The Northern Fur Seal has some of the densest fur of any mammal—up to 350,000 hairs per square inch—which provided both its evolutionary advantage and the reason it was hunted nearly to extinction in the 19th century. Large harems of females are controlled by massive, battle-scarred bulls on rocky Alaskan island rookeries during the summer breeding season. Juveniles spend two years at sea without returning to land.
Best time to see a Northern Fur Seal
The best time to see a Northern Fur Seal is May–August, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 682 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Northern Fur Seal sightings near you
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