New Zealand fur seal
The most common seal on the New Zealand mainland is the New Zealand fur seal which breeds around the South Island and as far north as the Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island with males occasionally found north of Auckland. Fur seals were hunted by both Maori and Europeans and were close to extinction by the mid-1800s. After protection in the 1890s, the population has recovered well and is likely to be in excess of 50 000 and increasing as they continue to spread north. Fur seals are a grey to dark brown colour with adult males much larger (up to 2.5m, 180kg) than females (up to 1.5m, 70kg). Fur seals in New Zealand prefer rocky shores but as with all eared seals are able to move quite quickly on land. At sea they mainly use the front flippers and will often porpoise out of the water when moving quickly. They feed on squid, octopus and a variety of fish.
Males fight for breeding territories from November and mate with females about one week after they give birth in late November – early January. Territorial males may stay ashore for several weeks without eating and may suffer serious, though seldom life-threatening, injuries while fighting. Females may start breeding at four and nurse their single pup for 10-11 months. New Zealand fur seals are typically frightened of people but in some areas have become habituated and in the breeding season males may even be aggressive. They are protected from any form of harassment by the Marine Mammals Protection Act, 1978. The greatest human impact is through fisheries bycatch.