Save Finland's Saimaa Ringed Seals

With only 260 Saimaa ringed seals (Pusa hispida saimensis) left in the wild, they are one of the world's rarest seals.

And all of them live in Europe's fourth largest lake, the glacial Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland. Their population experienced a severe decline in the 1960s and 1970s due to pollution. Today, they are struggling with the warmer weather resulting from anthropogenic climate change. Several have also been accidentally killed after being stuck in fishing nets.

Now, the European Commission has sent Finland a directive stating that the Scandinavian nation has failed to implement adequate measures to protect the endangered seal, according to a recent EEC press release.

Please sign this petition to Finnish president Tarja Halonen supporting the EC directive urging Finland to provide adequate protection to save the Saimaa ringed seals.