Northern Fur Seal
Callorhinus ursinus

Where do northern fur seals live?

Dependent on dense fur for insulation, northern fur seals are primarily a pelagic species ranging throughout the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, only breeding at six island locations: the Kuril Islands, Robben Island and Commander Island in Russia, Bogoslof Island and the Pribilof Islands in Alaska, and San Miguel Island off the southern California coast. From Alaska all ages undertake extensive winter migrations through the Aleutian passes into the northern Pacific Ocean. Though fur seals may haul out at sites other than rookeries, many remain pelagic for 9 months or longer.

What do northern fur seals eat?

As carnivores, northern fur seal eat a variety of fish and squid species including many that are commercially important. Principal diet items of Pribilof Island seals during summer are pollock, squid, salmon, Pacific sandlance, Atka mackerel and northern smoothtongue.

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