Emperor penguin, Antarctic fur seal now officially endangered: IUCN Red List
Baku, April 9, AZERTAC
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal as Endangered, citing climate change-driven habitat loss and declining food availability, according to National Herald.
The update, released under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, warns that emperor penguin populations could halve by the 2080s due to shrinking sea-ice, while Antarctic fur seal numbers have already fallen by over 50 per cent since 2000.
The IUCN said early break-up of sea-ice is disrupting breeding and feeding cycles of emperor penguins, which rely on stable ice for raising chicks.
Satellite data indicate around 10 per cent population loss between 2009 and 2018 alone, amounting to over 20,000 adult penguins.
“Human-induced climate change poses the most significant threat,” said experts involved in the assessment, noting that without major emission cuts, declines will accelerate this century.
The Antarctic fur seal has seen a sharp decline due to reduced krill availability, driven by warming oceans and changing sea-ice patterns.
The population dropped from over 2.1 million in 1999 to around 944,000 in 2025, with survival rates of pups significantly affected in key regions.
The Southern elephant seal has been moved to Vulnerable due to disease outbreaks, particularly avian influenza, which has caused high mortality among pups and adult females.
Experts warned that climate change could worsen disease spread in polar regions, increasing risks for marine mammals.
IUCN officials said the findings should prompt urgent global action to address climate change and protect Antarctic ecosystems.
“These declines are a wake-up call on the realities of climate change,” the organisation said, urging governments to act on emissions and conservation measures.
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