- Emperor penguins have been reclassified from "near threatened" to "endangered" due to the loss of vital sea ice caused by climate change, which they rely on for breeding and moulting.
- Antarctic fur seals have moved from "least concern" to "endangered" after their population plummeted by more than 50 per cent in 25 years, primarily due to dwindling krill availability caused by rising ocean temperatures.
- The southern elephant seal's status has changed from "least concern" to "vulnerable" following declines caused by bird flu, with concerns that disease-related mortalities will increase with global warming.
- Conservation assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlight the dramatic decline in these species, intensifying calls for urgent action to curb planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions.
- Organisations like BirdLife International and WWF are advocating for immediate decarbonisation of economies and increased monitoring of Antarctic species, with WWF proposing emperor penguins be designated a "specially protected species".
IN FULL
