Monarch Butterflies
Steve Corey - Flickr - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
In the clusters of monarch butterflies wintering on Mexico hillsides, the sound of millions upon billions of rhythmic wingbeats are reminiscent of waterfalls. It's a "waking dream," as described by Kevin Sieff, a correspondent for the Washington Post. Only, these waterfalls may soon dry up.
Global warming has augmented the chances of severe weather events, like heatstrokes and storms. A single such event can wipe out swarms of these sensitive butterflies. In addition, milkweed (the pink flowering plant in the photo), which monarch caterpillars depend on and which supplies nectar to adults, is also on the decline, both from pesticides and droughts.
Ringed Seals
Kingfiser - Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0
These small seals dotted with the ring-like spots of their namesake live up north in the Arctic, depending on the sea ice habitat for food, breeding, and nursing young. However, this habitat has been declining since the 70's/80's, shown in this graph of NASA satellite observations of September sea ice.
With estimates of a sea ice-free summer in the arctic as soon as 2035, these seals, like polar bears and narwhals, are in trouble.
Sea Turtles
Caroline S. Rogers - FLickr - Public domain
One of the most familiar species in the sea, sea turtles. Cliamte change poses several implications, such as erosion of their nesting beaches from severe storms, rising sea levels, and flooding. Furthermore, temperature in which most turtle eggs are incubated determines the gender of the baby. As temperatures rise, more turtles are hatching as females. For research in Raine Island, Australia, a team of scientists reported in 2018 that the ratio of female to male green sea turtle babies was 116 to 1.
Asian Elephants
Yathin S. Krishnappa - Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0
2.4m to 2.8 m tall, weighing in at 2,700kg to 4,000kg, these elephants are, in actuality, rather affected by shifting temperatures. With climate change decreasing the presence of vital water and fueling invasive plant species that compete with their native foods, they are rightfully classified as endangered by the IUCN. To exacerbate their susceptibility, their long reproductive cycle makes them unable to adapt quickly as a species.
Sockeye Salmon
J Armstrong, U of Washington - Flickr - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
These recognizable salmon with amusing smiles are sensitive to the environmental changes caused by climate change. Air and water temperatures have increased, and their food web has been disturbed. Already in the past two years, shocking salmon returns to BC's Fraser River were seen. In 2019, down from a previous estimate of 5 million, just over 600,000 sockeye showed up. In 2020, around 300,000 sockeye.