Harbor Seals Face Habitat Challenges as Iceberg Dynamics Shift

New research links glacier changes to seal behavior, highlighting risks from climate-driven shifts in iceberg stability and availability.

Harbor seals in Alaska's Johns Hopkins Glacier rely on icebergs for birthing, caring for pups, and molting, but climate change is altering these critical habitats.
The study reveals seals prefer slower, stable icebergs during the pupping season and faster-moving icebergs near foraging hotspots during molting season.
Johns Hopkins Glacier, one of the few advancing glaciers globally, sheds fewer icebergs due to a sediment wall that slows melting but reduces habitat availability for seals.
Researchers used aerial surveys, time-lapse cameras, and remote sensing to track seal distribution and iceberg dynamics over several years.
Findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary studies and long-term monitoring to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on glacier fjord ecosystems.