What animals are lost because of global warming?

Answer 1

Species Disappear

The latest report from the World Conservation Union says that a minimum of 40 percent of the world's species are being threatened ... and global warming's one of the main culprits.

Cannibalistic Polar Bears

As longer seasons without ice keep polar bears away from food, they start eating each other.

Dying Polar Bears

A recent study completed by the US. Geological Survey shows that cannibalism will be the least of the Bear's problems. Many are also drowning, unable to swim in the increased spaces between melting sea ice. Two-thirds of them may be gone by 2050.

More Bear Attacks

Earlier this year, Moscow warned its citizens to beware of brown bear attacks. In Russia, it's been too hot in the winter for bears to sleep. When bears can't hibernate, they get very grouchy and become "unusually aggressive."

Dying Gray Whales

Save the whales! Global warming is thwarting majestic gray whales' struggle to recover from their endangered status. In recent years, more gray whales have been washing up on beaches after starving to death. Culprit: Rising ocean temps, which are killing off their food supply.

Death March of the Penguins

Scientists blame global warming for the declining penguin population, as warmer waters and smaller ice floes force the birds to travel further to find food. "Emperor penguins ... have dropped from 300 breeding pairs to just nine in the western Antarctic Peninsula."

Farewell to Frogs

An estimated two-thirds of the 110 known species of harlequin frog in Central and South America have vanished since the 1980s due to the outbreak of a deadly frog fungus ... brought on by global warming. Scientist J. Allen Pound: "Disease is the bullet killing frogs, but climate change is pulling the trigger."

Farewell to the Arctic Fox

The White Arctic fox used to rule the colder climes, but as temperatures warm up, its more aggressive cousin, the Red Fox, is moving North and taking over.

Farewell to the Walrus

Walrus pups rest on sea ice while their mothers hunt for food. A new study shows more and more abandoned pups are being stranded on floating islands as ice islands melt. Also, sadly, mother walruses are abandoning them to follow the ice further north

Farewell to Cute Koala Bears

Australia's Climate Action Network reports that higher temperatures are killing off eucalyptus trees while higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are decreasing the nutritional value of the eucalyptus leaves Koala bears eat. They warn that the cute furry creatures could become extinct in the next few decades.

Jellyfish Attack

Ouch! At least 30,000 people were stung by jellyfish along the Mediterranean coast last year; some areas boasted more than 10 jellyfish per square foot of water. Thank global warming: Jellyfish generally stay out of the way of swimmers, preferring the warmer, saltier water of the open seas. Hotter temperatures erase the natural temperature barrier between the open sea and the shore. The offshore waters also become more saline, causing the stinging blobs of hurt to move in toward the Coastlines (and your unsuspecting legs).

Giant Squid Attack

Giant squid, an "aggressive predator" that grows up to 7 feet long and can weigh more than 110 lbs, used to only be found in the warm waters along the Pacific equator. Hotter waters mean today they're invading the waters of California and even Alaska.

Homeless Sheep, Goats, and Bears

Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and grizzly bears are becoming homeless, due to the disappearance of the alpine meadows in Glacier National Park.

Homeless Deer and Marsh Rabbits

The deer and marsh rabbits in The Florida Keys also face a housing crisis, as water levels rise and warmer temperatures destroy coastal prairies and freshwater marsh habitats.

Gender-Bended Lizards

Scientists in Australia found warmer temperatures caused baby bearded dragon lizards to change from males to females while still in their eggs, making it harder for them to find mates.

More Stray Kitties

Global warming has extended the cat-breeding season beyond spring, which is the usual time for a kitten boom. The kittens are often homeless and end up in animal shelters.

Suffocating the Lemmings

Lemmings like to burrow under the snow when they hibernate for the winter. Warmer temperatures cause rain to fall during the winter months, where it freezes into a hard sheet of ice above the sleeping lemmings, who can't crack their way out come spring.

Goodbye to Cod

Cod in the North Sea are dying out. The warmer waters kill off the plankton the cod eat, making those ones that survive smaller. The warmer waters also mean the poor dears have become "less successful at mating and reproducing."

Birds around the World

Recent research found that "up to 72 percent of bird species in northeastern Australia and more than a third in Europe could go extinct due to global warming."

Birds on the Coast

Hundreds of Pacific seabirds---such as common murres, auklets, and tufted puffins---washed ashore last year after starving to death. Scientists blame global warming which led to less plankton, which led to fewer small fish for the birds to eat.

Birds in your Backyard

A report by the National Audubon Society found that birds such as the bobwhite and field sparrow are dying thanks to global warming, as higher temperatures mess with their migration schedules. With vital food stocks peaking earlier and earlier, many migratory birds get to the party too late and can't find enough to eat.

Death to a Snail

The Aldabra banded snail is officially extinct. Existing only on an atoll 426 kilometers northwest of the northern tip of Madagascar, the snail died out after warmer weather cut the rainfall in its habitat.

Answer 2

Some animals that are affected by global warming and are at risk of being lost include polar bears, penguins, coral reefs, and sea turtles. Loss of habitat, changes in food availability, and extreme weather events all contribute to the threat these species face from climate change.