by Ashley Chen

Global warming is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed and resolved very soon. Everyone knows how it affects our lives, but what many don’t know is the impact it has on endangered species. 

99.8% of endangered animals are, or will be, affected by climate change. 

Birds

• Rising sea levels and flooding will destroy their homes

• Increase heat leads to increase in lead/contaminants’ toxicity and will kill
• Hurricanes destroy nests  
• Habitats built of dry grass that is sensitive to fire 

Polar bears

• Habitats made on sea-ice environment that will melt

Sea turtles

• Extremely sensitive to change in temperature at all life stages (especially baby turtles) 

Elephants

• Drying up sources of water as they need massive amounts of water to survive

These endangered animals are just a few out of many that will experience the impact of global warming on their habitats. The major problems it will bring include the rising of sea level, floods, and drought. Rising sea levels destroy habitats near the oceans/sea and floods knock out habitats in lowlands. Water supply is also important, droughts will deprive animals of a water source and cause them to thirst to death. Another major problem is changes in temperature. Many endangered animals can also only survive in a specific place because of it’s perfect temperature. When temperatures start to change, they can easily shrivel up from the heat or freeze because they don’t naturally have the right mechanisms to protect themselves.

Animals of all kinds will inevitably be affected by climate change. But, due to their population’s already fragile occupation, endangered species will suffer much greater. Global warming will speed up the decline of endangered animals, and soon they will die out.

Sources:

https://defenders.org/blog/2019/11/endangered-species-are-overwhelmingly-threatened-climate-change

https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/fall-2015/articles/animals-affected-by-climate-change