Head to head
Juan Fernandez Fur Seal vs Guadalupe Fur Seal
Juan Fernandez Fur Seal
VS Guadalupe Fur Seal
Both species share an almost identical history: intensive historical hunting, presumed extinction, and a dramatic rediscovery decades later.
| Juan Fernandez Fur Seal | Guadalupe Fur Seal | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Arctocephalus philippii | Arctocephalus townsendi |
| Rediscovery | Rediscovered in 1965 | Rediscovered decades earlier in the twentieth century |
| Range | Juan Fernandez Islands, off Chile | Guadalupe Island, off Baja California |
| Historical low | Low hundreds at rediscovery | Similarly small numbers at rediscovery |
| Diving behaviour | A deep, far-ranging offshore diver | Not documented to the same degree |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Near Threatened |
| Population trend | Increasing | Increasing |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, coastal |
Juan Fernandez Fur Seal vs Guadalupe Fur Seal: common questions
Which one was rediscovered more recently?
The Juan Fernandez fur seal was rediscovered in 1965, somewhat later than the Guadalupe fur seal, which was found again earlier in the twentieth century after its own presumed extinction.
Which one lives in the southeastern Pacific rather than the northeastern Pacific?
The Juan Fernandez fur seal lives in the southeastern Pacific off Chile, while the Guadalupe fur seal instead occupies the northeastern Pacific off Baja California, thousands of kilometres apart.
Are both fur seals recovering from near-extinction?
Yes, both species were hunted to presumed extinction historically and were later rediscovered as small surviving colonies, and both now have increasing populations classified as Near Threatened.