The Obama administration has proposed adding six different subspecies of Arctic seals to the endangered species list because of the threat they’re facing from shrinking sea ice.
NOAA made the proposal for those seals to be listed as threatened on Friday, and if approved, the seals would be the second animals after polar bears listed for reasons purely caused by climate change.
The listings include four subspecies of ringed seals found in the Arctic Basin and the North Atlantic and two subspecies of bearded seals found in the North Pacific (including Russia and Alaska). Vanishing sea ice was the primary reason given for all the seals being endangered.
NOAA said that the changes to the seals’ habitats was a clear indication that climate change was occurring and that the listing will improve the odds for those animals. The listing is open for public comment and has a year to be finalized.
