On a nine acre cay between Queensland and Papua New Guinea, human-influenced climate change is thought to have claimed its first mammalian casualty. Melomys rubicola, or the Bramble Cay melomys–coined after the tiny speck of land it once inhabited–was a small rodent with long whiskers and a thin, scaly tail. Last week, in a survey conducted on behalf of the the Australian state of Queensland over six days in August and September 2014, researchers finally revealed their findings. The 59-page report concluded “human-induced climate change being the root cause of the loss of the Bramble Cay melomys.”

Meet the first mammal to go extinct due to human-induced climate change–the Bramble Cay Melomys. LIVE SUSTAINABLY pic.twitter.com/uS3qKx0amH

— Jake Marconi (@jake_marconi) June 15, 2016

Native to Bramble Cay, its only known habitat in the world, the creature had been in steady decline since the 1970s, when researchers found hundreds of them living on the heavily vegetated, pinprick-sized hamlet atop the Great Barrier Reef. Only ten were found in a 2002 study, 12 in 2004. And as of 2016, at least as far as researchers know (they will not rule out the possibility that the animals exist in other, not yet discovered habitats), the Bramble Cay melomys is extinct.

The team of three researchers–two University of Queensland scientists and a Queensland government official–used 150 total traps made from a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter, peanut oil, and golden syrup, as well as camera traps and daytime searches. There was no sign of the nocturnal creature. The team concluded:

The key factor responsible for the extirpation of this population was almost certainly ocean inundation of the low-lying cay, very likely on multiple occasions, during the last decade, causing dramatic habitat loss and perhaps also direct mortality of individuals.

Between 1901 and 2010, global sea levels rose by 20 centimeters, a figure much higher than similar periods over the past 6,000 years. And in the waters of the Torres Strait, the ocean alleyway which Bramble Cay is situated in, sea levels rose at twice the average rate between 1993 and 2014. But shrinking living space and diminishing food stores were not the only forces at work behind the animal’s extinction. Stiff competition for a narrow, dwindling cache of grasses–a diet staple for the melomys, seabirds, and turtles–led to the rodent’s erasure as well.

The permanent loss might be an ominous portent of things to come for a vast chunk of the animal kingdom in the coming decades. A 2015 study published in Science warned that one in six of the planet’s species could face extinction if current trends continue. A meeting between most of the world’s governments, including its highest carbon emitters, in Paris last year sought to mitigate the effect of climate change on rising sea levels, glacial erosion and other potentially devastating environmental shifts that would upend the existence of human beings and other creatures alike. The Paris climate accord has yet to go into effect, and whether its tenets will help save any species from extinction remains to be seen.

John White, an ecologist from Deakin University in Australia who was not involved in the Bramble Cay survey, told the Guardian he has “no doubt” more species will be lost to climate change, especially those animals that live in niche, isolated environments like the melomys. “Certainly, extinction and climatic change has gone hand in hand throughout the history of the world,” he said. “So, if this is one of the first, it is more than likely not going to be the last.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Their tiny, delicate wings make their migration from Central Mexico to Southern Canada equitable to a trip from the Earth to the Moon and back. But due to climate change and habitat loss, the great Monarch Butterfly is growing endangered and few people are likely to act in their defense.

Butterflies are one of the first things we learn about in school, and one of the last that we come to appreciate. Many of us have fond elementary school memories of collecting caterpillars in jars for the classroom. It was an exciting project, but we rarely truly thought about the wonder of what was happening. During its time in the chrysalis, a caterpillar literally dissolves into a bag of liquid, to reassemble as a new creature. One that can take flight, and has an ingrained knowledge of its mission. A butterfly is a symbol of transformation; a reminder that patience and hard work can yield fantastic results.

Numbering in the half billions, Monarch Butterflies cluster in the Oyamel Fir Forests of Mexico, covering nearly ever square inch of tree trunk and branch. As spring appears and warms the air, they emerge from their sleepy lull and prepare for a fantastic journey. This group of insects can make it only so far, mating and subsequently dying somewhere in the Southern United States; however, their offspring appear shortly thereafter, and resume the flight northward. It takes three generations to make the trip, each one understanding its current location and distance it must travel. Then, one “super generation” makes the entire trip back to Mexico.

Courtesy of Agunther via Wikipedia.

The Oyamel Fir Forests are a product of older geological patterns, when the Earth was cooler and wetter. Monarch Butterflies are adapted to the same conditions; if it gets too hot or dry they are very susceptible to death. As the climate changes, the forest coverage recedes, leaving them vulnerable. In addition, the trees retain heat, which keeps the butterflies warm throughout the night and in general provides a suitable temperature zone for the delicate creatures. As illegal logging takes place in this region, poorly regulated by the Mexican government, the butterflies face threats on multiple fronts.

