How U.S. Officials Are Making it Easier for Scientists to Relocate Species Threatened by Climate Change
Key Highlights :
As the effects of climate change become more and more apparent, U.S. officials are taking steps to make it easier for scientists to relocate plants and animals outside their historical ranges as a last resort to save species threatened with extinction. On Friday, the Biden administration changed federal regulations to allow for such relocations for some of the most imperiled plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Relocations of species struggling because of climate change have been carried out on a limited basis to date, including in Hawaii where researchers have raced to move seabirds to new islands to save them from rising ocean waters. This summer, officials plan to introduce Guam kingfishers on the Palmyra Atoll south of Hawaii, after brown tree snakes accidentally brought to Guam around 1950 decimated their population. The birds are extinct in the wild but maintained in zoos.
Moving species into new areas was long considered taboo because of the potential to disrupt native ecosystems and crowd out local flora and fauna. However, the practice is gaining acceptance among many scientists and government officials as climate change alters habitats around the globe. Federal officials said the impacts of climate change had not been fully realized when they adopted previous rules preventing endangered species relocations.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement that allowing relocations would strengthen conservation efforts and help protect species for coming generations. She added that as global warming intensifies, habitat changes are "forcing some wildlife to new areas to survive, while squeezing other species closer to extinction."
Although the change in federal regulations was met with support from state wildlife officials and outside scientists, who suggested species that could benefit, Republicans in Western states—where gray wolves were reintroduced two decades ago over strong local objections—opposed the proposal. Officials in Montana, New Mexico and Arizona warned relocations could wreak ecological havoc as "invasive species" get purposefully introduced.
Examples abound of ecological disasters caused by species introduced to new areas—from Asian carp spreading through rivers and streams across the U.S., to starlings from Europe destroying crops and driving out songbirds. The new species relocation rule follows recent steps by the Biden administration to reverse major changes to the endangered species program during the Trump administration.
It is clear that the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident and that species are being forced to relocate to survive. By allowing for species relocations, U.S. officials are taking steps to ensure that species threatened with extinction are given a chance to survive. While there are potential risks associated with such relocations, the potential benefits far outweigh the risks. With the help of scientists and state wildlife officials, the Biden administration is taking steps to ensure that species are protected for coming generations.
