Published: Sept. 17, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Advertisement
SEATTLE, Sept. 17 (UPI) — An arctic seal species is threatened as two thirds of sea ice with enough snow cover for them to reproduce is at risk of disappearing, U.S. researchers say.
Scientists as the University of Washington say the ringed seal, under consideration for threatened species status, needs to build caves to rear its young in snowdrifts on sea ice.
“It’s an absolute condition they need,” atmospheric science Professor Cecilia Bitz said in a university release.