9 - Trading Floor Denizens

Summary

Scientists have observed that some animals have been able to adapt to climate change, particularly global warming, and habitat loss by human incursion, whereas other animals have not. For example, some birds have adjusted to warmer temperatures by altering their regular seasonal migration habits so that they fly to different places and at different times than would normally be the case, such as arriving earlier to their traditional winter habitats. Other birds, however, have not been so fortunate. In particular, many types of coastal nesting birds, such as the Eurasian oystercatcher, are at risk for extinction because they have been unable to adjust to the increased frequency of tidal flooding associated with rising sea levels.