#tumblr pinniped contest

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Life is hard in Antarctica, and so we begin with a clash of the titans.

Weddell seals (R) are the world's southernmost breeding mammal. Known for their beautiful noises and graceful way of moving under the ice, they also have the highest percentage of milkfat out of any mammal.

Crabeater seals (R) are the most abundant seal species in the world although they are often overlooked, probably because they don't live where many humans do! They are known for their distinctive teeth, which some people think look like Christmas trees, that help them strain krill out of the water. They also make beautiful noises.

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South American fur seal (L) – The South American fur seal ranges from Peru to southern Brazil, with most of the population living in Uruguay and the Falkland Islands. Their diet varies greatly depending on where they live, but unlike most pinnipeds they prefer to hunt in groups. Unfortunately they like to live in many of the same areas as the South American sea lion. Male South American sea lions will steal fur seal pups and kill them if they can. Like the Galapagos fur seal, South American fur seals nurse their pups for a comparatively long time.

Subantarctic fur seal (R) – Their range is a long band across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans just above the Antarctic Circle (hence "Subantarctic"), though some far-travelers have settled in Tasmania. Both males and females have gray fur on their backs and orange/cream fur on their undersides. Because their preferred fish migrates close to the surface, they have one of the shallowest dive depths of any pinniped.

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Guadalupe fur seal (L) – the Guadalupe fur seal's big "Only God can kill me" energy saw it advance in Round 0.5 with a whopping 74.6% of the vote. For details about the species, see that post.

New Zealand fur seal (R) – this otariid's name is apparently contested between the settler-colonialist nations of New Zealand and Australia, so let me just say that its scientific name is Arctocephalus forsteri and its te reo Maori name is kekeno. They live on the South Island of New Zealand and the southwestern coast of Australia. At one breeding site in New Zealand, mother fur seals will leave their pups upstream at a waterfall where they can safely swim (away from predators and strong currents) while the mothers hunt!

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Walrus (L) – the last of the odobenidae, the mighty walrus needs no introduction. They live in the Arctic Circle, with two different populations in the Atlantic and Pacific. Their horny hide and long tusks make them fearsome opponents, and they can kill attacking polar bears. They love to eat bivalves such as clams, levering them out of the sea bed with their tusks and sucking the flesh out.

Antarctic fur seal (R) – this delicate otariid has a longer neck and pointier nose than its cousins as well as particularly long vibrasii (whiskers). Like many fur seals they were nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th century but a few colonies survived and have slowly recovered, with most of the population living on King George Island. One of their main predators is also a pinniped (the leopard seal).

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Juan Fernandez fur seal vs Guadalupe fur seal

The Juan Fernandez fur seal (L) lives off the coast of Chile in the Juan Fernandez Islands and surrounding areas. Thought to be extinct until 1965, the small population is slowly recovering. They are one of the smallest fur seals.

The Guadalupe fur seal (R) lives almost exclusively in the Guadalupe Islands off the coast of Mexico, but in 2019 and 2020 small colonies have been discovered off the coast of southern California. They were declared extinct twice during the 20th century!

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Brown fur seal (L) – also called the Cape fur seal, South African fur seal, or Australian fur seal this otariid lives on the southern coast of Australia and on the southern and southwestern coast of Africa. Described as "the largest and most robust" fur seal, these big bois (and girls) have been observed attacking and killing sharks. They prefer to live on rocky beaches, and like many pinnipeds the pups have a unique cry that lets their mothers find them even on a crowded breeding site.

Galapagos fur seal (R) – native to the Galapagos Islands (need I say?), the Galapagos fur seal is the smallest otariid and has the least sexual dimorphism of all the fur seals. They also have the lowest reproductive rate, nursing their pups for up to three years. Some Galapagos fur seal mothers even nurse two pups at a time! Despite having been legally protected in Ecuador since 1934, they are listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.

[thepinnipedparade]

That's right followers, the Tumblr Pinniped Contest is here! 34 extant species, a randomly generated bracket, and a contest for the ages. Only one will wear the crown of Tumblr's favorite pinniped! Polls will be posted every day (approximately, be nice I'm on painkillers).

As you can see because we don't have an easily divisible number of species we will be starting out with a mini round.

Round 1:

Walrus vs Antarctic fur seal

Brown fur seal vs Galapagos fur seal

New Zealand fur seal vs Guadalupe fur seal

South American fur seal vs Subantarctic fur seal