Seals

Seals are marine mammals belonging to the group Pinnipedia, characterized by streamlined bodies, flippers and adaptations for life in water while retaining the ability to come ashore or onto ice. They include true seals (family Phocidae) and, in broader usage, are often discussed alongside sea lions and walruses, though these belong to different families. Seals inhabit polar, temperate and some subtropical coastal waters and are studied in relation to marine ecosystems, migration, vocal communication, sea ice conditions and environmental change.

Image: Antarctic sea ice
Ocean warming behind Antarctica’s sea ice declineClimate

Ocean warming behind Antarctica’s sea ice decline

Sea ice around Antarctica expanded for several decades until a dramatic decline in 2015. The reasons behind this are revealed by research from the University…
SourceSourceMarch 18, 2026 Full article
Image: ringed seal (Pusa hispida)
Arctic warming and toxic pollutants linked to malnutrition in ringed sealsScience

Arctic warming and toxic pollutants linked to malnutrition in ringed seals

New research shows a single year of warmer-than-average Arctic temperatures can cause malnutrition in Arctic seals, intensifying risks to Inuit food security and northern ecosystems…
SourceSourceFebruary 23, 2026 Full article
Image: Tidewater glacier in Inglefield Bredning, Greenland
Where Greenland’s glaciers meet the sea, seals find more to eatScience

Where Greenland’s glaciers meet the sea, seals find more to eat

Inuit–researcher collaboration provides the first direct evidence that Arctic marine predators feed intensively at tidewater glacier fronts Summary: Seals feeding near glacier fronts in Greenland…
SourceSourceFebruary 18, 2026 Full article
Image: A leopard seal lies in an iceberg in Antarctica
Seals sing ‘otherworldly’ songs structured like nursery rhymesScience

Seals sing ‘otherworldly’ songs structured like nursery rhymes

Paris, France | AFP | Muser NewsDesk When male leopard seals dive down into icy Antarctic waters, they sing songs structured like nursery rhymes in performances…
SourceSourceJuly 31, 2025 Full article
Image: The soft texture of the Caspian Sea waves in a beautiful sunrise (s. climate change)
Caspian Sea decline threatens wildlife, industries and millions living along its shoresClimate

Caspian Sea decline threatens wildlife, industries and millions living along its shores

Urgent action is needed to protect endangered species, human health and industry from the impacts of the Caspian Sea shrinking, research led by the University…
SourceSourceApril 12, 2025 Full article
Image: Elephant Seals fighting in the breeding season
Aotearoa’s lost giants: elephant seals once thrived in New ZealandClimate

Aotearoa’s lost giants: elephant seals once thrived in New Zealand

Southern elephant seals are the “canary in the coal mine” for the Southern Ocean, offering insight into how the ecosystem may react to future climate…
SourceSourceMarch 22, 2025 Full article
Image: A Cute Harbor Seal on the Blue Ocean
Mass death of rare seals reported in Caspian SeaNews

Mass death of rare seals reported in Caspian Sea

Almaty, Kazakhstan | AFP - More than 500 Caspian Sea seals, an endangered species in Kazakhstan, have washed up on the shores of the Caspian…
SourceSourceNovember 7, 2024 Full article