Warming Arctic Temperatures Endanger Seal Species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List currently tracks 172,620 species, of which 48,646 face some degree of extinction threat. Among Arctic wildlife, six species of true seals—the harbor, ringed, harp, hooded, bearded, and grey seals—are now under intensified scrutiny.
Recent IUCN updates reveal that three Arctic seal species are moving closer to extinction. The hooded seal has been reclassified from vulnerable to endangered, while the bearded seal and harp seal have shifted from least concern to near threatened.
The IUCN report identifies sea-ice loss caused by global warming as the primary factor driving this heightened risk. The Arctic’s accelerated warming—nearly four times the global average—is intensifying ice decline.
Data from the 2025 Arctic Report Card, released in December by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows that surface air temperatures across the Arctic between October 2024 and September 2025 reached the highest levels recorded since 1900. Autumn 2024 was the warmest season on record, and the 2024–2025 winter ranked as the second-warmest.
Melting glaciers are also opening new shipping routes, creating additional threats to seal populations. Greater human activity, including commercial hunting and mining, compounds the pressure on Arctic wildlife.
The Northern Sea Route has emerged as a focal point for increased traffic. China expanded its operations in 2025, with containerized cargo volumes reaching roughly 400,000 tons—more than two and a half times the previous year—and a record 15 container ship transits connecting Russian and Chinese ports.
Russia anticipated a 50% rise in foreign vessel voyages on the route in 2025, largely driven by Asian partners seeking alternatives to the Suez Canal, according to Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom.
Experts warn these developments endanger Arctic seals through increased ship strikes, noise pollution, and habitat disruption.
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