Wildlife

Bearded Seal Welfare in a Warming Arctic

Bearded seals depend on sea ice for pupping and molting and face welfare threats as their preferred habitat disappears with Arctic warming.

Key Facts

Bearded seals pup on sea ice in spring, requiring stable floes for newborn survival
They are a critical prey species for polar bears, walruses, and indigenous communities
Sea ice loss is pushing pupping habitat northward in their Bering Sea range
They are the largest Arctic seal species with males producing complex underwater calls
Climate change is expected to significantly impact bearded seal populations by mid-century

Welfare Considerations

Pups born on unstable or thin ice fall through and drown. Mothers separated from pups by ice breakup cause mortality through starvation. Adults forced to pup on shore face higher predation rates and pup crushing. Sea ice loss reduces access to benthic prey as foraging habitat changes. Acoustic pollution from increased Arctic shipping disrupts their complex calling behavior.

What You Can Do

Support Arctic climate advocacy protecting sea ice habitats
Donate to bearded seal research programs
Advocate for Arctic shipping route restrictions protecting ice-dependent species
Support indigenous-led conservation monitoring of Arctic seal populations
Engage with governments on Arctic Marine Protected Area expansion