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(#5) Monarch Butterfly Reserves In Mexico Are Under Threat From Changes In Temperature
Monarch butterflies have a deeply ingrained homing instinct, and they migrate on the same routes from Canada to Mexico and back every year. They winter in Mexico, in mountain ranges that have the correct microclimate to support their hibernation.
The butterflies need very specific temperatures, hovering right above freezing, for their hibernation. They also rely on temperature to know when to start moving again - there is a biological trigger set off when the temperature raises to a specific point, which tells them it's time to begin the trip all the way back to Canada. With rising temperatures and changes in climate in the Mexican wintering areas, the butterflies' entire migration and hibernation cycle could be severely thrown off.
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(#6) Aggressive Wildfires Are Becoming More Common In The Western United States
Californians went through a really tough fire season in 2017 - and it looks like that might be the new normal. The western United States is becoming drier, with an increase in the length and severity of dry seasons and droughts. When wildfires do strike, they are now burning longer and over larger areas than in the past.
The change in climate means higher temperatures, and lower humidity in the air. Whether the fires are started by a natural event (like lightning), human error, or human intention, they are becoming a very serious threat to those who live on the West Coast.
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(#7) Ganges
- River
There are hundreds of rivers around the world that have been either drying up or overflowing due to disruptions in climate. Many of these rivers are critical for the survival of the people that live near them, and as some of them dry up they are devastating nearby regions.
The three largest and most critical rivers that have begun to dry up are the Ganges (India), Niger (West Africa), and Yellow (China). The Niger River levels are a huge concern for many West African countries today, as it has been enduring prolonged droughts and more concentrated and heavy periods of rain. With those changes in conditions, the process of water management becomes much more difficult for the surrounding human settlements.
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(#9) Dead Sea
- Lake
The Dead Sea holds information about climate change in the past, going back hundreds of thousands of years. Samples taken from below the sea bed have revealed catastrophic conditions caused by rising temperatures, and scientists are now concerned that history might repeat itself.
As temperatures in the region rise, water evaporates at an ever-faster rate from the sea. This puts a high amount of strain on the surrounding countries that rely on it for a water source, often leading to physical conflict.
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(#4) Angkor Wat
- Temple
The city of Angkor was once the largest city in the "pre-industrial" world, with over one million inhabitants. Today, the massive temple complex of the Cambodian jungle outside Siem Reap is the darling of Hollywood, featured in movies like Tomb Raider. It attracts millions of visitors every year, but the buildings have been slowly falling apart for years.
Through an impressively complex system of canals and irrigation channels, the city was built around water. However, at one point in th 1400s, it was hit by a drought, followed by heavy monsoon rains and massive floods.
It represents a climate change lesson: once the weather changed and they were hit with floods, the system they had been using for hundreds of years failed and the city essentially collapsed. They failed to adapt to the forces of their changing climate, and the ancient city lays in ruins today because of it.
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(#8) Taj Mahal
- Mughal architecture
The Taj Mahal has been fighting an uphill battle against pollution for years, with acid rain wearing away at the building and air pollutants turning the beautiful marble facade from white to yellow.
To make things worse, the Yamuna River that runs alongside the Taj Mahal is starting to lose volume. The water keeps the wooden foundation of the complex saturated, which is essential for its physical stability. The more temperatures rise, the water levels will continue to drop and potentially endanger this 400-year-old treasure.
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Scientists once asserted that if the global climate continues to warm at the current rate, then the Amazon River, the Himalayas, and the other natural or man-made wonders of the world will all face destruction. The Valdivian rainforest, one of the largest rainforests in the world, is likely to disappear due to continuous forest fires. There is no doubt that climate change is one of the main challenges of modern times.
Climate change has had an unprecedented impact on a global scale. If human beings have not taken effective environmental protection measures, our descendants may only be able to see these wonders in books, photos, or videos. The random tool lists 10 great natural or man-made wonders that are being destroyed by climate change.
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