the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals

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9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 1/11 Blog February 28, 2022 About IFAW News Conservation Wildlife Conservation the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals donate

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 2/11 A group of African elephants drink water at a watering hole in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. © Rudi Van Aarde Humans are not the only species impacted by our planet’s climate crisis. The world’s wildlife and habitats will also face profound, sometimes catastrophic, change. Increases in temperature could trigger the collapse of fragile ecosystems and huge waves of extinction. The choices we make today have the power to reduce the suffering of people and animals in the future. Climate change threatens vital biodiversity The Earth is now about 1.1°C (2°F) warmer than it was in the 1800s. Based on current projections, global temperatures will rise by 2.7°C (4.8°F) by the end of the century. It’s impossible to predict exactly how long- term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns will affect our planet’s fragile, deeply entwined ecosystems. Changes in one area influence changes in other areas and animals will feel the impact. Some of the biggest climate-driven threats for wildlife include:

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 3/11 Habitat loss: Rising temperatures affect vegetation, food sources, access to water and much more. Ecosystems may become uninhabitable for certain animals, forcing wildlife to migrate outside of their usual patterns in search of food and livable conditions, while causing other animals to die off. For example, if rates of habitat loss and fragmentation due to human development and global warming continue—combined with deaths from poaching—we could lose Africa’s elephants in the next 40 years. Natural disasters: Already today we face a five-fold increase, compared to 50 years ago, in climate and weather-related natural disasters such as droughts, wildfires and hurricanes. These disasters cause catastrophic loss of life and habitat for people, pets and wildlife. Australia’s Black Summer bushfires (2019–20), for example, burned 186,000 square kilometers (72,000 square miles) and are estimated to have killed or displaced three billion koalas, kangaroos and other animals. Human-wildlife conflict: Climate change intensifies human-wildlife conflict through habitat loss and extreme climate events, forcing people and wildlife to share increasingly crowded spaces. As ecosystems change, people and wildlife roam farther in search of food, water and resources. Human-wildlife conflict often results in devastating impact for the animals affected. For example, jaguars sometimes prey on domestic animals and disrupt human livelihoods, leading to retaliatory killings that result in the further decline of already-dwindling jaguar populations. Extinction: The combination of challenges could cause many animals to go extinct. The world’s most vulnerable animals, including those already near extinction, will likely face the biggest threats.

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9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 4/11 The , for example, teeters on the brink of extinction, with an estimated 336 individual animals remaining, the lowest count in 20 years. A warming ocean, coupled with a failure to decrease conflicts with humans (vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear), could drive this species to extinction. North Atlantic right whale

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 5/11 A humpback whale and calf swimming. © Vanessa Mignon Animals and habitats: our allies in fighting climate change Thankfully, we have a powerful ally in our fight against climate change: animals and the ecosystems they are part of. The United Nations estimates that healthy ecosystems could account for 37% of the carbon reductions needed to limit global temperature rise. Healthy ecosystems with abundant plants and trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it. So, preserving or restoring nature is a powerful tool in the race to stop climate change. Healthy ecosystems also filter water, buffer against flooding, reduce the impact of disasters, improve soil health and support rich biodiversity. Keystone species and nearly all animals play vital, sometimes invisible, roles in securing biodiversity and conserving habitats. For example, . Whale poop provides nutrients to phytoplankton. Like plants, phytoplankton capture large amounts of CO2 and convert it to energy, removing carbon from the atmosphere. When phytoplankton are eaten by other marine animals, such as whales, the carbon continues to pass through the food web, remaining out of the atmosphere and not contributing to global warming. Elephants play important roles in that in turn absorb CO2 and keep it out of the atmosphere. Elephants disperse seeds, fertilize soil, dig wells, create trails for other animals and clear space that encourages new plant growth. Pangolins , keeping those populations regulated, and excavate dens that are used by other animals, both of which are essential in the ecosystems where pangolins live. whales play a significant role in supporting healthy marine ecosystems engineering healthy ecosystems eat ants and termites

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 6/11 IFAW Program O±icer Nelson Mhlanga surveys Matetsi Unit 5, part of the Hwange-Matetsi-Zambezi landscape in Northwest Zimbabwe. Photo: Shaun McMinn/© IFAW Many other animals play equally important roles in the ecosystems where they live. ifaw is making a difference. And so can you!

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9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 7/11 Share this article Related content Protecting biodiversity is vital in our shared fight against climate change. IFAW’s work focuses on shaping a future where both people and animals thrive together in the places they call home. We are working in more than 40 countries around the world across seas and oceans. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. You can help Making a difference starts with taking action. and make your voice heard for the animals that need you most. Sign our petitions help us rescue and protect wildlife around the world

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 8/11

9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 9/11 Blog replacing eco-anxiety and despair with connectedness Blog how do you move an elephant? Updates communities at the heart of conservation at the Africa Protected Areas Congress every problem has a solution, every solution needs support. The problems we face are urgent, complicated, and resistant to change. Real solutions demand creativity, hard work, and involvement from people like you. $50 $100 $250 $500 other amount Read more Read more Read more #Acts For Animals Policy

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9/18/22, 9:16 PM the impact of climate change on our planet’s animals https://www.ifaw.org/journal/impact-climate-change-animals 10/11 $500 ot e a ou t donate 50+ years of helping animals, people, and the place we call . Follow Us Stay in the know. Be ready to act. home First Name Last Name Get Involved Programs About IFAW News Resources Contact

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