Climate change is changing where animals live in many ways. This can be felt all around the world. Here are some of the main changes:
Rising Temperatures: The Earth's average temperature has gone up by about 1.2 °C since the late 1800s. Many animals, especially those in fragile areas like the Arctic, are seeing their homes change because of the heat. For example, Arctic sea ice has shrunk by about 13% every decade since the late 1970s. This affects animals like polar bears and seals, who need ice to hunt and raise their young.
Changes in Rainfall: Climate change is also affecting how much it rains in different places. This can cause droughts, where there isn’t enough water, or floods, where there’s too much. For example, more extreme weather can destroy the places where animals live. By the year 2100, rain in some areas could increase by about 10-20%, which could hurt freshwater habitats and the animals that rely on them.
Ocean Changes: The oceans have taken in about 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) we’ve released. This makes the water more acidic, which is not good for ocean life, especially coral reefs. About 25% of all marine animals depend on coral reefs for survival. Since the 1970s, coral cover has decreased by 50% in some areas because of the heat and acid in the water.
Animals Moving: As their homes change, many animals are moving to find better places to live. This can lead to problems because the balance between predators and their prey gets disrupted. For example, many fish and ocean creatures are moving to cooler waters at about 40 kilometers each decade.
These changes upset the balance of nature. They cause a drop in the variety of species and change how different animals and plants interact with each other. This can harm the overall health of the environment.
Climate change is changing where animals live in many ways. This can be felt all around the world. Here are some of the main changes:
Rising Temperatures: The Earth's average temperature has gone up by about 1.2 °C since the late 1800s. Many animals, especially those in fragile areas like the Arctic, are seeing their homes change because of the heat. For example, Arctic sea ice has shrunk by about 13% every decade since the late 1970s. This affects animals like polar bears and seals, who need ice to hunt and raise their young.
Changes in Rainfall: Climate change is also affecting how much it rains in different places. This can cause droughts, where there isn’t enough water, or floods, where there’s too much. For example, more extreme weather can destroy the places where animals live. By the year 2100, rain in some areas could increase by about 10-20%, which could hurt freshwater habitats and the animals that rely on them.
Ocean Changes: The oceans have taken in about 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) we’ve released. This makes the water more acidic, which is not good for ocean life, especially coral reefs. About 25% of all marine animals depend on coral reefs for survival. Since the 1970s, coral cover has decreased by 50% in some areas because of the heat and acid in the water.
Animals Moving: As their homes change, many animals are moving to find better places to live. This can lead to problems because the balance between predators and their prey gets disrupted. For example, many fish and ocean creatures are moving to cooler waters at about 40 kilometers each decade.
These changes upset the balance of nature. They cause a drop in the variety of species and change how different animals and plants interact with each other. This can harm the overall health of the environment.