
Location[]
Endless Ocean 2[]
The Antarctic fur seal can be found in the Weddell Sea at coordinates A-1 (at the surface), C-1 NW, D-1 NW, D-3 N/SW, and D-4 NW.
Behavior[]
Small groups of them are found swimming underwater. On land, they are stationary, and respond positively to petting and being fed.
Gallery[]
.png "Antarctic Fur Seal (Land).png (646 KB)")
Notes[]
Real-Life Information[]
- True to the in-game description, Antarctic fur seals were once on the brink of extinction due to human hunting[1][2]. Their dense, short fur was highly sought after for use in clothing[3]. Since then, their numbers have recovered considerably, and they are now considered a species of least concern by the IUCN[4].
- As reported in-game, the coloration of the Antarctic fur seal can vary, but the description does not mention that this coloration is dependent on whether the seal is male or female. Females tend to be paler in color and are usually medium-grey or middle-brown with light patches, where males range from dark greyish-brown to charcoal-grey[5][6]. Pups are born with black fur that turns ash-grey before darkening into their adult colors, though they sometimes have pale muzzles or bellies[5][7].
- There is a rare chance that an Antarctic fur seal pup may be born with yellow-white or cream-colored fur. This condition is called leucism[8][9]. Because these individuals are comparatively rare and are very easy to spot in a crowd of seals, their presence has been used in studies to differentiate groups of seals from each other[10].
- Another accurate aspect of the appearance noted in-game is the long whiskers. Though both males and females have them, they are more prevalent in bulls (males)[11].
- Though attacks on humans are rare, Antarctic fur seals are noted for being particularly territorial during the mating season, and may lash out if surprised or threatened[12][13]. Bull seals will fight other bulls for the rights to control a stretch of beach as their "home base", which they defend fiercely[14][15]. Though they aren't as protective over their space, mother Antarctic fur seals will only nurse their own babies, and can be aggressive to pups that aren't theirs; they recognize each other based on sound and scent[16].
- A common name less-often used for this creature is the Kerguelen fur seal[1][17]. This name comes from Kerguelen Island, the island from which the first specimen was collected[18]. Its scientific name is related to the circumstances surrounding the collection of the first recorded specimen - The ship it was picked up by was the SMS Gazelle[18].
[]
Emperor Penguin
• Gentoo Penguin
• Adélie Penguin
• Rockhopper Penguin
• African Penguin
Chinstrap Penguin
• Little Penguin
• Cape Fur Seal
• Antarctic Fur Seal
• California Sea Lion
South American Sea Lion
• Steller Sea Lion
• Walrus
• Southern Elephant Seal
• Weddell Seal
Leopard Seal
• Bearded Seal
• Spotted Seal
• Ribbon Seal
• Harp Seal
• Mediterranean Monk Seal
West Indian Manatee
• Razorbill
• Short-Tailed Albatross
• Brown Booby
• Japanese Cormorant
White Pelican
• Australian Pelican
• South Polar Skua
• White-Bellied Parrot
• Polar Bear
• Sea Otter
Galapagos Marine Iguana
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 MarineBio
- ↑ "Antarctic Fur Seal: Arctocephalus gazella"; Jaume Forcada and Iain J.Staniland
- ↑ Cool Antarctica
- ↑ IUCN Red List
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 FAO
- ↑ Australian Government Environmental Department
- ↑ Animal Diversity Web
- ↑ "Leucistic Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) at Robert Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, with a note on colour morph nomenclature"; Víctor Romero & Diego G. Tirira
- ↑ "Born blonde: a recessive loss‐of‐function mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor is associated with cream coat coloration in Antarctic fur seals"; Lucy Peters, Emily Humble, Nicole Kröcker, Birgit Fuchs, Jaume Forcada, and Joseph I. Hoffman
- ↑ "Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) annual migration and temporal patterns of on-shore occurrence of leucistic individuals on King George Island"; Anna Grebieniow, Małgorzata Korczak-Abshire, Anna Gasek, & Aleksandra Górecka-Bruzda
- ↑ Marine Species Identification Portal
- ↑ Journal of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine
- ↑ IAATO Field Operations Manual
- ↑ Australian Antarctic Program
- ↑ Antarctica Cruise Guide
- ↑ "Mother Vocal Recognition in Antarctic Fur Seal Arctocephalus gazella Pups: A Two-Step Process"; Thierry Aubin, Pierre Jouventin, and Isabelle Charrier
- ↑ Seal Conservation Society
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Oceanwide Expeditions