Idea #530 – Observing the big colonies of fur seals at Cape Cross in Namibia
Cape Cross was discovered in 1486 by the Portuguese sailor Diogo Cão, who makes it set up a stony cross to score the most Southern point never reached by Europeans in Africa. In 1893, lieutenant commander Gottlieb Becker, at the head of the SMS FALKE, rediscovers this cross, while the territory was a part of the German South West Africa.
The current of Benguela coming from Antarctica, rich in plankton, maintains a fresh climate all year long in the coastal zone, and allows numerous species of fishes to reproduce. The site shelters as a consequence the most important colonies of fur seals of Namibia, reaching 100 00 individuals. Namibian Skeleton Coast would count 4 to 6 million individuals all in all.
The fur seal of the Cape (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) also called brown fur seal, possesses a coat the color of which varies from the dark brown and clears up on the lap part. The head is wide and the sharp snout in the snub nose or the flat nose. Vibrisses is long and bent towards the back. The previous, long and disentangled fins allow it to raise themselves whereas the anal fin divided into two segments is of use to the propulsion. The male can reach the double of the weight of the female.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Cape Cross, Swakopmund, Namibia