Overview

• A landmark BioScience study confirms climate change as a third primary driver of wildlife decline, alongside habitat loss and overexploitation.
• Researchers found 5.1% of assessed species—more than 3,500—are directly threatened by climate change, with six animal classes seeing at least 25% of species at risk.
• Mass mortality events, such as the disappearance of 10 billion snow crabs and 7,000 humpback whale deaths, highlight the acute impacts of climate-driven extreme events.
• The study exposes significant data gaps, with 72.6% of vertebrates assessed for conservation status compared to only 1.6% of invertebrates, despite their biodiversity significance.
• Scientists call for a global database on climate-related die-offs and accelerated assessments of vulnerable species to inform integrated biodiversity and climate policies.