Saimaa seal births hit new record as conservation efforts pay off

Saimaa seal births hit new record as conservation efforts pay off

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 Metsähallitu…