Image: Miina Auttila / Metsähallitus

A record number of Saimaa ringed seal pups have been born this spring. A review conducted by the state-owned forestry organisation Metsähallitus counted a total of 79 seal pups, though four of them were found dead.

Despite this, Metsähallitus considers the count a positive surprise, and evidence for the fact that government measures to protect the rare Saimaa seal have been successful. The places where the seal pups were discovered shows that the species is returning back to its original habitat, says conservation biologist Jouni Koskela.

Metsähallitus says that the number of pups has been affected by the geographical extension of the net fishing ban of 2011, which has reduced pup deaths, leading to a rise in population. Preventing early-stage deaths by delimiting net fishing is considered essential to the continuation of the Saimaa seal species.

Last year 71 pups were estimated to have been born, with more than 60 born the two preceding years.