Decline in White Population in Gulf of St. Lawrence?
The shrinking winter ice cover in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is posing a severe threat to the survival of whitecoat harp seals, particularly in the Magdalen Islands. As climate change accelerates, the region's ice formation becomes increasingly irregular and fragile, making it a risky nursery for newborn seals.
Harp seals need stable sea ice for their young to find shelter and camouflage from predators. However, warmer temperatures have gradually diminished the extent and durability of sea ice, causing severe consequences for the whitecoat population. Weak and unstable ice forces mothers to give birth on precarious ice floes, endangering their young through drowning, exposure, or predation.
According to federal government scientists, these brutally cold winds and variable weather patterns, exacerbated by climate change, further undermine the seals' refuge, making it an unreliable shelter for newborns. As a result, the whitecoat harp seals' survival rates are declining, which may have dire consequences for the overall harp seal population in the region.
Joanie Van de Walle, a biologist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, summarized, "Climate change is causing significant distress to this species." In 2024, the herd count showed a decline from its peak of 7.5 million animals at the end of the 1990s to around 4.4 million. Although the species is not currently regarded as threatened, researchers expect it to continue its decline due to the relentless advance of global warming, showing no signs of letup.
Global warming is not solely affecting the whitecoat harp seals; it also jeopardizes the health of the vast Saint Lawrence ecosystem. Not only is the environment becoming oxygen-depleted and acidified, but there are disruptions within the food chain that could have severe repercussions on biodiversity. For instance, the abundance of Calanus hyperboreus, a crucial food source for various fish species such as herring, capelin, and mackerel, is dropping by nearly 80%. As this trend persists, researchers anticipate a sharp decline in the Magdalen plateau, an essential feeding ground for right whales, another endangered species that continues to dwindle.
Climate change has already caused significant shifts in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with unpredictable and unfavorable outcomes for various marine species, including the declining right whale population. "Change is imminent for our ecosystem. I believe it will not entirely collapse, as there will always be species that find a way to adapt," explained Van de Walle, "But we are witnessing profound changes that will affect the species currently inhabiting the Gulf."
The environmental impacts of climate change extend beyond the whitecoat harp seals, influencing the health and wellness of the surrounding ecosystem. The decline in the abundance of Calanus hyperboreus could disrupt the food chain, potentially leading to a significant loss of biodiversity. Moreover, climate change's warming influence on the Gulf of St. Lawrence poses a threat to the future of right whales, another endangered species in the region. Environmental science reveals that these changes are a direct consequence of climate change, underscoring the necessity for continued research and action towards mitigating its effects on both the environment and wildlife.
