13 Species That Won't Survive Global Warming

The Center for Biological Diversity and 350.org

350.org, center for biological diversity, 350 endangered species 350 logo

On Saturday, Oct. 22, 2009 demonstrators around the world made a high-profile plea to world leaders to recognize a single number: 350. That\'s the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, measured in parts per million, that some leading scientists say represents a safe level for life as we know it on Earth. The level today stands at 387 ppm, and time is running out to reduce emissions dramatically enough to stave off dramatic changes -- change that could include the extinction of hundreds of animals. The Center for Biological Diversity, in recognition of 350.org\'s Day of Climate Action, has produced a sobering portrait of 350 U.S. wildlife species at risk if we humans fail to rein in our fossil fuel emissions. (They\'re represented here in a stunning mosaic.) In this feature, we take a look at 13 species from across the U.S. that demonstrate the varied threats posed by climate change to our wildlife.

Arroyo Toad

arroyo toad, 350 endangered species arroyo toad

Ranging from Southern California into Baja California, Mexico, the arroyo toad endures harsh conditions by burrowing into the sand along streams, where it seals itself in a layer of shed skin to maintain its moisture and body heat levels. Already down to 35% of its historic population numbers, this toad is threatened by global warming, which promises to increase the intensity and duration of droughts in the Southwestern United States. It is one of 21 amphibian species threatened by global warming, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

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Karner Blue Butterfly

karner blue butterfly, 350 endangered species karner blue butterfly One of 85 invertebrates threatened by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Karner blue butterfly is a literary favorite, having been first identified and named (after Karner, N.Y., where he spotted it) by Vladimir Nabokov. Bu the state butterfly of New Hampshire (yes, they have one) has already disappeared from Canada, and is threatened in its U.S. range, too, by heat stress and loss of a key food, the blue lupine flower.

Jaguar

jaguar, 350 endangered species jaguar Once found throughout Central and South America and into the U.S. South, the jaguar is no relegated to isolated pockets in Florida, Central and South America. Because of global warming is likely to create conditions that will shift the jaguar\'s range, barriers to migration -- like the border fence the U.S. is building along parts of the Mexican border -- could become increasingly threatening to the big cat\'s survival. The jaguar is one of 69 mammals considered endangered by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Kemp\'s Ridley Sea Turtle

kemps ridley sea turtle, 350 endangered species kemps ridley sea turtle

Kemp\'s ridley sea turtle is the smallest and rarest sea turtle, known to inhabit the Atlantic from New England to the Gulf of Mexico. How rare? Over 50 years, its numbers dropped from 89,000 to just 1,000 in the 1980s, primarily due to shrimp trawlers that snag the turtles by accident. Sea-level rise from climate change could land another critical blow, if the turtles lose nesting habitat. Surprisingly, higher sand temperatures could also play a role: Like many reptiles, this turtle\'s sex is determined by heat during incubation. It is one of 12 reptiles threatened by global warming, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

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Emperor Penguins

emperor penguins, 350 endangered species emperor penguins

Denied Endangered Species Act protection by the U.S. government, the emperor penguin is nonetheless considered threatened by activists. The Made famous by March of the Penguins, emperor penguins rely on sea ice to rear their chicks as part of their extraordinary 75-mile mating season trek. That sea ice may not be stable in a warmer world, as recent evidence suggests. It is one of 73 birds, including several penguin species, endangered by global warming, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

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Sonora Tiger Salamander

sonora tiger salamande, 350 endangered species sonora tiger salamander

You\'d think the desert species would do ok if it gets hotter, but that\'s not the case. Another Arizona-Mexico desert species imperiled by climate change is the Sonora tiger salamander. This reptile-lookalike lives in such a small area that any change to its environment puts it at risk -- especially a change that distance between an amphibian like this and the water it needs to breed. It\'s one of 21 amphibians endangered by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

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Sea Otter

sea otter, 350 endangered species sea otter Still recovering from an earlier century\'s crazed demand for fur, sea otters are facing a more insidious threat this century: Ocean acidification. While more acidic oceans -- made that way by the same thing fueling runaway global warming, carbon dioxide emissions -- won\'t affect otters directly, they will affect the food supply. Acidic oceans prevent the formation of carbonate shells, such as those needed by clams, urchins, abalone and other food staples of the otter diet. It\'s one of 69 mammals considered endangered by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Elkhorn Coral

elkhorn coral, 350 endangered species elkhorn coral One of at least 46 corals and 85 invertebrates threatened by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, Elkhorn coral shares many of the same threats that other corals do: habitat destruction and harvesting for aquaria, but more than anything disease, bleaching and corrosion due to warmer water temperatures and ocean acidification.

Mount Graham Red Squirrel

mount graham red squirrel, 350 endangered species mount graham red squirrel Found only in the Graham Mountains of southern Arizona, the squirrel was made famous by those working at a University of Observatory there. Development and logging took a big chunk out of the squirrel\'s forest habitat, and those forests -- slow growing even under current conditions -- could lose high-alititude traction, due to climate change. It\'s one of 69 mammals considered endangered by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope

sonoran pronghorn antelope, 350 endangered species sonoran pronghorn antelope Native to southwest Arizona and Mexico, the\r\nSonoran pronghorn antelope is the fastest land mammal in North America. It had to be: It once lived alongside cheetahs. Drought is catching up the species though, damaging reproduction and the survivability of young. As climate change produces longer and more severe droughts, the prospects for this species dim. It\'s one of 69 mammals considered endangered by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Spikedace

spikedace, 350 endangered species spikedace Fish, too, will not be spared by global warming. This spikedace, native to creeks and rivers in Arizona and New Mexico, may have trouble reproducing in warmer waters, because its biologically primed to react to small changes in temperature and flow. It is one of 39 fish threatened by climate change, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Desert Tortoise

desert tortoise, 350 endangered species desert tortoise

A resident of the desert Southwest through thousands of years of natural climate variation since the Pleistocene, these ancient creatures once were as common as rats, with as many as 1,000 per square mile in the Mojave Desert as recently as the early 1900s. While loss of habitat is an immediate threat, global warming could add disease, fire, predation and new habitat threats. It is one of 12 reptiles threatened by global warming, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Tortoises are in trouble elsewhere in the world, too: Learn about Madagascar\'s turtle crisis.

Canelo Hills Ladies Tresses

canelo hills ladies tresses, 350 endangered species canelo hills ladies tresses Found only at elevations above 5,000 feet in Arizona\'s San Pedro River watershed, this slender orchid can survive as a root or a flower on any given year, depending on the conditions. In addition to threats from livestock grazing, this plant\'s existence could be endangered by competition from other species that are expected to fare better under warmer temperatures ushered in by global warming. It is one of 52 plants threatened by global warming, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

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