The Local Effects of Climate Change
NJ.com is reporting that climate change is closing local zoos. After Tropical Storm Ida flooded Johnson Park Zoo Piscataway, it’s been announced that two other zoos will soon close forever: Thompson Park Zoo and Merrill Park Zoo; a pig had died in flooding during Ida at the Merrill Park Zoo, so the risk of flooding remains a possibility for the animals at these refuges. Plans are in the works to find new shelters and sanctuaries for all for the animals affected.
This is actually the second climate change article in the news today; while the zoo story is local, globally, there is now a snow crab shortage caused by climate change; the female snow crab population has declined by 99% in just one year. No one knows where the crabs have gone, or if they have gone or if they have died off. The only thing for certain is that they are no longer there in their normal range for fishermen, and this has caused a spike in the price of snow crab legs to skyrocket. There are talks of plans to attempt to rebuild the population and with any luck, that will meet with success.
N.J. Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette, while testifying before a joint meeting of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee recently, stated “[…] “New Jersey’s changing climate is forcing residents and businesses to grapple with a world of worsening extremes […] and stressed what NJ should be doing to deal with our changing climate.
We can already see climate change here in NJ, in our closing zoos, periods of drought and flood, intense heat and extreme snow; saying good bye to favorites like snow crab and watching pricing of food rise.
We can each do our part in addition to goverment and industry intervention. One example can be found at UC Davis’ website.
