Untitled Document
 Many
animals all over the world are in danger of going extinct due to climate change. As the Earth’s
temperatures rise, animals and plants
around the world are retreating further north and into higher
up mountains much faster than expected. A new study
by the University of York in Britain showed that animals on Earth
are moving 20 centimeters north every hour to escape the warming weather.
In their study, the British researchers looked into 2,000
animals and plants. They found that animals and plants are moving
around 18 kilometers further north every decade. The rate is three times faster
than they had previously thought. Animals
are also moving to higher altitudes at twice the rate
as previously expected;a at around 12 meters per decade.
According to the study, which was published in Science, the comma butterfly has moved
220 kilometers northwards from central England
to Edinburgh in only two decades. In addition, the mountain
ringlet butterfly has moved 150 meters higher up. In much of the lower
parts of the country, they became extinct. The pika, a small rodent found in Yosemite
National Park in the U.S., has moved 500 meters uphill over the last century.
Moths on Mount Kinabalu in Borneo have moved 67 meters uphill over
the last 40 years.
 Researchers
predict that these situations will continue
for at least the rest of this century due
to global warming. People in
Britain are already noticing birds and butterflies moving further
north as a result of climate change. Some birds
and butterflies in the country are even in danger of going extinct.
This is because many species cannot go any further
north or higher up. The climate change may lead to a decrease in animals like
the mountain hare, snow bunting, and golden plover.
“Plants and animals are slowly moving towards the cooler parts of
the globe every second,” said Chris Thomas, Professor of Conservation Biology at the University
of York. “Unfortunately, however, many
species will be unable to move north because
of human development or geography. Therefore, they
will die out.”
Professor Thomas also said that biological systems have already
changed pretty much everywhere as a result of climate change. “It
is not something that will happen in the lifetimes of our grandchildren. It is already
under way,” he warned. “We have to do something before it’s too late!”
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