TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Audubon’s recently released climate change report paints a concerning future for birds. With sea level rise and the threat of warmer temperatures, Audubon reports that as many as 2/3rds of North American birds are in jeopardy of being endangered.
“Rising temperatures, some birds simply can’t tolerate the heat. Or the habitat they rely on, the plant species that they make their home in, can’t survive and thrive in those warmer places," said Julie Wraithmell, executive director of Audubon Florida.
Audubon warns that if we continue down the path we’re on, many of the birds that make Florida unique, could be in serious danger.
“For birds that live on a beach or live on a coastal island, to raise their young, where do they go when that beach and that island go under water?" said Wraithmell. "That beach should move up slope ahead of the rising seas. But if both of those habitats run slam into built environment, into hotels and condos and our communities, there’s no room for them to shift. So we need to be even more mindful of assisting that and being sure that places exist where these birds can survive and thrive.”
With beaches and wildlife being such a huge part of Florida’s economy and way of life, the impact that climate change can have on birds serves as a canary in the coalmine test for what could happen to the rest of our state.
“Because if Florida can’t support these birds, it’s also going to struggle to support us. And that doesn’t just mean our health and well being. It also means our economy. Everybody wants to have a prosperous lifestyle, and you know abundant opportunities for their children. Our economy depends on our environment. And right now these birds are a signal that time is running out and we must act now," explained Wraithmell.
Representative Kathy Castor, who chairs the new House select committee on the Climate Crisis, agrees.
"These are the birds that make Florida special. The entire ecosystem, the entire food web. If we want to keep Florida as special as it is, and as much as we love it. We’ve got to protect it. And that means tackling the climate crisis," said Castor
Audubon Florida has policy suggestions for how to tackle climate change by doing things like reducing carbon emission, switching to clean energy, and restoring coastal habitats.
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