Warming climate threatens rodent population that feeds Arctic foxes

CBS News Local ^ | March 22, 2024 | By Molly McCrea

[Oldeconomybuyer]

PALO ALTO -- The Arctic fox is a natural beauty but this captivating creature with its playful nature and distinctive look is under threat.

Experts say Arctic foxes need to hunt rodents to survive long winters and climate change is thinning the rodent population.

"If we get warmer and more unstable climate, where you can get snow melt and you get icing on the ground, that is going to affect how well the rodents can survive," explained conservation biologist Kristine Ulvund with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Stanford professor of biology Elizabeth Hadley, who has studied biodiversity for decades, cautions that the Arctic fox is not the only species under threat. She explained how human activity and climate change are the two major factors that are challenging the survival of many species around the world.

"Extinction happens in a heartbeat and evolution takes a very long time. So it's easier to kind of kill something than it is to allow it to persist. So biodiversity is threatened in many ways by humanity and the Arctic foxes exemplify those threats," Hadly said.

Dr. Hadly said we have a moral responsibility to consider what we can do to stem the loss.

"It requires major activities on the part of humanity, not just a single person. We can all do our share but it requires major, major action for us to consider what we can do to stem global change," she said.

That major action would include dramatically reducing greenhouse gases both locally, nationally and globally and preserving wildlife habitat so we can outfox the threat.

Hadly added how we need to maintain the nature that we already have and she pointed out that California is a leader in this effort.

[VRW Conspirator]

Tastes like chicken.

[EEGator]

Some broad from Stanford, having never been in the wilderness, says…

[ICE-FLYER]

Total fing nonsense

[Alas Babylon!]

Rodents will do BETTER, not worse, in a warmer climate.

[DoodleBob]

Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

[Ex-Con777]

“If we get warmer and more unstable climate, where you can get snow melt and you get icing on the ground, that is going to affect how well the rodents can survive,”

From another person with a degree that actually has the word Science on the diploma, I say the effect will be an increase in the rodent population.......IF we get warmer.

I love all of the qualifying statements with iron clad predictions. Panic!!!

EC

[norwaypinesavage]

"Rodents will do BETTER, not worse, in a warmer climate."

That's not ALWAYS true. As it warms, the rodents might get chased out by even tastier species!

[silent majority rising]

BS.

[Doctor Congo]

If global warming was real then people would be buying up land in Greenland for agriculture.

[GaltAdonis]

[Tax-chick]

Any rodent species that can’t survive in whatever climate conditions prevail will simply be out-competed by one that can. Any canid species that can’t get enough to eat in whatever climate conditions prevail will be out-competed by one that can.

Arctic foxes are arguably the cutest thing on earth, though.

[Titus-Maximus]

Another hoax, just like the polar bears.

[Titus-Maximus]

#climatescam
https://twitter.com/wideawake_media/status/1770552312710217954

Good doc with all the anti global warming scientists.. Happ, Willie, Soon, Lindtzen....

[Jan_Sobieski]

Less vermin is a problem?

[Da Coyote]

Voila, today’s first try at climate fear porn.
Yes, it’s laughable. All of it is.

[LeonardFMason]

Weak men, women, and girls buy into this nonsense and unfortunately vote accordingly.

[antidemoncrat]

I would think the warmer the climate the higher the rodent population would be because it would be easier for them to find food.

[Carl Vehse]

Ship the arctic foxes all the rodents in the federal government. That should keep them well fed for decades.

[bray]

Raising gas prices and getting you out of your car will save the fox.