The brilliant orange shading of a Monarch’s wings is actually a defensive signal to predators, warning them of toxicity; few creatures are willing to eat a Monarch. This characteristic comes from a very particular diet, namely the milkweed leaf. It is on this plant that the caterpillar is born and, though a handful of flower types can provide food for the butterfly, is the only thing the caterpillar is capable of eating before making its transformation. Extensive use of certain herbicides and pesticides is killing milkweed in large swathes; caterpillars now face starvation before ever turning into butterflies.

A Monarch caterpillar. Courtesy of vladeb via Flickr.

In the last 20 years Monarch’s populations have declined by 90 percent, while they have lost over 160 million acres of habitat. So what is being done about this? This past August, scientists filed for protection of Monarch Butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. This would enable authorities to take more action with regard to the logging and pesticide use, as international regulations could help curb hazardous human activities.

In a recent meeting of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club, panelists discussed the implementation of butterfly habitats on public property. This would basically be an extension of home gardening, insofar as planting milkweed nurseries outside on which butterflies can lay their eggs. We already enjoy hanging bird feeders in our yards and installing bird baths in parks, right? Birds are pleasant company. Butterflies are too; milkweed gardens in our yards, parks, and schools would draw beautiful creatures to our sides, enhancing our appreciation and outdoor experiences. Furthermore, as Conservation Chair of the Sierra Club’s Central Jersey Chapter Kip Cherry pointed out, it would bring greater visibility to the crisis.

Most recently, this endeavor has received a major boost from the Fish & Wildlife Service as well as the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, who together will contribute over $3 million to assist in the development of butterfly oases in communities across the country. While some people are concerned that this action is not enough, as it does not address the use of pesticides that are killing milkweed plants in the first place, it is nonetheless a major effort to provide for the butterflies and may lead to further productive measures in the future.

A milkweed field. Courtesy of mwms1916 via Flickr.

The Butterfly Effect is a scientific model that suggests a minuscule action at the outset of an event can have titanic ramifications down the line. This is often metaphorically exemplified by images of the flapping of a butterfly’s wings setting in motion a chain of events that will alter the behavior of a hurricane. Similarly, this is a common literary tool, as when a time traveler in the past steps on a butterfly and in so doing induces drastic changes to the future. These constructions are poignant because they rely on our perceptions of a butterfly’s insignificance and lack of importance.

Some people might be hesitant to act in defense of butterflies. They conjure up images of effeminateness; a delicate creature is suitable for a delicate person, such as a Victorian gentleman traipsing about with a net. I myself have been laughed at after arguing that butterflies are awesome. In addition to this cultural stereotype, the bottom line is that butterflies are insects. They have antennae and lots of legs and people find these things gross. We flinch and shoo them if they get too close. We imagine insects in general as being infinitely numerous; it is hard to accept that some of them could disappear. As far as endangered species go, they are not comparable to the great Bengal tiger, or sweet and gentle manatee, or majestic humpback whale. In fact, though, they are all of these things. Our prejudices do not entitle us to judge which species deserve to survive or die off, especially if it is our actions that are putting them in that precarious position in the first place.

Courtesy of docentjoyce via Flickr.

Franklin R. Halprin

Franklin R. Halprin holds an MA in History & Environmental Politics from Rutgers University where he studied human-environmental relationships and settlement patterns in the nineteenth century Southwest. His research focuses on the influences of social and cultural factors on the development of environmental policy. Contact Frank at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Species come and go. A virtually inestimable number of living creatures have existed on the Earth since the rise of life. Most of them are not currently in existence; this is the natural order of things. As evolution takes its course, more specialized or adaptable creatures force out less advanced ones. However, there have been several occasions where large numbers of species have disappeared over very short spans of time.

These mass extinctions have tended to be the result of a cataclysmic event that severely disrupted the Earth’s climate and natural processes. The most famous was the killer of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, most likely the result of a catastrophic asteroid impact near the Yucatan Peninsula. There have been more substantial ones though, such as the Cambrian Extinction about 500 million years ago, which is thought to have eliminated a much larger number of species than the Cretaceous Extinction. Some suggest that the Holocene Era, characterized by the last 10,000 years or so, which saw the rise of human civilization, can be characterized as a mass extinction event in its own right.

