Leslie Massey
Seals and sea lions are marine mammals known as pinnipeds. There are 33 species of pinnipeds worldwide, and 10 of these occur in Australian waters. Of these, three are commonly found in southern Australian waters, and the remainder occur in Australia's Antarctic Territory. Seals breed on land or ice, and their diet usually includes squid and fish. The Australian fur seal, for example, is found all year round in Tasmania and Kangaroo Island and can dive 200 metres in search of prey. The Australian sea lion, on the other hand, has an asynchronous breeding cycle and can pup in any month of the year.
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What You'll Learn
- Australian fur seals are found in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and the Neptune Islands Conservation Park
- Australian sea lions are found in Bass Strait and southern Australian waters
- Long-nosed fur seals are found in Kangaroo Island and the Neptune Islands
- Southern elephant seals are found in subantarctic islands and Australia's Antarctic Territories
- Leopard seals are found in Australia's Antarctic Territories and occasionally in southern Australia
Australian fur seals are found in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and the Neptune Islands Conservation Park
Kangaroo Island in South Australia is home to thriving colonies of long-nosed fur seals along its coastlines. These fur seals can be observed at Flinders Chase National Park, where they rest and breed in colonies along the rocky shoreline. The viewing platform at Admirals Arch provides a safe and close view of the seals in their natural habitat. Long-nosed fur seals are native to south-eastern Australia and can be found along the entire South Australian coastline. They are skilled divers, able to dive up to 380 meters, and feed on squid and small bait fish in the open ocean.
The Neptune Islands Conservation Park, established in 1967, is a protected area located about 55 km south-southeast of Port Lincoln in South Australia. The park was primarily established to protect a New Zealand fur seal breeding colony on the southern island of the North Neptune Islands, which is one of the largest in Australia. The conservation park was later expanded to include the adjoining waters, and as of 2002, it is the only place in Australia where shark cage diving to view great white sharks is legally permitted.
Tasmania is another location where fur seals can be found in Australia. The Australian fur seal, along with the Australian sea lion and the New Zealand fur seal, are the only seal species that occur on the Australian mainland and in Tasmanian waters.
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Australian sea lions are found in Bass Strait and southern Australian waters
The Australian sea lion is a fascinating creature and one of the rarest in the world. Their entire population lives along the southern and western coastlines of the Great Southern Reef, with about 85% living in South Australia and the other 15% in Western Australia. They are the only endemic pinnipeds in all of Australia. Agile in both the water and on land, they use their front flippers to propel themselves and their back flippers to walk on land and steer in the water.
In the past, Australian sea lions were over-hunted for their leather and oil, and by 1909, field naturalists were lobbying for the protection of critical breeding sites. Today, they are protected by the Australian government, and populations are recovering. However, they still face threats such as interactions with commercial fishing operations and entanglement with fishing gear and other debris.
Australian sea lions have a unique breeding cycle, with a gestation period of around 18 months, and females giving birth to a single pup. They may not breed again for two to three years. Their breeding range has contracted as the population has fallen, with some breeding colonies in the Bass Strait now extinct.
Australian sea lions are playful and delightful creatures that captivate visitors with their somersaults and interactions with snorkelers. They are an important part of Australia's marine ecosystem and continue to be protected and monitored to ensure their long-term viability in the wild.
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Long-nosed fur seals are found in Kangaroo Island and the Neptune Islands
Long-nosed fur seals, also known as the New Zealand fur seal, are found in southern Australia and New Zealand. They are native to south-eastern Australia and are found all along the South Australian coastline. They are also found in the coastal waters and on the offshore islands of southern Australia, from the southwest corner of Western Australia to just east of Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
Kangaroo Island is home to several populations of these seals, with numbers exceeding 100,000. The viewing platform at Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase National Park provides a safe and close view of these seals in their natural habitat. Long-nosed fur seals can also be found along the Eyre Peninsula, with breeding taking place during the summer. They are smaller than Australian fur seals and have a more pointed snout. They are carnivorous and feed on squid and a variety of small bait fish, hunting in the open ocean between 50 and 1,000 kilometres off the coast. They can dive up to 380 metres, deeper than any other fur seal, and glide gracefully through treacherous ocean waters.
