Some Species at Risk

 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference: Species at Risk

The WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature - has compiled a list of species at risk around the world that are at threat from global warming.

"The polar bear could disappear in the wild unless the pace of global warming slows," they say. "Dependent on sea ice, the animal uses it as a floating platform to catch prey"

"Experts believe that the Arctic sea ice is melting at a rate of 9% per decade, endangering the polar bear’s habitat and existence," say the WWF

"In South America marine turtles lay their eggs on Brazilian beaches, many of which are threatened by rising sea levels. Climate change also threatens the offspring of sea turtles, as nest temperature strongly determines the sex: the coldest sites produce male offspring, while the warmer sites produce female offspring..."

"The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered of all large whales, with a long history of human exploitation. Since warming waters contain less plankton for whales to feed on, the availability of food due to climate fluctuations is also becoming an increasing cause of mortality. Between 300 and 350 individuals still exist, with little hope of population growth"

"The giant panda's future remains uncertain due to a number of threats. Its forest habitat in the mountainous areas of south-western China is fragmented, and giant panda populations are small and isolated from each other..."

"Asia’s only ape – the orang-utan – is in deep trouble. Its last remaining strongholds in the rainforests of Indonesia are being threatened by a range of pressures, including climate change, putting the animal at risk of extinction within a few decades..."

"In Africa, elephants face a range of threats including shrinking living space, which brings them more frequently into conflict with people..."

"Climate change is affecting home range, abundance and breeding cycles of many of Australia’s frog species. Since frogs rely on water to breed, any reduction or change in rainfall could reduce frog reproduction..."

"Only 6,000 or so tigers remain in the wild, due to poaching, the loss of their habitat and depletion of the tiger’s natural prey. Hunters, traders and poor local residents use the forest for subsistence, directly competing with the tiger..."

"...Some of the largest remaining areas where tigers occur are the mangrove forests of India. The projected rise in sea levels could cause these living spaces of the tiger to vanish altogether"