The duration of any mass extinction event is a constantly debatable topic. Due to the Signor-Lipps Effect, a paleontological theory addressing the incompleteness of fossil records, it continues to be difficult to determine how long it took for the Cretaceous Extinction to unfold. Initial theories were that it was gradual, but sentiments shifted to one of abruptness due to new discoveries including the impact crater. However, this still does not stamp a specific number of years on the process. “Abrupt” sounds very quick; possibly a few years. Yet in geological time, a few thousand years is very abrupt. Therefore human presence on the Earth is not much more than a tiny speck on a very large timeline, and an ongoing extinction occurring in tandem with the presence of humans might be viewed as an abrupt event.

The fossil of a creature from the Cambrian Period, courtesy of Wilson44691 via Wikipedia.

How significant is the current rate of extinction, and how do we know that it is a result of human activity? Since extinctions are a natural part of life, the Background Extinction Rate endeavors to declare a standard pace at which species come and go, outside of human influence and excluding the outliers that are mass extinctions. However this proposal is largely unreliable in and of itself because it is unknown how many species currently exist on Earth, or have existed at any point in time. Furthermore, it is mathematically impossible then to accurately calculate the relationship between this extinction rate and the rate of extinction we are currently seeing. Some suggest that it is about 100 times larger. Finally, it is fiercely debatable what portion of this increased rate is a result of human activity.

Some extinctions and their causes are easy to identify. The Passenger Pigeon, once clouding the skies with its swarm-like millions and an icon of colonial North America, was ferociously hunted and ultimately classified extinct in 1914. Similarly the Western black rhinoceros, mercilessly poached for its ivory, was just declared three years ago in 2011 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Great Barrier Reef is on the verge of being listed as endangered. Aside from rising ocean temperatures and agricultural runoff, the Australian government has been entertaining a new project intended to bolster its coal industry, which would require dredging in order to expand major ports and dumping the silt in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Fortunately the project is meeting opposition, including the formulation of a long term sustainability plan for the reef which includes monitoring certain species populations and trying to reduce runoff. However the situation is more complicated. A huge number of plant and animal species life there, and the structure of the reef itself is composed of living things. Estimates suggest that it has lost over half its coral in the last 27 years alone. Thus it is not just the recent developments in the agriculture and coal industries that are threatening its survival, but the general patterns and lives we lead.

The Great Barrier Reef, courtesy of Sarah_Ackerman via Wikipedia.

Flora has come under threat as well. The Giant Sequoias of California, some as old as the Trojan War, are hard pressed to survive now that the past fifty years have brought changes to moisture, temperature, and fire patterns. These towering figures require specific patterns of fog in order to acquire the necessary water, and are very delicate when it comes to long-term drought and resulting dryness that can ignite conflagrations. Though they are for the most part not in outright danger, many scientists feel that the ongoing changes to climate might bring them under threat. Furthermore, the state of New Jersey has been grappling with a bill that would allow for commercial logging in state forests and parks. Bulldozing forests is devastating not just to the trees that are cut down, but it destroys the habitats of all the other plants and animal species that reside within. It would promote erosion and storm water runoff, invite invasive species, and detract from our cultural and aesthetic interests.

The President, a 3,200 year old Giant Sequoia. Courtesy of National Geographic via Wikipedia.

These are very recent, post-Industrial Revolution cases where extensive record keeping provides a comprehensive understanding of actions and consequences. On the other hand, the extinction of large mammals such as the mastodon is thought to be a result of human migration into North America, but it is unknown whether they were hunted out, human arrival corresponded with changing climate conditions, or a combination. Further, it is difficult to determine to what extent those changes in climate were a result of human activity. This continues to be the main point of controversy: as some naysayers continue to deny climate change outright, it is scientifically challenging to calculate to what extent the changing and erratic weather and temperatures we experience are due to humans versus to what extent they are the natural processes and shifts of the planet, much less what effect those things have on plants and animals.

The extent to which human activity is killing off other living things is debatable. There are clear instances wherein our behavior and economic interests inflict damage, while other issues are more vague and complex. Regardless, as humans are one of the only creatures in Earth’s history capable of so effectively driving other species into extinction, including ourselves, we should take theories of a Holocene Extinction as a dire warning.

The Dodo Bird. Courtesy of BazzaDaRambler via Wikipedia.

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Franklin R. Halprin (@FHalprin) holds an MA in History & Environmental Politics from Rutgers University where he studied human-environmental relationships and settlement patterns in the nineteenth century Southwest. His research focuses on the influences of social and cultural factors on the development of environmental policy. Contact Frank at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Yoshikazu TAKADA via Flickr]

Franklin R. Halprin

Franklin R. Halprin holds an MA in History & Environmental Politics from Rutgers University where he studied human-environmental relationships and settlement patterns in the nineteenth century Southwest. His research focuses on the influences of social and cultural factors on the development of environmental policy. Contact Frank at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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