The United States has already seen its first extinct species due to rising sea levels.

It is a fact that changing of the climate will contribute extinction more and more species. This may be due mainly to drought and rising temperatures. But also for other effects that we think about much less, such as sea ​​level rise. This is exactly what has happened in recent years. USAwhere the first extinction of a species due to this cause has just been recorded. It should be noted that this is not an animal, but a plant, and that this is a domestic extinction, not a worldwide one.

But even so, it is a bittersweet appetizer for all that is to come. The extinction of a plant is no less tragic than the extinction of an animal species, and its disappearance from the country could be the first piece in a long line of dominoes. When one falls, so do the rest.

In this case it is Cactus. Extreme weather conditions are not a problem for these plants, but flooding of their habitat was their demise. The last remaining stems of the plant were transported to plantation cultivation in 2021. However, there are none left in the wild in the United States. Only a few plants on some Caribbean islands.

Sea level rise is a big problem

Melting of polar caps due to changing of the climateand the fact that water expands when heated, causes sea levels to rise gradually. This is a problem because coastal areas will be flooded as they move away from the water’s former boundaries.

Estimated by 2050 The average global sea level rise would be 30 cm. This would mean that 800 million people They risk losing their homes due to flooding of their cities.

This is a serious problem, the first glimmers of which can be seen in the disappearance of species such as Key Largo Cactus (Pilosocereus millspaughii)who just disappeared from the United States.

The extinction of species has only just begun

This tree-like cactus, which can reach 6 meters High up, it was located in small towns scattered throughout the Florida Keys. Unfortunately, as sea levels rose, salt water invaded the areas inhabited by the plant, inexorably leading to their demise.

In 2021, from the previous population of 150 stems, only 6 fragments which were transplanted by scientists. They were also discovered In the Caribbeanbut in the US it seemed like there was nothing left. Now, according to Agence France PresseIt was confirmed that nothing remained and the species was considered extinct.

This is the first extinction of a species due to rising sea levels in the United States. It was a plant that provided food for many animals. For example, its flowers smelled like garlic. They shone under the moonattracting large numbers of bats. Its brightly colored fruits also attracted birds and small mammals. All of these animals will not necessarily die out because of this, but they have lost a food source. The dominoes have already suffered their first jolt. We must take measures to prevent them from continuing to fall.