Baby bats are dying in record numbers, according to Courthouse News Service, and adults are changing their behavior, likely due to unusual temperature spikes. 

What's happening?

Bats across the southwestern United States are struggling, likely because of the combined effects of higher temperatures and less rainfall. Younger bats are dying because they simply can't tolerate the heat and possibly because their mothers can't get enough to eat to nourish them and keep them alive. Adults aren't coming out at night to hunt the way they always have before. 

Research projects are looking at why bats are struggling and how many of them have been affected. It's harder because they are migratory, so they don't live in the U.S. all the time. 

Gena Sandoval, a bat researcher from the University of Arizona, looked at the dead baby bats and said, per Courthouse News Service: "I've never seen this before. I've never seen this many dead."

Why are animal behavior changes as a result of rising temperatures important?

If bat species die off because of climate change, we lower the overall biodiversity of the planet. As the Royal Society explains, biodiversity is important for all life on Earth. That includes human life. Some species help pollinate crops so there's enough for all of us to eat, while others provide important medications and other substances. Letting them die off means that we lose all of these benefits. 

Rising heat isn't good for human life, either. The World Health Organization shared that getting too hot is the leading cause of weather-related deaths. Even people who don't die can get very ill or have existing medical conditions exacerbated when it's too hot outside. 

What's being done about rising temperatures?

Across the country, people want the government to take steps to stop the planet from continuing to get warmer. Voting for politicians who care about the Earth, its creatures, and its people can help further this project. Sharing about the ways the Earth's climate is changing and how it impacts our lives is important, too, as it helps people make better choices.

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