Arctocephalus pusillus, also known as the Cape fur seal and the Afro-Australian fur seal, is a species of fur seal.
Arctocephalus pusillus is the largest and most robust member of the fur seals. It has a large and broad head with a pointed snout that may be flat or turned up slightly. It has external ear flaps (pinnae) and its whiskers (vibrissae) are long, possibly growing back past the pinnae, especially in adult males. The fore-flippers are covered with sparse hairs over about three-quarters of their length. The hind-flippers are short relative to the large body, with short, fleshy tips on the digits.Te sihhze and weight of the brown fur seal depends on the subspecies; the Southern African subspecies is, on average, slightly larger than the Australian subspecies. Males of the African subspecies (A. p. pusillus) are 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in length on average and weigh 200–300 kg (440–660 lb).[4] Females are smaller, averaging 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length and typically weighing 120 kg (260 lb). Males of the Australian subspecies (A. p. doriferus) are 2.0–2.2 m (6.6–7.2 ft) in length and weigh 190–280 kg (420–620 lb).[6] Females are 1.2–1.8 m (3.9–5.9 ft) length and weigh 36–110 kilograms (79–243 lb).
Adult male cape fur seals are dark gray to brown, with a darker mane of short, coarse hairs and a lighter belly, while adult females are light brown to gray, with a light throat and darker back and belly. The fore-flippers of the fur seal are dark brown to black. Pups are born black, molting to gray with a pale throat within 3–5 months. The skull of the African subspecies has a larger crest between the mastoid process and the jugular process of the exoccipital.
The African fur seal inhabits the southern and southwestern coast of Africa, from Cape Cross, Namibia to around the Cape of Good Hope and from Black Rocks, near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province. The Australian fur seal lives in the Bass Strait, on four islands off Victoria (southeastern Australia), and five islands off Tasmania. Brown fur seals prefer to haul-out and breed on rocky outcrops and small islands, rock ledges and exposed reefs, as well as on rocky, pebble or boulder beaches. However, some larger colonies can be found on sandy beaches, such as in South Africa. Fur seals spend most of the year at-sea, but are never too far from land. They have been recorded 160 km from land, but this is not common.
The African fur seal's diet is made of up to 70% fish, 20% squid, and 2% crab. Also eaten are other crustaceans, cephalopods and sometimes seabirds. In rare instances, they have even been documented attacking and eating sharks. A recent incident occurred off Cape Point, South Africa, where a large male was observed attacking and killing five blue sharks between 1.0 and 1.4 m long. Observers concluded that the seal likely killed the sharks to eat the fish-rich contents of their stomachs, as well as their livers, as a source of energy. The Australian fur seal mostly eats squid, octopus, fish, and lobsters. The brown fur seal dives for its food. The African subspecies can dive as deep as 204 m (669') for as long as 7.5 minutes. The Australian subspecies generally feeds at lower depths, diving an average of 120 m (394'), and going as deep as 200 m (656').
The brown fur seal's main predators are great white sharks, orcas, and occasionally vagrant southern elephant seals. African land-based predators, primarily of pups, include black-backed jackals, brown hyenas and occasionally lions on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia. In addition, seagulls and other seabirds are thought to peck the eyes out of baby seals, especially sick or injured individuals, to render them helpless and disabled, as they begin to feast on their flesh.
In False Bay, the seals employ a number of defensive strategies while in shark-infested waters, such as:
Swimming in large groups, and harassing sharks in the vicinity.
Low porpoising, to increase subsurface vigilance.
Darting in different directions, to cause confusion when attacked.
Using their agility to stay out-of-reach.
Swimming near the dorsal fin to stay clear of the shark's jaws, when pursued.
