How wildlife is impacted by climate change – the plight of the Grey-headed Albatross

Helping people connect the dots between climate change and their quality of life is a big challenge, mainly because many have not been able to see how climate change is impacting their daily lives. Here at the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition we plan to report to you on how our quality of life is impacted by the change in climate with a big focus on how many of the species we have living here are impacted in the wild.

The plight of the Grey-headed Albatross is a perfect example of how stronger storms intensified by climate change are impacting the survival of Albatross chicks. Their story was first reported on Seven Worlds, One Planet, a documentary series from the BBC that debuted in 2019. The seven-part series, in which each episode focuses on one continent, debuted on 27 October 2019 and is narrated and presented by naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Over 1,500 people worked on the series, which was filmed over 1,794 days, with 92 shoots across 41 countries. Part one tells the story of how Albatross chicks on isolated islands in the Southern Ocean are being blown from their nests by stronger and stronger storms, intensified by climate change. Will their parents unable to recognize them once they’re off their roost, how will they survive?

To learn more about Climate Change and how you can take actions in your daily life review our Action Alerts and subscribe to the zoo’s Climate Crisis blog.