Northern Fur Seal in the inside Coastal Waters of British Columbia

Abstract

As far as it can be determined from the literature dealing with migration and distribution of the species, only four northern fur seals ( Callorhinus ursinus ) have been reported from inside coastal waters of British Columbia. Three tagged seals, age six to ten months, were found dead on the beaches near Vancouver (Kenyon and Wilke, 1953); a fourth seal, a white-whiskered cow, was observed in the same area during April, 1950 (Anon., 1954). During the past few years, however, several reports have been received, some of them made as early as the nineteen-thirties, which provide additional evidence that seals enter inside waters. It seems appropriate to report these occurrences and thus add to what is already known about the migratory habits of the species. The paper also affords the opportunity to make available measurement data of two yearling seals examined in January, a month when members of this age-group are extremely difficult to obtain. Acknowledgments .—A number of individuals have contributed observations presented in this paper. In particular, special thanks are due M. E. Lohbrunner, former pelagic sealer and retired licensed fur-buyer; J. Stokes and W. Winsby of the Department of Fisheries of Canada, biologist and inspector, respectively; G. Johnson and R. Kelly, fishermen; and R. S. Hayes, Game Warden. Methods .—The paper is based on authentic sight records of 65 …