New Zealand Fur Seals (Kekeno)
These seals can dive down to 1000 feet and stay down for 10-12 minutes; they slow their heart rates to 8 beats per minute, which conserves oxygen.
Once hunted for their fur and meat until almost extinct, it is estimated that within 36 years of intensive sealing, Europeans killed half a million seals.
In 1894 they were given full protection and numbers have increased in New Zealand to approximately 60,000. With colonies around the Banks Peninsula coastline, these seals are frequently seen sunning themselves on the rocks on most Black Cat trips.
Like the dolphins, Fur Seals are known to echo-locate to help find their way under water. They can dive deeper than 200 metres and hold their breath up to 11 minutes.
Fur seals feed continuously at night from sundown to sunrise and sleep during the day, eating a diet of squid and fish.
Large sharks and Orca are the main predators for fur seals, while sometimes sea lions will feed on fur seal pups. It is illegal to hunt the New Zealand fur seal for fur or meat, but they are still at risk from pollution and fishing nets.
