Your Choice for America’s Hottest Species

Today is Blog Action Day to help combat global warming. To celebrate, we are announcing:

Our nation’s wildlife, birds, fish and plants are feeling the heat from a warming world. We need to spread the word about the importance of protecting wildlife and wild places from the impacts of climate change.

The Endangered Species Coalition is working to safeguard species in a warming world. As part of our campaign, we are preparing a report on America’s endangered species threatened by climate change.

We asked you to help us pick America’s Hottest Species and hundreds of people voted for their favorite animal, bird, fish or plant. The polar bear won with 29% of the votes! The polar bear will serve as our ambassador species for our report about the Top 10 species threatened by global warming and help raise awareness for our work to safeguard species in a warming world.

The strong and magnificent polar bear live in one of the harshest environments – the arctic wilderness. Unfortunately, sea ice has been melting under their feet making it harder for them to find food and protect their young. Because of climate change, scientists predict the species could be extinct in the US by the end of the century.

Many endangered species are feeling the heat from climate change. We would like to recognize a few more who were runners up in the America’s Hottest Species Contest.

Second place: Gray Wolf
The gray wolf got second place with 16% of your votes. Gray Wolves may face challenges in parts of their range due to climate change for its affect on their food sources, the Moose and Caribou. Warmer temperatures decrease food sources for the caribou and make the moose more vulnerable to disease. With a decrease in potential prey, wolves will be increasingly vulnerable.

Third place: Canada Lynx
The lynx was a close third with 15% of your votes. The Canada lynx is a wild and elusive cat that lives in the northern forests from the Northeast to the Rocky Mountains. Its thick fur and large paws helps it hunt showshoe hares in the far northern wilderness. As climate change continues, the Canada Lynx will no longer be an animal perfectly suited for its habitat and its prey, and its numbers are in jeopardy of declining drastically.

The Endangered Species Coalition is working to safeguard species in a warming world by establishing programs and funding to help wildlife and wild places adapt to the impact of climate change. Congress is working on a climate and energy bill that includes these natural resource adaptation programs.

Take Action: ask the Senate to pass a strong climate change bill that protects our nation’s wildlife and wild places.

For more information about endangered species and climate change, visit www.stopextinction.org