Mr. Monkey Visits the Cape Cross Seal Colony

Mr. Monkey went to visit the Cape Cross Seal Colony

Cape Cross has a breeding colony of the Cape fur seal. Fur seals sometimes are referred to eared seals because they lack external ears.  There are three species of fur seals in southern Africa, and the Cape fur seals is one of them.

The Cape fur seal has short hair underneath the longer, coarser hair that we can see. The longer hair can get wet when in water but the fine hair below it stays dry. Air gets trapped between the two layers of hair and gives the seal insulation to stay warm. The seals also have a layer of blubber beneath the skin to help keep them warm.