Enviro News Asia, Abu Dhabi – Three Arctic seal species are now facing a heightened risk of extinction as the impacts of climate change worsen. The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, announced during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (October 10, 2025), reveals that the rapid loss of sea ice caused by global warming has become the main threat to the survival of these marine mammals in the Arctic region.
In the update, the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) has been downgraded from Vulnerable to Endangered, while the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) and the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) have shifted from Least Concern to Near Threatened. All three species depend heavily on sea ice for breeding, nursing pups, resting, molting, and accessing feeding areas.
“Sea ice in the Arctic is melting four times faster than anywhere else on Earth. This is destroying vital seal habitats and threatening the entire polar ecosystem,” said Dr. Kit Kovacs, Co-Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group and Head of the Svalbard Programme at the Norwegian Polar Institute.
According to Dr. Kovacs, annual observations in Svalbard clearly show how diminishing sea ice makes it increasingly difficult for seals to rest and forage. “This is not a problem of the future—climate change has been happening for decades, and its impacts are evident today. Protecting Arctic seals means preserving a fragile ecosystem essential to the planet’s balance,” she emphasized.
Beyond climate change, additional threats to Arctic seals stem from increased shipping traffic, vessel noise, oil and mineral extraction, hunting, and bycatch in fisheries. Experts argue that protecting critical habitats from human activities, reducing bycatch, ensuring sustainable hunting practices, and controlling underwater noise are crucial steps to halt their population decline.
IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar highlighted that the findings illustrate both the urgency of the crisis and the opportunity for action. “While species such as Arctic seals and many seabirds face severe threats, the recovery of green turtle populations demonstrates that conservation can succeed when pursued with determination and collaboration,” she stated.
The latest IUCN Red List update covers 172,620 species, of which 48,646 are threatened with extinction. The data serve as a stark warning ahead of the upcoming UN Climate COP in Belém, where nations are expected to accelerate concrete actions to protect biodiversity and stabilize the global climate. (*)
