Climate Change and Wild Animal Welfare

Climate change is reshaping habitats, disrupting food chains, and causing direct suffering to billions of wild animals through extreme weather, starvation, and displacement.

Key Facts

Global average temperatures have risen over 1.1 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times
Coral bleaching events, linked to warming seas, have killed approximately 50% of the Great Barrier Reef's coral
Extreme heat events kill thousands of flying foxes in Australia when temperatures exceed 42 degrees Celsius
Changes in phenology — seasonal timing — are decoupling prey abundance from breeding seasons in many species
Arctic sea ice loss threatens polar bear, walrus, and ice-dependent seal populations

Welfare Considerations

Climate change is perhaps the most significant and underappreciated driver of wild animal welfare harm. Extreme heat events cause mass mortality in birds and mammals unprepared for unprecedented temperatures. Coral bleaching starves entire reef communities. Phenological mismatch means parent birds cannot find enough food for chicks when prey populations peak at the wrong time. These are not abstract future risks — they are occurring now, affecting billions of animals. Climate action is animal welfare action.

What You Can Do

Reduce your carbon footprint through diet, transport, and energy choices
Support climate advocacy organisations working on ambitious emissions reduction targets
Plant native vegetation that provides resilient habitat as climates shift
Support local wildlife corridors that allow animals to migrate as ranges shift
Engage with the connection between climate advocacy and animal welfare in your communications