Alarming pictures of polar bears have become a huge cause of concern for people all over the world. However, they are not the only animals radically changing their behavior to adapt to climate change and the dynamic shifts in their local habitats.
Walruses Huddling, but Not for Warmth
Recently, an astounding 35,000 Pacific walruses in Alaska left the Arctic seas to crowd onto a beach. As witnessed in 2009, this poses a significant problem: if walruses are startled or disturbed, they will return to the Arctic sea ice, but its current state puts the animals at risk of death.
With the Arctic sea ice now at its fourth lowest level in history, the ecosystem of these walruses is shifting completely. To make matters worse, Royal Dutch Shell is currently drilling for oil less than 100 miles from the beach, where these animals are known to be resting. The procedure, approved by US President Barack Obama, has caused a public uproar, as figures support a 75% chance of an oil spill, which could kill all kinds of vulnerable marine life.
Fossil Fuels vs Marine Life
The most concerning factor, however, is that climate change gives access to untouched pools full of natural gas and other fossil fuels. If these additional fossil fuels are burned, the ecosystems of these animals will unpredictably morph even more significantly. Global temperatures might skyrocket, the ice caps at both poles may deteriorate and climate – at least as we know it – could completely change.
President Barack Obama, who was recently in Alaska for an international conference on the Arctic, commented that action isn’t being taken fast enough to combat the issue. Furthermore, since the United States is a leader in the creation of the problem, the country must also play a leading role in finding a viable solution.
We Are Also Be Victims to Climate Change
Climate change is not only going to affect animals; rising sea levels may also displace people from their own homes; in fact, estimates suggest that one in every 45 people may eventually become a refugee of climate change. It is a chilling thought, but one that urges for the delay and reversal of these climatic changes.
