The Galapagos fur seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) is endemic to the islands. Like the sealion it is
a pinniped, but quite different. Like other seals it does not have external ears. And compared with the
sealion, it is about half the size and is adapted to colder waters. Hence it has thicker fur (hence the name)
which resulted in extensive hunting during the late 19th through early 20th centuries. This lead to near
extinction, but since being protected its numbers have risen to rival those of the sealion—about 50,000.
They are less often seen however because they prefer secluded rocky ledges rather than open beaches. Good
places to spot them include James and Tower.
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