Northern Fulmar
EN

Northern Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

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Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_fulmar

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Northern Fulmars face severe population declines primarily due to plastic pollution, with birds ingesting plastic debris that causes internal injuries and reduces feeding efficiency. Climate change is altering their marine food webs, particularly affecting the availability of zooplankton and small fish that form their primary diet. Overfishing of key prey species in the North Atlantic has reduced food availability during critical breeding periods, while oil spills and marine pollution continue to impact both adults and chicks at breeding colonies.

Threat summary

Habitat

Northern Fulmars inhabit pelagic marine environments across the North Atlantic and North Pacific, spending most of their lives at sea over continental shelves and oceanic waters. They breed on coastal cliffs, offshore islands, and rocky ledges, typically in large colonies along Arctic and subarctic coastlines.

MARINE· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Frequently asked questions

Why is Northern Fulmar classified as Endangered?
Northern Fulmar is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Northern Fulmars face severe population declines primarily due to plastic pollution, with birds ingesting plastic debris that causes internal injuries and reduces feeding efficiency. Climate change is altering their marine food webs, particularly affecting the availability of zooplankton and small fish that form their primary diet. Overfishing of key prey species in the North Atlantic has reduced food availability during critical breeding periods, while oil spills and marine pollution continue to impact both adults and chicks at breeding colonies.
Where does Northern Fulmar live?
Northern Fulmar occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Northern Fulmar?
The main threats to Northern Fulmar are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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