The role of the fur seal

The health of an ecosystem can be gauged by the health of its top order consumers or predators. Australian Fur Seals are very important predators in the oceans around south-eastern Australia. If the Australian Fur Seal population is healthy, then the general ecosystem in which they live must also be healthy.

Australian Fur Seals eat fish and squid that live near the bottom of the ocean, they are called ‘benthic’ animals. The fish and squid Australian Fur Seals eat, are eating smaller fish or zooplankton. Only a few animals are higher up the food chain than seals, they include Killer Whales and some large sharks.