India, April 9 -- Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) have been uplisted to Endangered category, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

The IUCN has cited climate change in Antarctica as the primary driver, resulting in changes to sea ice that are projected to halve emperor penguin populations by the 2080s. "While reduced food availability has already driven a 50 per cent reduction in the Antarctic fur seal population since 2000, the southern elephant seal is also now at risk of extinction due to disease," it said in a statement.

Sea-ice loss threatens emperor penguins

Emperor penguins were previously listed as Near Threate...