Rising seas are quietly reshaping coastlines and threatening to erase species, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Scientists warn that, as oceans rise, plants and animals with nowhere to go could experience the same fate as the Bramble Cay melomys, a small Australian rodent declared extinct after its home island was swallowed by saltwater. 

What's happening?

The average global sea level has already risen about 9 inches since 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. As planet-warming pollution melts glaciers and causes oceans to expand, scientists are projecting another 1.6 to 10.5 feet of rise by 2300 — and as much as 23 feet in the worst-case scenario. 

On Bramble Cay, the melomys once survived by feeding on local plants and sheltering under turtle shells. But as the sea rose and stronger storm surges flooded the island, saltwater killed off vegetation and eroded its habitat. A survey in 2004 found the population had dropped from 93 in 1998 to just 12. By 2016, scientists had declared the animal extinct — the first mammal known to have disappeared because of rising seas. 

The consequences of ongoing sea level rise will be shocking. Seabirds in Hawai'i, saltmarsh sparrows on the U.S. East Coast, and even rare plants in Florida are already losing vital habitats. Botanist Jennifer Possley, who helped rescue the last Key Largo tree cacti before the site was overtaken, explained the uncertainty ahead, saying, "We don't know … what will need to happen in the future."

Why are rising seas important?

Rising seas drown wetlands and wipe out food sources that animals depend on as well as endanger homes and cities across the world. The destruction of habitats accelerates population declines and pushes already struggling species closer to extinction. 

Human activity is at the root of the problem. Burning dirty energy sources releases planet-warming pollution into the air, trapping heat and raising global temperatures. When species disappear as a result, ecosystems start to unravel — leaving fewer protections for people, from natural storm barriers such as marshes to the biodiversity that supports healthy, functional food supplies. 

What's being done about the ongoing sea rise?

Conservationists are racing to help vulnerable species adapt. In Florida, teams cut and replanted Key Largo tree cacti on higher ground. In Hawai'i, seabird chicks have been relocated to predator-free refuges high above sea level. Along the Maryland coast, marshes are being raised with sediment and given space to migrate inland.

These projects may not be easy or perfect, but they are helping to protect animal life against the harms of sea level rise. Called translocation, it could be one of the most effective ways to prevent extinctions in the face of ongoing threats.

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