Snow leopard
These alpine felines can be found in the mountains of China, Nepal, and India, among other Asian countries. The World Wildlife Fund classifies the snow leopard as vulnerable and cautions that treeline shift from greenhouse gases could significantly deplete the animal’s habitat. Dwindling populations of this big cat’s prey, such as pikas and hares, also plays a role in its status.
Although the leopard has gone from “endangered to “at risk,” the species is still slated to lose about 10% of its population over the next three generations.
Giant panda
This vulnerable species of bear—and longtime logo of the WWF—dwells mainly in bamboo forests in the mountains of Western China. Increasing temperatures cause the panda’s main food source, bamboo, to abruptly flower and die, which causes the bears to seek alternative areas to feed and live. In order to maintain a healthy diet, pandas must consume 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo every day.
Green sea turtle
Found in tropical and subtropical waters all over the world, green sea turtles, like others of their kind, remain sensitive throughout their lives to ocean temperatures. The temperature of the sand in which their eggs are laid affect the sex of the turtle hatchlings, and rising ocean temperatures are creating more female sea turtles.
That poses a threat to the genetic diversity of the species. Plus, increasing sea levels due to polar ice cap melting makes it more difficult for sea turtles to lay their eggs on beaches.
African elephant
These Africa-dwelling giants are divided into two subspecies—the savanna elephant, which resides in planes and woodlands, and the smaller forest elephant, which inhabits central and western African equatorial forests. These elephants, classified as vulnerable, are sensitive to the heat, and continued global warming dampens the animal’s ability to reproduce.
Confined dispersal due to habitat fragmentation, along with modest genetic diversity, affect the elephant’s ability to adapt to rising temperatures. Perhaps the most important factor in the threat to African elephants is their need for a great deal of fresh water, which directly affects their reproduction and migration.
Mountain gorilla
Native to the mountains of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the remaining mountain gorillas are now protected in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Virunga National Park.
In the wild, rising temperatures threaten to shift certain types of plants to higher elevations, leaving the critically endangered gorilla with fewer nutrition options. In order to adapt to changing conditions, the gorilla habitats may need to be expanded beyond these parks.
Cheetah
This speedy big cat makes sub-Saharan Africa its home, but it can also be found in southern Algeria and northern Niger. Rising temperatures apparently have caused the male cheetah’s sperm to develop abnormally and has diminished male testosterone levels, impacting the animal’s ability to reproduce.
Also, climate change has taken a toll on the gazelle, one of the cheetah’s favorite meals. As such, the feline has to seek out herbivore options that are lower in protein than the gazelle. Because its largest population hovers at around 3,500, National Geographic lists the cheetah as vulnerable.
Poison dart frog
Residing mainly in the rainforests of Central America and South America, this critically endangered species of frog, like all frogs, relies on water to sustain itself in tadpole form. As temperatures continue to shoot up due to global warming, sources of water start to diminish in some rainforest areas, which threatens tadpoles’ survival.
Human activities that cause habitat fragmentation make it even harder for species such as this to withstand changes in climate. The poison dart frog has only one natural predator, a snake that is immune to the frog’s toxicity.
