The Cape Fur Seal (also known as the South African Fur Seal) and the Australian Fur Seal are two subspecies of the Arctocephalus pusillus species of fur seal.
The Cape Fur Seal (A. p. pusillus) is found along the coast of Namibia and along the west coast of South Africa. The Australian Fur Seal (A. p. doriferus) breed on nine islands in the Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria.
References
Randall R. Reeves, Brent S. Stewart, Phillip J. Clapham and James A. Powell (2002). National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN 0375411410.
However, the furseals, like their close relatives the sea lions, retain some ability to walk on land as their hind limbs can be brought forward under the body to bear the animal's weight, and retain small but visible external ears.
The furseals and the sea lions as a group make up the family Otariidae, and are called eared seals or walking seals to distinguish them from the earless true seals of the family Phocidae.
Cape FurSeal or AustralianFurSeal, Arctocephalus pusillus
The AustralianFurSeal, Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus is the largest of all the furseals, weighing around 200 - 300kg.
The AustralianFurseal has a relatively restricted distribution around the islands of Bass Strait, parts of Tasmania and southern Victoria.
As it is closely related to the South African FurSeal, its populations worldwide are reasonable secure although it is occasionally commercially hunted in South Africa.
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