A sobering reality of the 21st century is that global warming has severely damaged the natural environment, with many animal species being pushed to the brink of extinction – or even worse. Rising temperatures, melting ice caps, unpredictably harsh weather and other side effects of climate change are wreaking havoc in previously idyllic habitats, forcing animals to seek new places to live, feed, or even water. But in some cases, the alternative habitats may be inhospitable, or simply nonexistent – leading to incalculable losses.
For one, the vulnerable polar bear population of the Arctic is at risk of permanent decline due to melting ice caps, which erode their traditionally icy habitat. This is already leading to a reduction in their overall population, as their reduced environment is less conducive for finding food and reproducing. The plight of the polar bear has already been acknowledged on the international stage, with environmentalists warning that its population could reduce by two-thirds by 2050, unless more efficient countermeasures are taken immediately.
Another example of wildlife threatened by global warming is the monarch butterfly in North America. Their migratory journey of several hundred miles each year is affected by changes in temperature, and the rise in warm air currents has led to an overall reduction in their range. What’s worse, their traditional wintering grounds in Mexico are becoming much hotter than ideal, causing populations to decline further. Unsurprisingly, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the monarch butterfly an endangered species.
As if these losses weren’t enough, marine wildlife is similarly affected. Recently, scientists have conducted a research, providing irrefutable evidence that increased ocean temperatures have caused coral bleaching across the Caribbean, severely limiting many populations of fish, sea mammals, and invertebrates. The phenomenon is already threatening the survival of many species that depend upon the coral for survival and for protecting certain shorelines from violent weather, such as those of the Maldives.
Global warming has become an existential threat to many animal species, and to our planet as a whole. It is crucial that more action is taken: from enhanced forms of energy, to more efficient and sustainable farming practices, to increased investment into green infrastructures and energy provisions. These and other measures are needed in order to help ensure the survival of many of the species which have sustained life on Earth for thousands of years.
