Seals

​​​The seals that breed in Tasmania are the Australian fur seal and long-nosed fur seal. The other seals regularly visit or have been recorded in Tasmanian waters.
To learn more about  Seal Watching Guidelines.

View the National Strategy to Address Adverse Human-Seal Interactions on the Australian Government Department of Agric​ulture, Fisheries and Forestry website. ​

In this topic

  • About Seals
    Thirty-five species of seal inhabit the oceans of the world. They are found throughout the marine environment, from icy polar waters to the tropics.
  • Australian Fur Seal
    The Australian fur seal is the world's fourth-rarest seal species. It was hunted to the brink of extinction last century.
  • Leopard Seal
    Leopard seals are one of the most awesome marine predators and regularly prey on warm-blooded animals like penguins, birds and other seals.
  • Long-nosed Fur Seal
    The long-nosed fur seal is found in West and South Australia, and New Zealand. In Tasmanian waters it mainly occurs on the west and south coasts.
  • Southern Elephant Seal
    Southern elephant seals are the largest of all seals with males reaching 4 to 5 metres in length and 3,500 kg in weight, while the female is a smaller 2 to 3 metres in length and only 500 kg in weight.
  • Sub-antarctic Fur Seal
    The Sub-antarctic fur seal is a rare visitor to Tasmanian waters, however as nearby population recover from commercial sealing they may become more frequent.
Leopard seal
Leopard seal