Fur Seals
Coverage of Fur Seals in the Nexus archive.
- Penguins and dolphins among nearly 400 Australian species under threat from bird flu as ‘true extent of disaster’ revealed
A federal government assessment reveals nearly 400 native Australian bird and mammal species, including penguins, dolphins, parrots, and fur seals, are at high risk from the H5N1 bird flu virus, which could cause severe population declines. The evaluation of over 2,000 species found almost one in five facing significant threats from the virus.
- Deep diving fur seals experience delayed heart surges after returning to land
Fur seals experience delayed heart surges after returning to land, with their heart rates sometimes doubling as they recover from deep diving. This recovery process occurs hours after they return to land, suggesting that they postpone much of their recovery until they're safely ashore. The findings provide insight into the physical stress of deep diving and the seals' unique adaptation to it.