Climate Change and Its Impact on Animal
Life
Climate change is a significant threat to our planet, affecting all animals from polar
bears to bees. Research is vital to understand this and to find out how best to protect
different species.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is the long-term change in average global weather patterns and
temperatures. Since the industrial revolution in the 1800s, the planet’s average
temperature has increased by around 1°C. That might not sound like much, but for our
global climate system, that’s significant. Changes usually occur over thousands of
years .
How Does Climate Change Impact Animals?
Climate change has many impacts on animals. It’s destroying homes, reducing food
availability, and changing temperatures. Here are some of the biggest climate changerelated issues facing animals:
Habitat Loss
As temperatures rise, habitats for many species are disappearing. For example, polar
bears rely on sea ice for hunting and breeding. As sea ice melts due to warming
temperatures, polar bears are losing their homes .
Reduced Food Availability
Climate change is affecting food availability for many animals. For example, rising
temperatures are causing coral reefs to bleach and die off. This has a knock-on effect
on other species that rely on coral reefs for food .
Changing Temperatures
Climate change is causing temperatures to rise globally. This can have a significant
impact on animal life. For example, some species of birds are migrating earlier in the
year because of warmer temperatures .
Conclusion
Climate change is having a profound impact on animal life across the globe. It’s
destroying habitats, reducing food availability, and changing temperatures. Research is
vital to understand this impact better and to find out how best to protect different
species.