Threats to fur seal
Predators
New Zealand fur seal, Antipodes Islands
Great white and sevengill sharks are the main predators of seals. New Zealand sea lions may occasionally take juvenile fur seals in the sub-Antarctic islands but this has not been reported on the mainland.
Human impact
New Zealand fur seals ranged around New Zealand before the arrival of humans with a population of about 2 million.
They were taken as food by Maori. The onset of European sealing for meat and pelts in the 1700s and 1800s pushed them to the brink of extinction.
In 1894 kekeno were fully protected and, at 15 per cent of their former population, are now becoming increasingly common.
Human disturbance and activity are the causes of most threats to kekeno today. This includes entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris and harassment by the public.