NEW-ZEALAND FUR SEALS (ARCTOCEPHALUS-FORSTERI) AT THE SNARES ISLANDS - A STABILIZED POPULATION

The abundance and distribution of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) on the Snares Islands were investigated in February 1984 an d in March 1997. In 1984, a total of 1683 adult fur seals were counted in a census that included all islands in the Snares group. Twenty-fiv e per cent of these were found on the hitherto uncounted islets of the Western Chain. In 1997, 1324 adults were counted on North East and Br oughton Islands. In 1984, 164 pups were counted in the entire archipel ago, whereas 171 pups were seen on North East and Broughton Islands in 1997. Sixteen breeding sites were identified including six sites that were new in 1984, and one new in 1997. It is suggested that the fur s eal population on the Snares is now spatially limited and may have sta bilised after a period of relatively rapid growth in the 1950s and 196 0s.