IUCN Adds Arctic Seals & Birds to Red List 2025

IUCN Adds Arctic Seals and Birds to Red List

Why in the News?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released an updated Red List of Threatened Species, revealing that several Arctic seals and bird species now face increasing threats from climate change, habitat loss, and human activities across fragile marine ecosystems.

Rising Threats to Arctic Seals and Birds:

• Warming Impact: The Arctic region is warming four times faster than the global average, leading to a drastic reduction in sea ice cover vital for ice-dependent seals and other arctic marine mammals.
• Seal Status Changes: The hooded seal, an arctic seal species, has been moved from Vulnerable to Endangered, while bearded seals and harp seals are now classified as Near Threatened.
• Human Activities: Factors like maritime traffic, industrial fishing, oil extraction, and mining further endanger Arctic marine life and contribute to environmental change in the Arctic Ocean.
• Food Web Role: Seals are keystone species, vital to the Arctic food web, recycling nutrients and serving as food for predators like polar bears.
• Expert Concern: Scientists warn that regions like the Svalbard Archipelago are losing sea ice months earlier than before, reflecting the rapid pace of Arctic climate change and threatening seal populations and other ice-associated seals.

Global Bird Populations Face Sharp Decline:

• Habitat Loss: Deforestation, logging, and agricultural expansion have emerged as primary threats to global bird habitats.
• Declining Numbers: Around 61% of bird species are showing population declines, a steep rise from 44% in 2016.
• Global Data: Out of 11,185 bird species, 1,256 (11.5%) are now classified as globally threatened or critically endangered.
• Regional Hotspots: New assessments identified 14 species in Madagascar and five in West Africa as newly Near Threatened, while three species were upgraded to Vulnerable status.
• Conservation Insight: The IUCN noted this update results from nine years of collaboration involving thousands of experts across regions, highlighting the importance of ongoing wildlife management efforts.