The Antarctic Fur Seal, Arctocephalus gazella, is not a true seal, but rather an eared seal. The Eared Seal family includes Fur Seals and Sea Lions, and its members are characterised by having small external ear flaps as well as being able to prop on their flippers and can walk on all fours. This enables them to move much more quickly on land than true seals.

Most of the world’s population of Antarctic Fur Seals breeds on South Georgia. Dominant males (bulls) form territories in late October to mid-November and try to keep up to 20 females inside it. Bulls aggressively defend their territories from other males, and some bulls die from their wounds. After weaning their pups, female seals return to sea and most males do so too. Some bulls remain ashore and can be a hazard to visitors because they sometimes charge intruders. Fur Seals have strong jaws and large yellow teeth – a bite causes a very serious wound. Charging male Fur Seals may be repelled by shouting, clacking rocks together, flapping jackets and as a last resort whacking their long whiskers with a walking pole.

Antarctic Fur Seals eat fish, krill, squid and sometimes penguins and can dive for about 10 minutes to depths of up to 180 metres (590 feet).