Climate Endangers Species

Five of the 10 most endangered species in the world are directly threatened by climate change, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The environmental-conservation organization released its annual list of threatened species, entitled “10 to Watch in 2010,” on December 2, stating many animals are facing increasing threats from habitat loss, poaching, and global warming. Tigers, of which there are only an estimated 3,200 left in the wild, are threatened by deforestation, poaching, and rising sea levels attributable to climate change. Polar bears could be extinct within the century if Arctic temperatures continue to rise, according to the WWF. Other species adversely affected by climate change include the Pacific walrus, Magellanic penguins, and the leatherback turtle.