Pinnipeds - Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus)
Males are gray to black, and females are light gray on the back and reddish-brown on the chest with a light patch. Both have extremely dense fur, so dense that it keeps the cool ocean water from the skin, thereby preserving body heat; but it is not waterproof. Because of this dense fur they have large, hairless flippers to keep them cool. The females weigh 90 to 110 pounds on average, and the males between 300 and 615 pounds. Like all fur seals and sea lions, the Northern fur seal has ears that stick out from its head. By rotating their flippers forward, they can walk, run and climb out of the water.
NMML researchers brand Northern fur seals and re-sight branded animals over their lifespan to describe patterns in survival and reproduction, which are needed to develop a species-specific population growth models. Photos of branded and tagged animals help researchers identify unique animals from year to year.
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