Wildlife and Climate Change

Climate Change - Photo Credit: Blair Witherington

Release Sea Turtles Photo Credit: Blair Witherington

What FWC is Doing

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is Florida's lead state agency in addressing the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife. The FWC began its work on climate change when it hosted the summit “Florida’s Wildlife: On the front line of climate change," in October 2008.

Pennekamp corals credit: A. Emtiaz, FDEP

Impacts on Fish and Wildlife

Two things will greatly impact Florida’s wildlife communities: warmer temperatures on land and in water, and changes in seasonal rainfall patterns. Warming and altered rainfall patterns will in turn alter species distributions, life cycles and species interactions (e.g., predator-prey relationships).

Adapting to Climate Change

Florida is home to an incredible diversity of native fish and wildlife including 386 species of birds, 86 species of mammals, 90 species of reptiles, 136 species of fish and 56 species of amphibians. Rising temperatures and sea level likely will change the makeup of entire ecosystems, forcing wildlife to shift their ranges or adapt. Adaptation involves managing the impacts of climate change already set in motion.

What You Can Do

Scientists now know that climate change is being caused in part by human activity particularly emissions from driving our cars, operating our power plants, heating and cooling our homes and other activities that involve combustion of fossil fuels. Reducing the amount of fossil fuels we use and the carbon released into the atmosphere is a responsibility we all share. Your everyday actions can make a difference in reducing emissions and your carbon footprint. Here are a few actions to get you started.