26 November 2024: New study explores how Northwest Atlantic hooded seals adapt to a warming Arctic

A recent study by Vacquié‐Garcia and colleagues, titled “Foraging habits of Northwest Atlantic hooded seals over the past 30 years: Future habitat suitability under global warming” was published in March 2024 in Global Change Biology. The research examines how hooded seals in the Northwest Atlantic have adjusted their feeding habits in response to rapid warming in the Arctic.

This study used over 30 years of tracking locations of hooded seals, along with tissue samples such as skin and blubber. It shows that, while hooded seals have changed their diets over time, they continue to seek out consistent environmental conditions.

As the environmental conditions shift due to warming, hooded seals have gradually moved northward in search of food. Hooded seals, like many other species, tend to breed in one area and feed in another area. The study also uncovered different feeding habitats between two breeding groups: seals from the Gulf of St. Lawrence prefer colder waters for feeding, while those from the Newfoundland “Front” prefer warmer areas .

With continued Arctic warming, hooded seals’ foraging habitats are likely to keep shifting north. Seals from the Newfoundland “Front,” which are already adapted to warmer waters, may find it easier to adjust to these changes.

You can read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17186

Photo © Kit Kovacs