The Neptune Islands Conservation Park is home to a colony of over 40,000 Long-nosed fur seals, with an estimated 3,500 pups born each summer. These pups do not venture into the water until April, which is when female Great White Sharks arrive to prey on them. Long-nosed fur seal pups can be seen playing around the shallows and rock ledges of the Neptune Islands.
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Southern elephant seals are found in subantarctic islands and Australia's Antarctic Territories
Southern elephant seals are the largest of all pinnipeds, with males reaching 2-4 tonnes and females almost 1 tonne. They are named after the large noses of the adult males, which are used to make loud roaring sounds. They are found in the sub-Antarctic islands of the Pacific Ocean, south of Tasmania and New Zealand, with a significant population on Macquarie Island. They are also found in Australia's Antarctic Territories.
Southern elephant seals are top predators in the Southern Ocean and inhabit one of the most sensitive and vulnerable regions to rapid climate change. They are deep divers and can dive to over 1,500 metres, staying submerged for up to 2 hours. They are able to accomplish these diving feats due to special adaptations that help them conserve energy, such as their torpedo shape and their large volume of blood that stores oxygen.
Southern elephant seals breed in dense colonies on beaches in spring (late September to early November). Males maintain harems of females and do not leave their territory to find food during the breeding period, relying on blubber reserves instead. Females give birth to a single pup, which is weaned 3-4 weeks after birth. After breeding or moulting, they migrate south to Antarctica to feed on squid and fish at the edge of the sea ice.
Conservation efforts such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Antarctic Treaty have helped increase the population of southern elephant seals, which were once in decline. However, they continue to face threats from human activities, including commercial fishing operations, entanglement with fishing gear, and exposure to harmful marine debris. Climate change may also impact these seals, although the effects are not yet fully understood.
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Leopard seals are found in Australia's Antarctic Territories and occasionally in southern Australia
Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are found in Australia's Antarctic Territories, with sightings in Tasmania and a northern record at Heron Island, a subtropical island in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. They are the second-largest species of seal in the Antarctic, with only the southern elephant seal being larger. Leopard seals are solitary animals that live in the pack ice surrounding the Antarctic continent. They have a varied diet, including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, fish, and birds, particularly penguins. They are known to eat the pups of other seal species, such as crabeater, Weddell, and southern fur seals.
Leopard seals are protected in Australian waters, and their populations are recovering from over-harvesting in the past. However, they still face threats from human activities, such as commercial fishing operations and entanglement with fishing gear and other debris. Leopard seals are also known to interact with other species, such as orcas, which are their only natural predator, and male elephant seals, which have been observed killing leopard seals on rare occasions.
Leopard seals are considered vagrant in New Zealand, where they have been observed preying on chondrichthyans, including elephantfish, ghost sharks, and spiny dogfish. They have also been found to bear wounds from chimaeriforms and stingrays. Leopard seals have lobed cheek teeth, which allow them to filter krill, tiny Antarctic crustaceans, from the water.
In Australia, leopard seals are considered threatened, and it is an offence to kill, injure, or disturb them without a permit. They occasionally haul out on southern Australian beaches or reefs, but their biology is not well understood due to their solitary nature and preference for remote pack ice. Leopard seals are known to exhibit cooperative hunting behaviour, which may be a mother-pup pair or a female-male couple working together to increase their hunting productivity.
Overall, leopard seals are impressive and adaptable creatures that play an important role in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems. Their presence in Australia's Antarctic Territories and occasional appearances in southern Australia highlight the need for conservation efforts and responsible wildlife observation practices.
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Frequently asked questions
Seals can be found in various places in Australia, including Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, the Neptune Islands, the Eyre Peninsula, Bass Strait, and the southern coastlines of Western Australia and South Australia.
The Australian sea lion and the Australian and New Zealand fur seals are the only species that breed on and around the Australian mainland and nearshore islands. Other species, including the threatened leopard seal and southern elephant seal, are found in Australia's Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories.
Seals can be seen in the wild all year round in southern Australia. The summer months are a particularly good time to see seals as this is when most species mate and pup.
Seals are carnivores and hunt for fish and squid. The leopard seal, which is found in Australia's Antarctic territories, also eats seabirds such as penguins and other seals.
Yes, all seals are protected in Australian waters. However, some species remain threatened by human activities, such as commercial fishing operations and entanglement with fishing gear.
