Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal now endangered
6 hours ago
- #climate change
- #Antarctic wildlife
- #endangered species
- The emperor penguin has been reclassified from Near Threatened to Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to climate change, with projections indicating its population will halve by the 2080s primarily because of early sea-ice breakup.
- The Antarctic fur seal has moved from Least Concern to Endangered, with its population declining by over 50% since 2000, driven by reduced krill availability from rising ocean temperatures and shrinking sea-ice.
- The southern elephant seal is now listed as Vulnerable due to declines caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which has killed over 90% of newborn pups in some colonies, exacerbated by global warming.
- Climate change in Antarctica is identified as a major threat, affecting sea-ice habitats for emperor penguins and food sources for seals, with satellite data showing a 10% loss in emperor penguin population from 2009 to 2018.
- IUCN and experts urge urgent global action to address climate change, emphasizing the need for decarbonization, enhanced monitoring in Antarctica, and more data collection on seal populations to inform conservation decisions.