Florida Everglades In Danger

Southern Florida’s iconic Everglades are the most endangered site in the United States. Its outlook was graded as “critical” in a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

The vast wetlands are one of 11 sites in the United States with such a designation. The ICUN, a non-profit, evaluated 241 natural wonders around the world, and rated 17 as critical thanks to climate change.

“Current threats related to reduced water flows, water pollution, and shifting habitat are affecting the health of the site and the amount and quality of habitat,” writes IUCN. The report says “some of these losses cannot be restored, as habitat features have taken decades to centuries to develop.”

The Everglades is the largest subtropical wetland in the United States, and consists of several interconnected ecosystems: pine rock land, sawgrass marsh and cypress swamp. It’s home to 20 species endangered or threatened, including the Florida panther and American crocodile.

“Climate change acts fast and is not sparing the finest treasures of our planet,” Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General, said in a press release. “The increase and the speed in which we are seeing this trend shift over just three years has been shocking to us, and the report warns that this number is likely to grow.”