Editing Subantarctic fur seal (section)

==Behavior==
===Breeding===
[[File:Arctocephalus tropicalis an injured male resting in the grass.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Male subantarctic fur seal with injuries from a recent fight with another male]]
As with other otariids, subantarctic fur seals gather in large [[Rookery|rookeries]] on the shore to breed. They have a [[Polygyny in animals|polygynous]] mating system in which dominant males will defend their harem of 6–20 females. Fights between males for mating rights are violent and can result in severe injuries. Males will also compete against each other through vocalizations and threat displays.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Arctocephalus_tropicalis/ | title=Arctocephalus tropicalis (Subantarctic fur seal) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> The breeding season takes place from November to January. Gestation lasts around 51 weeks, at the end of which the female will give birth to a single pup. 8–12 days after giving birth, they will breed again. Males are capable of mating at around 3–4 years of age, but they are unlikely to be able to hold a harem until they are 10–11 years old. Females reach sexual maturity at around 5 years.<ref name=animalia>{{cite web|url=https://animalia.bio/subantarctic-fur-seal|title=Subantarctic fur sea|publisher=Animalia|access-date=2023-05-31}}{{better source needed|reason=Animalia lists Wikipedia as a reference|date=May 2023}}</ref>

===Life cycle===
[[File:2021-02 Amsterdam Island - Subantarctic fur seal 55.jpg|thumb|upright=0.99|Suckling]]
After being born, pups spend around 11 months feeding on their mother's milk, which contains around 39% fat. The length of their lactation period is typical of otariid seals, and contrasts with the far shorter 4 month lactation period of the Antarctic fur seal.<ref name="Lactation w">{{cite journal |last1=Arnould |first1=J. P. Y. |last2=Luque |first2=S. P. |last3=Guinet |first3=C. |last4=Costa |first4=D. P. |last5=Kingston |first5=J. |last6=Shaffer |first6=S. A. |title=The comparative energetics and growth strategies of sympatric Antarctic and subantarctic fur seal pups at Îles Crozet |journal=Journal of Experimental Biology |date=15 December 2003 |volume=206 |issue=24 |pages=4497–4906 |doi=10.1242/jeb.00703 |pmid=14610034 |s2cid=5932149 |url=https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/206/24/4497/34293/The-comparative-energetics-and-growth-strategies|doi-access=free |hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30004384 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> They stay at the rookery during this period. Weaning occurs shortly before the next offspring is born. They molt their black coat at around 3 months of age. As adults, they continue to molt their coat annually between March and May.<ref name=animalia/><ref name="Subantarctic Fur Seal"/>

===Diet and foraging===
Subantarctic fur seals hunt in shallow waters at night, when [[lanternfish|myctophid]] fish come close to the surface. They also feed on [[squid]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/sea-lions-and-fur-seals/subantarctic-fur-seal | title=Subantarctic Fur Seal }}</ref> Other prey can include [[crustacean]]s, and occasionally [[rockhopper penguin]]s and other [[seabird]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.animalia.bio/subantarctic-fur-seal#:~:text=Diet%20and%20Nutrition,Rockhopper%20penguins%20and%20sea%20birds. | title=Subantarctic Fur Seal - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio }}</ref>

A study conducted on subantarctic fur seals at Marion Island from 1996 to 2000 concluded that Myctophid fish constituted the largest part of the seals' diet, with fish from the families [[Channichthyidae]], [[Barracudina|Paralepididae]], [[Nototheniidae]], [[Microstomatidae]] and [[Notosudidae]] being eaten in smaller numbers. The size of prey fish ranged from small Myctophids with an average length of 25mm, to large [[Patagonian toothfish]] with an average length of 70&nbsp;cm.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-013-1380-y | doi=10.1007/s00300-013-1380-y | title=The diet of the subantarctic fur seal Arctocephalus tropicalis at Marion Island | date=2013 | last1=Makhado | first1=A. B. | last2=Bester | first2=M. N. | last3=Somhlaba | first3=S. | last4=Crawford | first4=R. J. M. | journal=Polar Biology | volume=36 | issue=11 | pages=1609–1617 | bibcode=2013PoBio..36.1609M | hdl=2263/37197 | s2cid=253813200 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

===Travelling===
[[File:Arctocephalus tropicalis en playa de El Fortín, Uruguay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.05|A male resting on a beach in playa de El Fortin, [[Uruguay]], having travelled far from its native area]]
Subantarctic fur seals are unique in their tendency to occasionally travel very long distances from their home islands. Young males have been seen travelling thousands of miles from their native habitat, being sighted in countries such as [[Brazil]], [[Angola]], Australia and [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oceansoffun.org/pinniped_species/39#:~:text=Distribution%3A,estimated%20to%20be%20277%2C000%20%E2%80%93%20356%2C000.|title=Subantarctic Fur Seal|publisher=Ocean Connections|access-date=5 February 2024}}</ref> In July 2015, a young male seal was caught and later released by local fishermen off the coast of [[Kenya]], more than 4,000 miles (6.400&nbsp;km) from its home. This is the furthest north that a subantarctic fur seal has been recorded travelling to.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blog.nature.org/2015/07/22/this-fur-seal-is-4000-miles-from-home-heres-why/ | title=This Fur Seal is 4,000 Miles from Home. Here's Why | date=22 July 2015 }}</ref> Lactating females have been recorded travelling up to 530&nbsp;km from their colonies in order to forage for food.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/sea-lions-and-fur-seals/subantarctic-fur-seal#:~:text=Lactating%20female%20Subantarctic%20fur%20seals,is%20expected%20to%20be%20greater. | title=Subantarctic Fur Seal }}</ref>