Guadalupe fur-seals (Arctocephalus townendi) have established an extensive resting colony on the Gulf of California. This brings the number of locations where this endangered species is now to four. According to Mexican researchers and the University of British Columbia, this new haul-out was found on El Faralln de San Ignacio Island. It is located along the coast of Mexico.Guadalupe fur-seals were hunted to make furs. They were declared extinct in late 1800. 14 individuals were found on Guadalupe Island, however, in 1950. The population has increased since then. Although still considered vulnerable to extinction by IUCN, 41,000 people are estimated to be living in the area. The population is also growing at a rate of 10-11 percent per year, according to IUCN.Although Guadalupe Island is still the only breeding location for this species, a large colony, or 'haulout', was established on nearby San Benito Islands in Pacific Ocean, just off the coast in Baja California in the late 1990s.A second, more populated haul-out colony is now forming off the Mexican coast, in the Gulf of California."We spotted a single Guadalupe fur-seal adult male ashore on El Faralln de San Ignacio Island, 2008, and then spotted many juvenile fur seals in 2014/2016." Claudia Hernndez Camacho, corresponding author and professor at the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas Instituto Politcnico Nacional, said that this led to us increasing our observation efforts in 2019. "We counted 492 animals in January and 771 in November during our El Faralln visits in 2020," said Claudia Hernndez-Camacho, corresponding author and professor in the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politcnico Nacional. The majority of animals we saw were juveniles and they all appeared to be in good health.Andrew Trites, co-author of the research findings and professor in the Marine Mammal Research Unit at UBC, said that the initial thought was that the 2008 sighting of an animal in 2008. "El Faralln is small, hot, and arid, so it's not surprising that fur seals are found there," said Andrew Trites, co-author of the research findings. Six years of observation over the past six have proven that young Guadalupe furs seals like it. "Why?" is the question.Trites and Hernndez-Camacho believe that this new haul-out is located in an area where young Guadalupe furs seals are currently feeding. Guadalupe fur sealings are known to eat mainly opalescent, Humboldt and purpleback squid.AdvertisementAside from the El Faralln de San Ignacio Island colony, a smaller catch-out has been found in the southern Gulf of California since 2019. It is located on Las Animas Islet.These haul-outs are located in protected areas known as reas de Proteccin de Flora y Fauna Islas del Golfo de California. These protected areas do not address the needs of Guadalupe fur-seals, as they were considered to be occasional visitors.Mexico should develop a conservation strategy to address the importance of the southern Gulf of California for Guadalupe fur-seals, now that the El Faralln colony has been established.Guadalupe fur-seals are steadily increasing in the southern Gulf of California. They are also known to extend as far as British Columbia and Washington coasts. They are found in four locations in Mexico.Guadalupe fur-seals have one breeding colony. The new haul-outs in southern California's Gulf of California offer some good news. Trites said that the new locations will require regular monitoring to document their growth, possible changes in body conditions and sex-composition and breeding potential."This species was once saved from extinction and is still vulnerable."
