Snowbanks and Safe Traps for the World's Rarest Seal

The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation runs on-the-ground protection for the Saimaa ringed seal, a freshwater seal found only in Finland's Lake Saimaa. Because warmer winters leave too little snow for natural nesting drifts, volunteers plow artificial snowbanks each year so pups have safe places to be born, while the group also distributes seal-safe fish traps with narrow openings to stop accidental drownings in nets. Once down to as few as 180-200 individuals in the late 1980s, the population has climbed steadily thanks to this and partner efforts. In 2025 the seal was formally recognized as its own distinct species, Pusa saimensis.