Monday, August 22, 2011

Not an endangered species for the fur-seal-able future: The SUBANTARCTIC FUR SEAL (Arctocephalus tropicalis); did you notice the misnomer TROPICALIS, when in fact it's SUBANTARCTIC? WWF maximum cards / maxicards / dorincards from the exotic TRISTAN DA CUNHA. the remotest (most remote) archipelago on Earth!


"The subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) is a fur seal found in the southern parts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. It was first described by Gray in 1872 from a specimen recovered in northern Australia—hence the inappropriate tropicalis specific name."

"The subantarctic fur seal is medium-sized compared with other fur seals. Males grow to 2 m and 160 kg, whereas females are substantially smaller—1.4 m and 50 kg. 
Both sexes have a distinctive creamy-orange chest and face."
[No, we're not talking here about the New Jersey shore-style of orange sun-tanning.]

"The belly is more brownish. Males have a dark grey to black back. The female's is a lighter grey. Pups are black at birth, but molt at about three months old. The snout is short and flat. The flippers are short and broad. Subantarctic fur seals live for about 20-25 years."

Let's refresh our memory:




























Tristan da Cunha



FlagCoat of arms
MottoOur faith is our strength
AnthemGod Save the Queen
Capital
(and largest city)
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
37°4′S 12°19′W
Official language(s)English
DemonymTristanian
GovernmentBritish overseas territory
 - MonarchElizabeth II
 - GovernorAndrew Gurr
 - AdministratorSean Burns
Part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
 - First inhabited1810 
 - Dependency of Cape Colony (to UK)14 August 1816 
 - Dependency of St Helena12 January 1938 
 - Current constitution1 September 2009 
Area
 - Total207 km2
80 sq mi 
 - Main island:98 km2
Population
 -  census264 (2010 figures) 
 - Density1.3/km2
3.4/sq mi
CurrencyPound sterling (£) (GBP)
Time zoneGMT (UTC+0)
Drives on theleft
Internet TLDnone
(.sh or .uk can be used)

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Happy Blue Monday! (meme)