In 1975, the Isla de Guadalupe was declared a sanctuary by the Mexican government and the Guadalupe fur seal is now fully protected under Mexican law (2). The species is also protected in the U.S. portion of its range by Californian law and is listed on Appendix I of CITES, prohibiting any international trade (3). Thankfully, these measures have produced a dramatic rise in numbers, and the future looks a little brighter for the world's rarest fur seal (10).