Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal now endangered

Gland, Switzerland, 9 April 2026 (IUCN) – The emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now both Endangered, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Climate change in Antarctica is leading to changes in sea-ice that are projected to cause the emperor penguin population to halve by the 2080s, while reduced food availability has already driven a 50% reduction in the Antarctic fur seal population since 2000. The southern elephant seal is also now at risk of extinction, due to disease.