Three Arctic Seal Species Just Moved Closer to Extinction as Sea Ice Vanishes – ZME Science

Report on the Increased Extinction Risk for Arctic Seals and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicates a heightened extinction risk for three Arctic seal species due to accelerated sea ice loss, a direct consequence of climate change. This development presents a significant challenge to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). The degradation of the Arctic marine ecosystem also threatens the livelihoods of Indigenous communities, impacting SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).

Threat Reclassification and Impact on SDG 14: Life Below Water

Updated IUCN Red List Status

The conservation status of three ice-dependent seal species has been downgraded, reflecting growing threats to marine biodiversity:

• Hooded Seal (Cystophora cristata): Uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered.
• Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus): Uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened.
• Harp Seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus): Uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened.

Habitat Degradation and Marine Ecosystem Health

The primary driver for this decline is the deterioration of breeding habitats, which directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 14 to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems. Sea ice is essential for critical life-cycle stages of these seals, including:

1. Breeding and raising pups
2. Resting and moulting
3. Accessing feeding areas

The loss of this platform leads to increased pup mortality from drowning, freezing, and predation, undermining population recruitment and the overall stability of the marine food web. As keystone species, seals regulate fish and invertebrate populations and serve as a vital food source for predators like polar bears, making their decline a threat to the entire ecosystem’s balance.

Climate Change as the Root Cause: A Challenge to SDG 13 (Climate Action)

Accelerated Warming and Cryosphere Collapse

The report underscores the urgent need for global climate action as mandated by SDG 13. The Arctic is warming approximately four times faster than the global average, leading to rapid and widespread sea ice melt. This phenomenon is not isolated to the Arctic; similar trends are emerging in the Southern Ocean, where the decline of the Antarctic fur seal is linked to sea ice loss affecting its primary food source, krill. This bipolar crisis highlights a systemic failure to curb global temperature rise.

Consequences of Inadequate Climate Action

The declining seal populations are a tangible indicator of the consequences of failing to meet SDG 13 targets. The continued erosion of the cryosphere threatens all ice-dependent species and the stability of global climate systems.

Broader Implications for Biodiversity and Human Well-being

Threats to SDG 15 (Life on Land) and Indigenous Communities (SDG 1 & 2)

The potential extinction of these species represents a significant loss of global biodiversity, directly challenging the targets of SDG 15 to halt biodiversity loss. Furthermore, Arctic seals are a critical subsistence resource for many Indigenous communities. Their decline threatens food security and cultural heritage, creating obstacles to achieving SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) in these regions.

Recommendations for Integrated Action

Global and Local Mitigation Strategies

Addressing the decline of Arctic seals requires a multi-faceted approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals:

• Strengthen SDG 13 (Climate Action): The most critical action is a global commitment to slow and reverse climate change through accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Implement SDG 14 (Life Below Water) Targets: Local and regional actions are necessary to reduce cumulative pressures on seal populations. These include:
  1. Protecting key marine habitats from human activities such as shipping and resource exploitation.
  2. Reducing pollution, including underwater noise.
  3. Implementing sustainable hunting and fishery management to prevent bycatch and depletion of prey species.

Protecting Arctic seals is intrinsically linked to safeguarding the delicate balance of the polar ecosystems, which is essential for global climate stability and the achievement of a sustainable future for both nature and humanity.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article primarily addresses the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly identifies climate change as the primary driver of the threats to Arctic seals. It states, “The major driver of the declines that we are seeing is breeding habitat deterioration as a direct result of climate change,” and highlights that temperatures are “rising about four times faster in the Arctic.” The call for “large-scale efforts to slow or reverse climate change” directly connects the issue to the core objective of SDG 13.
   • SDG 14: Life Below Water: The focus of the article is on marine mammals (hooded, bearded, and harp seals) and the degradation of their marine habitat (sea ice). It discusses threats to marine ecosystems, including habitat loss, overfishing of prey species, shipping, underwater noise, and pollution. The article emphasizes that protecting these seals is about “safeguarding the Arctic’s delicate balance, which is essential for us all,” aligning with the goal of conserving and sustainably using marine resources.
   • SDG 15: Life on Land: While the species are marine, SDG 15 is relevant through its focus on protecting biodiversity and preventing the extinction of threatened species. The article’s central theme is that three seal species have “moved closer to extinction” and have been “uplisted” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This directly relates to the goal of halting biodiversity loss.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article’s call to “accelerate action that protects biodiversity, stabilises our climate” at the next global climate summit implies the need for policy-level interventions to combat climate change, which is the root cause of the seals’ habitat loss.
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. The article discusses the erosion of the seals’ breeding and feeding grounds (sea ice) and the need to safeguard key habitats from human activities to minimize declines. This aligns with the goal of protecting marine ecosystems.
   • Target 14.4: By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices. The article mentions the need to “avoid overfishing species the seals and other predators rely on for food” and notes that seals face pressure from “bycatch in fisheries,” which are direct concerns of this target.
   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. This is the most directly relevant target. The article is centered on the “uplisting” of three seal species on the IUCN Red List, moving them into higher threat categories and “closer to extinction” due to the loss of their sea ice habitat.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators:

   • IUCN Red List Status: The article’s primary evidence is the change in status of the seal species on the “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” The uplisting of the hooded seal to “endangered” and the bearded and harp seals to “near threatened” serves as a direct indicator of the worsening state of these species, relevant to Target 15.5. This corresponds to Indicator 15.5.1 (Red List Index).
   • Rate of Sea Ice Loss: The article identifies “rapid sea ice loss” as the core problem, stating that “sea ice is thinning and melting earlier every year.” The extent, thickness, and duration of sea ice cover are measurable indicators of climate change’s impact on the Arctic habitat (SDG 13 and 14).
   • Population Decline Rates: The article provides a specific example of a measurable decline: “The Antarctic fur seal… has declined by more than 50% over the last three generations.” Such population trend data is a key indicator for assessing the conservation status of species and the health of ecosystems.
   • Pressures from Human Activities: The article lists several pressures that can be measured as indicators, including the intensity of “shipping, underwater noise, oil and mineral exploitation, hunting and bycatch in fisheries.” Reductions in these activities in key habitats would indicate progress towards protecting marine life (SDG 14).

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 13: Climate Action	13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.	Rate of Arctic warming (mentioned as “four times faster than the globe”). Extent and rate of sea ice loss and thinning.
   SDG 14: Life Below Water	14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems. 14.4: End overfishing and regulate harvesting.	Health and stability of sea ice habitats. Levels of bycatch in fisheries. Levels of underwater noise and pollution. Population levels of prey species (e.g., krill, fish).
   SDG 15: Life on Land	15.5: Halt the loss of biodiversity and prevent the extinction of threatened species.	Conservation status of species on the IUCN Red List (e.g., hooded seal moved to “endangered”). Population decline rates (e.g., Antarctic fur seal decline of over 50%). Recruitment rates of young animals into populations.

Source: zmescience.com