shore and will dive to depths of 30 to 300 feet to find lanternfish and squid. Typically lactating females will dive and forage at night when prey swims to shallow waters and become more accessible. Sometimes they will stay out at sea for up to 25 days, then return to shore and stay with the pups for 5 days. During the period that the mothers are foraging the pup goes without milk for several days, sometimes weeks. To combat this, the mother's milk is high in fat and nutrients that the pup uses for energy while the mother is away. However, during this time the pups' immune systems are not as highly functioning as adults and can be prone to infection from intestinal parasites that leads to fatal infections. In the early 90s there were 60 pups discovered dead from hookworm infections, and also the presence of heavy metal ions were found in their systems. Such loss decimated the population and they are still recovering now. See also References External links ARKive - images and movies of the Juan Fernández fur seal (Arctocephalus philippii) Arctocephalus Endemic fauna of the Juan Fernández Islands Mammals described in 1866 Pinnipeds of South America Carnivorans of South America Mammals of Chile Least concern biota of South America Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters