Arctic Seals Threatened as Sea Ice Rapidly Retreats

According to the latest IUCN Red List of Threatened Species released on October 10, 2025, the impacts of climate change and habitat loss continue to drive many species toward extinction. The report reveals that three species of Arctic seals now face extinction due to the rapid retreat of sea ice, which they rely on for breeding, resting, and foraging.

The assessment also found that 61% of bird species globally are in decline, up from 44% in 2016, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation from agriculture and logging. Regions like Madagascar, West Africa, and Central America were highlighted as particularly at-risk due to deforestation of tropical forests.

However, the report offered a glimmer of hope with the recovery of green sea turtle populations. Decades of conservation efforts to protect nesting females, eggs, and curtail unsustainable harvesting have allowed some green sea turtle populations to rebound by around 28% since the 1970s. The species is now listed as of "least concern" rather than endangered.

While the green sea turtle's recovery shows that coordinated action can make a difference, the IUCN warns that the species still faces threats from coastal development and climate change. The organization's chair, Jon Paul Rodríguez, emphasized the need for urgent action to address the widespread degradation of biodiversity, stating that "the forces behind it are big and they're widespread and strong."