Climate Change: 
 Impacting Wildlife 

Why is Climate Change an Issue for Wildlife?

For all species rapid change can present significant risks, including:

• Increased Heat: Many animals do not cope well with periods of extreme heat and some species, such as flying foxes, can experience mass mortality events.
• Habitat Changes: Many species have evolved to live within a specific geographic and climatic range and may be unable to adapt to the projected speed and rate of change.
• Ecosystem Disruption: The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as fires and floods are impacting wildlife populations and habitat in ways that may be unable to sustainably recover.
• Reproductive Changes: For some species the heat at a specific time will determine their sex, and other species may stop or change their breeding patterns based on the quality of the habitat and food sources available.
• Threat Multiplier: Climate change exacerbates and compounds other threats, such as habitat loss due to urban or commercial development, invasive species impact, and environmental pollution. 

The potential impacts are profound: species decline or extinction, reduced biodiversity, and ecosystems that become less resilient to further shocks. These changes threaten human wellbeing as well as wildlife, as healthy ecosystems provide clean air, fresh water, and pollination for crops.

A recent study on Climate Change Extinctions indicated that rising temperatures will lead to an increasing number of extinctions, with the highest emission scenario leading to the extinction of nearly a third of the Earth’s species, especially those from vulnerable taxa or regions. 

National Climate Risk

Key insights from Australia’s National Climate Risk Assessment 2025 included:

• As climate hazards change in frequency and increase in severity, it is likely Australia will experience more compounding, cascading and concurrent hazards in the future.
• Extreme temperatures are likely to increase nationwide, increasing health risks and heat-related mortality, making it harder to work outdoors and respond to disasters.
• Higher temperatures and drier conditions will increase the risk of bushfires in most currently forested areas.
• Future changes in Australia’s climate will not occur gradually or smoothly.
• Many ecosystems, such as Eucalypt woodlands, will have a lower capacity to support biodiversity under future climate change.
• Changes to the East Australian Current will bring more warm water southwards, increasing risks to temperate ecosystems along southeast coastal regions.
• Water availability and accessibility for towns, ecosystems and agriculture may become limited due to rising evapotranspiration in inland regions and changes in annual rainfall.

Key insights from the NSW State of the Environment Report 2024 included:

• The number of threatened animal species listings in NSW continues to increase, with 18 species added between December 2020 and June 2024, bringing the total to 343.
• Across NSW, the distribution of native land mammals is continuing to decrease.
• Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent in the last 200 years, contributing to about one-third of mammal extinctions globally.
• Modelling in the assessment of the NSW Biodiversity Indicator Program undertaken in 2017 predicts that only 496 (or 50%) of the 991 land species listed as threatened are predicted to survive in 100 years’ time
• The ability of remaining habitats to support native plants, animals and ecosystems has dropped to 29% of their original capacity since pre-industrialisation. 
• Declines in river and wetland health are reducing biodiversity of water-dependent plants and animals, including waterbirds, fish, frogs and turtles.
• Coastal vegetation and habitats continue to be threatened by coastal development and climate change.
• Rising temperatures are driving more intense rainfall events, ‘hot days’ and severe fire weather days.

What Actions Are Needed?

Governments and Corporations need to work closely with communities, environmental and wildlife groups nationally to drive positive changes, including:

• Habitat Protection - Protecting remaining habitat and wildlife corridors, as well as areas that could act as climatic refuges.
• Monitoring and Prediction - Collecting accurate data on remaining species and populations and modelling scenarios to reduce risk and improve outcomes.
• Research into Adaptation - Enabling the implementation of solutions to help mitigate impact and reduce biodiversity loss.  
• Collaboration: Integrating critical knowledge into recovery and conservation efforts, including wisdom from Indigenous communities, government, industry, and scientists. 
• Reducing Climate Risk - Implementing strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increase reforestation, enforce sustainable resource use, and eliminate pollution.

What Can You Do?

Individuals and communities can sometimes underestimate the power they have to drive critical change. Actions you can take include:

• Making sustainable product choices, and making sure companies know how they make their products matters to their customers
• Reduce waste and working with council members and local businesses to reduce waste and eliminate pollution in your community
• Leading community initiatives to protect or restore wildlife habitat
• Adding your signature to petitions that are designed to improve wildlife outcomes, and reduce climate risks
• Supporting WIRES, and other wildlife and environmental groups working to rescue, rehabilitate and protect Australian wildlife.

Additional Resources

CSIRO Climate Adaptation

Australian Climate Service