A spectacular and adorable sighting suggests that fur seal populations are rebounding after overhunting threatened to destroy the beloved species.
As detailed by SFGate, biologist Jim Tietz alerted Gerry McChesney — the manager of Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge — that an astonishing number of fur seal pups were bobbing in the waters of a secluded cove in the park.
When McChesney investigated the situation, he was thrilled with what biologists have billed as "a remarkable recovery." He spotted more than 400 seal pups waiting for their mothers.
"I was amazed to see them all piled in there, getting tossed around like they were in a washing machine. They looked pretty content and like they were having a good ol' time," he told SFGate in an email, adding that the pups likely chose the inlet to play and hide from sharks.
SFGate reported that biologists from Point Blue Conservation Science documented 1,276 pups in 2024 — a record-high count — and 2,133 fur seals overall. McChesney suspects there are even more because "the entire colony can't be seen." And importantly, the count indicates that efforts to protect the species are working as intended.
The 1911 North Fur Seal Treaty outlawed hunting marine mammals at sea, while the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act banned disturbing or killing the seals, along with other marine species. In Farallon, conservationists set aside more than 141 acres for the seals to "breed unfettered," according to McChesney, and the population began to grow "rapidly."
While fur seals are only one species, their survival contributes to a healthy marine ecosystem — which in turn provides food, income, and recreational opportunities for billions of people. Elsewhere, conservationists are working to restore habitats of all manner of creatures, including newts, salmon, and more, as biodiversity plays a crucial role in supporting life on Earth.
"It was so much fun to watch," McChesney told SFGate of the pups. "And knowing that the sight represents such an amazing comeback for their population made [it] mean so much more."
"So dang cute and curious!" one Instagrammer wrote on footage from SFGate (@SFGATE).
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