As the most devastating fires in history tore through much of country during the 2019-2020 black summer, many Australians were confronted for the first time with the realisation that the climate crisis is not something that will happen ‘one day’ — but that it is happening right now.
With an estimated three billion wild animals killed in the black summer bushfires, and irreparable damage caused to delicate ecosystems and waterways, the pain caused to people, farmed animals, wildlife and pets alike makes tragically clear the suffering that the impacts of global warming can cause. But there are many ways that a changing climate poses a threat not just to the wellbeing of animals, but to the very existence of entire species.
Here are some of the ways that the climate crisis is already impacting animals: