ARKive - Climate change species - videos, photos and facts

Climate change

Climate change is predicted to cause a mass extinction of many species of plants and animals if current trends are not halted. All the species below are affected by climate change in some way.

Top 50 species of 1560

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest living land carnivore, with adult males growing up to 2.6 metres in length. The most... More 66 Images 25 Videos
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the world's largest turtle; the largest recorded individual weighed a massive 916 kilograms... More 37 Images 10 Videos
Staghorn corals (Acropora spp.)
Staghorn corals are among the fastest growing corals on reefs, and are excellent reef-builders. The name Acropora literally means a porous... More 20 Images 4 Videos
Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Standing over a metre in height and weighing up to 40 kilograms, the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the undisputed... More 59 Images 4 Videos
Common clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Most famed for inspiring the character Nemo in the Walt Disney film ‘Finding Nemo’, the common clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is the most... More 18 Images 3 Videos
Quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma)
The quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) is a distinctive member of a group of succulent plants known as ‘Aloes’ that grows to tree-like proportions... More 21 Images 1 Video
Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is superbly adapted for life at sub-zero temperatures. While this species is best known for its pristine... More 54 Images 11 Videos
Golden toad (Incilius periglenes)
The golden toad has not been seen since 1989, and is believed to be extinct. This toad displays extreme sexual dimorphism; males are a... More 13 Images 5 Videos
Dlinza pinwheel (Trachycystis clifdeni)
The exceptionally striking Dlinza pinwheel (Trachycystis clifdeni) immediately stands out for the unusual whorl of bristles that... More 1 Image 0 videos
Ringed seal (Pusa hispida)
The smallest of all living seal species, growing to a maximum length of just over 1.5 metres, the ringed seal (Pusa hispida) is named for... More 22 Images 5 Videos
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), 'the leaper', has been called the king of fish, due primarily to its spectacular ability to clear... More 9 Images 4 Videos
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of Australia’s most iconic animals, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is bear-like in appearance with a stout body and large paws, but... More 31 Images 15 Videos
Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
The snow-white beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is one of the most distinctive of all cetaceans (a group that includes dolphins, whales... More 39 Images 7 Videos
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The Critically Endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) has been exploited for thousands of years as the sole source of... More 35 Images 10 Videos
European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has a very unusual and fascinating life cycle. Adults have long, narrow bodies, with a continuous... More 27 Images 4 Videos
Raso lark (Alauda razae)
With a tiny population confined to a single, small island off the west coast of Africa, the diminutive Raso lark is perilously close to... More 7 Images 0 videos
Table Mountain ghost frog (Heleophryne rosei)
Rare and elusive, the Table Mountain ghost frog is restricted to the slopes of Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain. It is a tiny frog with a... More 5 Images 0 videos
Pachnodus snail (Pachnodus velutinus)
The now extinct Pachnodus velutinus was one of a number of land-snail species endemic to the Seychelles islands. A diminutive species, the... More 1 Image 0 videos
Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis)
With beautifully defined blocks of colour, the red-breasted goose is one of the most attractive goose species in the world, but also one of... More 15 Images 6 Videos
Boulder star coral (Montastraea annularis)
Prior to 1994, the wide variability exhibited in the appearance of Montastraea annularis was attributed to the different environmental... More 10 Images 0 videos
Caspian seal (Pusa caspica)
One of the smallest of all seals, the Caspian seal is unusual in being confined to the inland, entirely landlocked Caspian Sea, the largest... More 10 Images 1 Video
Tuamotu sandpiper (Prosobonia cancellata)
The Tuamotu sandpiper is a small, short-winged wader with a variably mottled brown and buff plumage, a bold creamy-white stripe above the... More 7 Images 0 videos
Wightman’s robber frog (Eleutherodactylus wightmanae)
Wightman’s robber frog (Eleutherodactylus wightmanae) is an endangered amphibian found only in the upland forests of Puerto Rico. A rather... More 7 Images 0 videos
Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii)
The largest bromeliad in the world, the Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii) is best known for its spectacular flower spike, which can reach... More 6 Images 1 Video
Ctenella coral (Ctenella chagius)
A long time survivor from the Cretaceous period, Ctenella chagius is the only coral species of the family Meandrinidae found within the... More 6 Images 0 videos
Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso)
Discovered as recently as 1994, the dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso) is a tree kangaroo, a group of animals that, like their well-known... More 6 Images 0 videos
Glittering demoiselle (Calopteryx exul)
This member of the broad-winged damselflies (Calopterygidae spp.) closely resembles the banded demoiselle (C. splendens) and has been... More 3 Images 0 videos
Western Prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara)
A characteristic plant of North American tallgrass prairies, the Western Prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) is a beautiful plant... More 3 Images 0 videos
Florida perforate reindeer lichen (Cladonia perforata)
Occurring only in the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida perforate reindeer lichen (Cladonia perforata) is an Endangered lichen threatened... More 2 Images 0 videos
Dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari)
Arguably the most famous and distinctive plant of the island of Socotra, the evocatively named dragon’s blood tree has a unique and bizarre... More 17 Images 0 videos
Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii)
Discovered by Charles Darwin in the thick, gloomy forests of southern-central Chile, Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) possesses a... More 20 Images 6 Videos
Powder blue damsel (Arabicnemis caerulea)
For a desert region, southern Arabia has a remarkable number of dragonflies and damselflies. One particularly striking damselfly, discovered... More 14 Images 0 videos
Humpback grouper (Cromileptes altivelis)
This extraordinary-looking fish is often called the panther, or ‘polka-dot’ grouper for its striking colour pattern of bold black spots... More 10 Images 1 Video
Santiago Galapagos mouse (Nesoryzomys swarthi)
First described in 1906 from the island of Santiago in the Galapagos, the Santiago Galapagos mouse was believed extinct until its... More 3 Images 0 videos
Spicy conebush (Leucadendron tinctum)
With its pleasant, spicy scented leaves, and striking green inflorescences, the spicy conebush is an attractive feature of the Cape... More 7 Images 0 videos
Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)
Famous for its unicorn-like single tusk, narwhals have inspired legends in many cultures and are still revered across the world. The smooth... More 16 Images 5 Videos
Bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
The bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa) is a rather strange looking coral, aptly named because of the grape-sized bubbles that enlarge its... More 15 Images 1 Video
Red-cheeked salamander (Plethodon jordani)
The red-cheeked salamander (Plethodon jordani) is a medium-sized blue-black terrestrial salamander found only in the Great Smokey Mountains... More 13 Images 0 videos
Mushroom coral (Fungia fungites)
Rather than forming colonies like most other corals, Fungia corals are usually solitary and generally free-living; that is, they are not... More 10 Images 0 videos
Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis)
Although usually growing as small cushion-shaped or domed colonies, Galaxea fascicularis is also capable of producing massive or columnar... More 7 Images 0 videos
Mother-of-pearl blue (Polyommatus nivescens)
The mother-of-pearl blue (Polyommatus nivescens) is a small, delicately-marked butterfly found only in Spain. This elegant species has pale... More 1 Image 0 videos
Mountain horned agama (Ceratophora stoddarti)
The mountain horned agama is one of five Ceratophora species endemic to Sri Lanka, commonly known as ‘horn-nosed lizards’ or ‘horned... More 11 Images 0 videos
Sohal surgeonfish (Acanthurus sohal)
A beautiful fish of tropical reefs in the Indian Ocean, the sohal surgeonfish (Acanthurus sohal) is vividly coloured with striking blue and... More 8 Images 1 Video
Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
The green iguana is one of the best-known reptiles due to its popularity in zoos and with private reptile keepers. It has a very... More 26 Images 6 Videos
Snowy owl (Bubo scandiaca)
Perhaps one of the most instantly recognisable of all owls, the snowy owl is characterised by its distinctive white plumage, which gives it... More 46 Images 5 Videos
American pika (Ochotona princeps)
The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small member of the rabbit family that inhabits alpine regions of south-western Canada and the... More 28 Images 2 Videos
Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
So seemingly incongruous was the appearance of platypus specimens shipped to England at the end of the 18th century, that many observers... More 21 Images 10 Videos
Banded sea krait (Laticauda colubrina)
The banded sea krait (Laticauda colubrina) is an amphibious species of snake that spends most of its life at sea but comes to land to... More 15 Images 2 Videos
Giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa)
The giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa) is the largest river turtle in South America. It has a broad, domed and... More 15 Images 10 Videos
Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus)
The bowhead whale is so-called because of its bow-shaped mouth and is black in colour with a whitish chin patch, broken by a 'necklace' of... More 21 Images 7 Videos

Top 50 species of 1560

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