Special issue on seals

Inspired by the endemic, landlocked Saimaa ringed seal and its recent taxonomic elevation to a separate species, Annales Zoologici Fennici will publish a special issue focused on seals and their conservation. The issue is edited by Juha Laakkonen, Antti Halkka and Henry Pihlström.

While the topic covers all aspects of zoology related to seals in general, particular focus will be on the Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa saimensis) and other rare pinnipeds. We welcome both original research papers and review articles addressing any relevant aspect of phocid biology, including ecology, morphology, phylogeny, physiology, genetics and conservation.

Manuscripts intended for the special issue should be submitted no later than 15.9.2026. When submitting, please mention the seal issue in your e-mail. The manuscript format is flexible, but should follow the general guidelines of the journal. To ensure a swift publication process, articles will be published individually as soon as they are ready; a compiled version of the complete special issue will be published by April 2027. All published contributions will be open access and freely available online.

We warmly encourage you to support the visibility and ongoing conservation efforts of seals and their environments by contributing to this special issue. With any questions, please contact the editorial office: editor@sekj.org.