{"id":109916,"date":"2026-07-20T13:49:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=109916"},"modified":"2026-07-20T13:49:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:49:32","slug":"uri-researcher-contributing-to-new-assessment-of-vulnerable-southern-ocean-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/uri-researcher-contributing-to-new-assessment-of-vulnerable-southern-ocean-species\/","title":{"rendered":"溏心vlog免费B站 researcher contributing to new assessment of vulnerable Southern Ocean species"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 20, 2026 \u2013 Postdoctoral researcher Renato Borras-Chavez<\/a>\u2019s area of study\u2014pinnipeds in the Southern Ocean\u2014often takes him far away from the 溏心vlog免费B站 campus. Now the researcher in Sarah Kienle\u2019s CEAL Lab<\/a> is sharing more about dropping populations of certain seals and will present on the topic at the SCAR Open Science Conference in Oslo, Norway this August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borras-Chavez\u2019s research focuses on ocean predators, food chain and behavioral ecology, population monitoring, and the use of field-based, analytical tools to understand how marine species interact with their environments.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The leopard seal, assessed in a new report by 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Renato Borras-Chavez, is classified as of least concern, but should be reassessed with added data to inform conservation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As a marine megafauna ecologist, Borras-Chavez is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, specifically the Species Survival Commission. They recently contributed to a new report<\/a> from the Forty-eighth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), with recommendations on Antarctic pinnipeds.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Borras-Chavez studies how marine species interact with their environments and has contributed to the assessments of two pinniped species. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photo \/ Dept. of Natural Resources Science)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) also convened an expert group, including Borras-Chavez and other experts, to evaluate the conservation status of Antarctic pinnipeds. This group presented its findings at the ATCM for the Committee for Environmental Protection to make recommendations to Antarctic stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IUCN is best known for the Red List<\/a>, the world\u2019s most comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of species. These assessments are prepared by species experts, peer-reviewed, and updated periodically to evaluate whether species are threatened, declining, stable, or recovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This July, new IUCN assessments were officially released, including pinnipeds, the marine mammals which include true seals, sea lions, fur seals and walruses. Borras-Chavez assessed the status of two species: the leopard seal<\/a> and the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez fur seal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although both species remain in relatively good condition, Borras-Chavez and his colleagues say the results for other Antarctic pinnipeds<\/a> are concerning. Antarctic fur seals have now been assessed as endangered and southern elephant seals as vulnerable, the latter due to dramatic declines likely caused by HPAI (or avian influenza), a current threat for multiple marine mammals and seabirds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate change impacts, including declines in Antarctic sea ice, ocean warming and acidification, changes in prey availability and habitat, and disease, are threatening all of these species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their findings prompted the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research to create an expert group, including Borras-Chavez, to communicate results to Antarctic policy and conservation bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borras-Chavez is among a number of scientists who have presented their team\u2019s findings at these Antarctic working meetings, collaborating with colleagues from around the world. He is one of only a few U.S. researchers on the committee, joined by colleagues at the University of Colorado and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Borras-Chavez said he is honored to represent 溏心vlog免费B站 and Rhode Island in this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis announcement highlights the conservation implications of these new assessments,\u201d he said, \u201cand the importance of work in the Southern Ocean about species impact and other research happening at 溏心vlog免费B站 connected to study of wildlife in this region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seal study<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A postdoctoral researcher in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Department of Natural Resources Science<\/a>, Borras-Chavez focuses on the ecology of foraging, a primary means of sustenance for mammals in the Southern Ocean. His National Science Foundation-funded research supports science-based conservation and monitoring programs and he frequently connects his collaborative research to public engagement and policy-making agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy goal is to continue building research that connects ecology, marine monitoring, conservation, and public engagement,\u201d he said. \u201cGenerating robust, science-based knowledge is impactful for society and, most importantly, helps decipher the beautiful nature that surrounds us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the species he reported on are at healthy numbers, Borras-Chavez hopes other vulnerable Antarctic species receive more attention, highlighting the importance of monitoring all Antarctic seals and expanding available information. He says that major knowledge gaps limit scientists\u2019 ability to accurately assess seals\u2019 conservation status; the new working group hopes to rectify this and raise more public awareness about declines in seal populations and what that signifies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur recommendations have been endorsed during the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting,\u201d Borras-Chavez said, \u201cso now hopefully the southern elephant and Antarctic fur populations will be considered as Antarctic Specially Protected Species.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These developments, Borras-Chavez said, show the significant impact rapid environmental change can have on species that forage in marine environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe work done by the working group on leopard seals led by 溏心vlog免费B站 professor Sarah Kienle<\/a> has been a significant help to those of us assessing some of these Antarctic species,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile what we\u2019re observing about these seals is concerning, the larger endorsement of our group\u2019s research is a great outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August, Borras-Chavez will discuss their findings with other polar researchers from around the world in Norway as the SCAR Open Science Conference presents the latest research findings to address critical challenges facing the southernmost region of the world. Hosted by the Norwegian Polar Institute, this year\u2019s conference aims to showcase cutting-edge polar research and inspire collaboration for a sustainable future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 20, 2026 \u2013 Postdoctoral researcher Renato Borras-Chavez\u2019s area of study\u2014pinnipeds in the Southern Ocean\u2014often takes him far away from the 溏心vlog免费B站 campus. Now the researcher in Sarah Kienle\u2019s CEAL Lab is sharing more about dropping populations of certain seals and will present on the topic at the SCAR […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":109917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[5,1914,1909,1905],"class_list":["post-109916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-college-of-the-environment-and-life-sciences","tag-graduate","tag-international","tag-research"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109916"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109922,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109916\/revisions\/109922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}