Northern Fur Sealキタオットセイ
Callorhinus ursinusVU— Vulnerable
The northern fur seal is a wide-ranging eared seal of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk, with roughly half of its 1.1 million individuals breeding on Alaska's Pribilof Islands. Males grow dramatically larger than females and develop a mane-like ruff during the breeding season. Once hunted heavily for its fur, the species is now protected under international treaties but remains listed as Vulnerable, with the Pribilof population still classified as depleted.
Northern Fur Seal (reference photo)
Species Data
Did You Know?
- Males exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism, growing 4.5 times heavier than females and developing a mane-like ruff of fur around the neck during the breeding season. Source
- The 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention is regarded as the first international treaty aimed at wildlife conservation. Source
- With the exception of the San Miguel Island population, northern fur seals migrate long distances south for the winter. Source
Where to See This Species
3 facilities · 0 individuals
How to tell Sea Lions, Seals, Fur Seals, and Walruses apart →ふくしま海洋科学館 (Fukushimakaiyoukagakukan)FukushimaOpened in 2000
公式に飼育個体を紹介。野生保護の実績を持つ。 Source
市立玉野海洋博物館 (Shiritsu Tamanokaiyou Hakubutsukan)OkayamaOpened in 1953
渋川マリン水族館として展示。西日本では希少な飼育館。 Source
青森県営浅虫水族館 (Aomorikeneiasamushi Suizokukan)AomoriOpened in 1983
2018年に三沢海岸で保護した個体を含め複数頭を飼育。 Source
Conservation Story
Conservation Status
IUCNレッドリストでVulnerable(危急種)に分類されている。プリビロフ諸島個体群は特に「Depleted(枯渇)」に指定されており、1970年代以降産仔数が約50%減少した。
Habitat
北太平洋、オホーツク海、ベーリング海の亜寒帯海域とその周辺の島々を繁殖地とする。
Threats
- 毛皮目的の過度な狩猟の歴史
- シャチによる捕食増加や漁業との競合の可能性(科学的合意はまだ得られていない)
- 混獲
Conservation & Breeding Efforts
- 1911年の北太平洋オットセイ条約による国際的な捕獲規制
- 1985年の商業捕獲の全面禁止
Sources
Support Conservation
A visit is a small, positive way to support the daily lives of the animals you care about.
- Visit
- A visit itself helps support the facility.
- Animal Supporter Programs & Giving
- Find ways to support the facility through its official website.
- Furusato Nozei
- Municipally run facilities may share official guidance for this Japanese hometown-tax program.
FAQ
- Why is the northern fur seal considered Vulnerable?
- Despite international protection since the early 20th century, its main breeding population on the Pribilof Islands has declined roughly 50% in pup production since the 1970s, and the causes remain debated among researchers. Source
- How different in size are male and female northern fur seals?
- Males are dramatically larger, reaching up to 270 kg compared to roughly 50 kg for females — one of the most extreme size differences among seals. Source
- What international agreement helped protect northern fur seals?
- The 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention, the first international wildlife conservation treaty, restricted commercial hunting, and commercial harvesting was banned entirely by 1985. Source
Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org www.iucnredlist.org