New Zealand Fur Seals – Kangaroo Island’s Wonderful Wildlife

Kangaroo Island is a hub of ecology. You simply cannot miss the diverse flora and fauna of this island. 

Kangaroo Island is one of the very best destinations to a diverse and interesting range of animals and wildlife. From Australia’s famous kangaroo to marine mammals swirling through the large schools of fish. The Island is so full of life and a trip here is sure to be paradise for any nature lovers.

Across the 4400km² island the incredible scenery showcases Australia’s staggering diversity. There are hundreds of different natural habitats adorning this marvellous landscape. This provides the perfect environment for a multitude of animals to live and flourish. Its true, the real beauty of this island can be found in its residents. The wildlife here is so abundant, over one third of the island is national park!

New Zealand Fur Seals

The island wasn’t always such a wonderful place of nurturing for these animals though, the New Zealand fur seal was once an endangered mammal on the island. Hunting by early settlers saw their numbers sharply decline. Fortunately, the shores of Australia’s Kangaroo Island are now home to a population of almost 100 000 of these seals. The rise in their population has added yet another fantastic attraction on the island!

Despite what their name might suggest, the New Zealand fur seal is actually native to Australia. To avoid confusion, their name has changed to the long-nosed fur seal. These fascinating creatures can range in size up to 250kg and 2m long.

They can dive to depths of up to 380m, which is the deepest of all fur seals. They seem quite ungainly on land as they flop about on the rocks and roll over as they sunbathe. However, these creatures display a wonderful grace as they slide effortlessly through the clear waters of the Great Australian Bight. The best place to get acquainted with these delightful animals is at Admirals Arch. Here you can take a stroll along the coast and view them in their natural habitat.

The beautiful Kangaroo island is a bountiful landscape full to brimming with some of the world’s most unique and fascinating animals.

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.