1955day.year
An order to protect the endangered Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is legalized.
Finland legalizes protections for the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, a unique freshwater seal subspecies.
On March 4, 1955, Finnish authorities enacted legislation to safeguard the Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis), one of the world’s rarest seal subspecies. Endemic to Finland’s Lake Saimaa, this seal faced drastic population declines due to hunting, habitat disturbance, and entanglement in fishing nets. The new protection order prohibited hunting and established conservation zones around critical breeding sites. This pioneering measure laid the foundation for ongoing habitat restoration and scientific research. Today, the Saimaa ringed seal stands as a symbol of successful targeted wildlife conservation in Finland, demonstrating the power of legal protection.
1955
Saimaa ringed seal