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A record 111 Saimaa ringed seal pups were born this spring, according to Finnish state forest agency Metsähallitus. The species, one of the world’s most endangered freshwater seals, is found only in Lake Saimaa in eastern Finland.
The figure is the highest since monitoring began and surpasses the previous record set in 2023. The count was conducted during the first half of 2025 as part of a long-term conservation programme involving Metsähallitus and WWF Finland.
The programme aims to support the survival of the species, which has an estimated total population of just over 500. The success this year is largely attributed to the use of artificial snowdrifts constructed for seal nests.
Artificial snowdrifts have become critical in recent years as climate change has reduced natural snow accumulation. The snowbanks protect newborn pups from both cold exposure and predators. Metsähallitus reported that 80 percent of this year’s pups were born in these man-made shelters.
Miina Auttila, Senior Specialist in Nature Conservation at Metsähallitus, said fewer than 20 pups died during the nesting season — a lower-than-expected mortality rate given the mild winter conditions.
“In a good breeding year, the mortality rate is about 10 percent,” she said. “This year it was higher than in ideal conditions, but without the artificial snowdrifts it would have been significantly worse.”
In 2020, for example, a particularly poor winter without sufficient snow led to a mortality rate of over 25 percent. That year, the construction of snowdrifts was hindered by the lack of raw material.
This spring, milder weather again created a difficult environment for natural breeding. Volunteers worked alongside conservation officials to build hundreds of snowdrifts around known seal habitats across the Saimaa region.
Auttila said the stable results from recent years show that consistent, targeted conservation efforts are making a measurable difference. While the long-term survival of the species remains uncertain, the positive trend in births is encouraging.
The Saimaa ringed seal is a protected species under both Finnish law and EU directives. Its isolated population is the remnant of a marine seal species that became landlocked in the lake after the last Ice Age.
In addition to nest construction, the conservation programme also restricts fishing practices that pose risks to the seals, particularly net fishing during breeding season.
Metsähallitus emphasised the importance of continued public support and cooperation with local communities to preserve the fragile seal population.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
