Subantarctic fur seals on Rangatira Island, Chatham Islands

[Colin Miskelly]

Two different bull subantarctic fur seals Arctocephalus tropicalis were seen on Rangatira (South East) Island in the Chatham Islands last month, one at West Landing on 20 March and one at East Clears on 24 March (images below).

This species breeds in the southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans (on Ile Amsterdam, St Paul, Prince Edward, Crozet, Gough and Tristan da Cunha Islands), with a few at Macquarie Island (where they hybridise with Antarctic fur seals A. gazella and New Zealand fur seals A. forsteri). The largest populations are on Gough Island (63%), Prince Edward Islands (including Marion Island) (25%) and Ile Amsterdam (11%), with less than 1% of the population shared at other sites. It has been recorded vagrant in New Zealand since at least 1977 (Snares Islands) and 1978 (Antipodes Island), with more recent records from the two main islands.

The first record that I am aware of from Rangatira was March 1996, and the hut log books record sightings (mainly of bulls) in Feb 2003, Apr 2003, Dec 2003, Feb 2008 (at least 2), Sep 2010 (female & pup), Nov 2012, Oct 2013, Sep 2016, Apr 2017 (male + female) and Oct 2017 (2 or 3).

Cheers
Colin