Knowledge is Power

Read about our awe-inspiring species.  Peer into the world of these plants and animals and learn their fascinating stories. Discover what makes them truly irreplaceable.

Because “knowledge is power,” and with that collective power, we can change the world.

Global warming is already here

We all may not yet feel the changes in our everyday lives, but our fellow citizens of the planet do: species like polar bears losing their sea ice homes, Pacific salmon threatened by lower stream flows, amphibians facing new diseases, and countless others already suffering as their world is transformed around them.

Scientists now predict that temperatures will increase between 2.5 and 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century, faster than any warming for thousands of years. But global warming is doing more than raising the earth’s temperature: it also is causing a rise in sea level, melting glaciers, shifting rain, snow, and seasonal patterns around the world. These changes are fundamentally altering our world’s ecosystems, from the distant Arctic to our own backyards. 

So what does this mean for wildlife? And especially, what does this mean for species already at risk and the habitat they need for survival? Most simply, it spells serious trouble. In some regions up to 60 percent of wildlife and plants could be at risk of extinction due to climate change. Learn about threats to species in your region here.

What’s the answer?

While this information is sobering, it also provides an opportunity to act before it is too late. Solutions are out there—we just need to put them into practice.

Some answers we already know: we need to reduce the impacts of invasive species, pollution, and habitat destruction on species that are suffering from global warming. We need to restore migration corridors and protect key habitat areas for species that will need to move north or up mountains. We need better coordination between government agencies and the private sector, as well as cooperation across political isles and over national borders. And we must prioritize action to help those regions, habitats, and species likely to be most at-risk.

Other solutions will take more research, time, money, and dedication to develop and implement. But together, we know we can get there. Learn about more ways you can help here.