February 27, 2019

Ten creatures threatened by climate change

Earth Action - NASA scientists announced  that 2018 was the fourth hottest year on Earth, exceeded only by 2017, 2016 and 2015. After 140 years of record-keeping, 18 out of 19 of Earth's warmest years have occurred since 2001.

Here are 10 animals threatened with extinction because of climate change.
  1. Bumblebees: Rising temperatures force bees north, disrupting access to the nectar and pollen they need to survive.
  2. Whales: Migration, feed, and reproduction necessary for survival are disrupted by warming waters.
  3. Asian Elephants: Habitat is disappearing due to lower rainfall and higher temperatures.
  4. Giraffes: In addition to illegal poaching, shrinking habitat and disappearing food sources threaten their survival.
  5. Insects: 18% of insect species will die off due to warming by 2100; if the planet warms 3.2 degrees C, that number rises to 49%.
  6. Oceanic Birds: Rising waters threaten to submerge their coastal habitats and nests completely.
  7. Sharks: Difficulty hunting and lower birth rates threaten sharks as ocean temperature and acidity rise worldwide.
  8. Monarch Butterflies: Monarchs can't survive without milkweed, now being destroyed by hotter dryer land often damaged by pesticides.
  9. Great Apes: With nearly 75% of forest cover at risk due to climate change, their habitat is disappearing.
  10. Coral: Sustained heat stress causes coral bleaching, an often deadly occurrence in which coral starves from a loss of nutrition.

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