Arctocephalus galapagoensis is the scientific name for the Galapagos fur seal. Not a surprising name when you look at its big head, the "head of a bear," which is the meaning in Greek.
It is believed that there are the same amount of California sea lions and Galapagos fur seals in the Galapagos. However, we find sea lions far more often. Why? Probably because fur seals prefer shaded areas. They have 300 000 hairs per square inch, which is a lot of insulation for the Equator! So they prefer to hide in caves or lava tunnels.
The grottos of Puerto Egas, on James Island, are a favorite site for this species. There they rest and enjoy the shade among the layers of lava flows.
