(MUSIC)

JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN,

HOST: THE EARTH'S CLIMATE HAS

NATURALLY CYCLED THROUGH CHANGE.

BUT IN THE PAST FEW HUNDRED

YEARS, THE EARTH'S TEMPERATURE

HAS INCREASED TEN TIMES FASTER

THAN THE AVERAGES FOUND IN THE

PAST.

97 PERCENT OF CLIMATE SCIENTISTS

THINK THE EARTH'S WARMING IS DUE

TO INCREASING LEVELS OF CARBON

DIOXIDE IN OUR ATMOSPHERE.

THE MORE CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE

ATMOSPHERE, THE MORE HEAT FROM

THE SUN GETS TRAPPED AND THE

HIGHER TEMPERATURES GO.

AND THAT CAUSES ICE SHEETS TO

SHRINK, GLACIERS TO DISAPPEAR,

AND OCEANS TO BECOME MORE

ACIDIC.

THE AMERICAN PIKA CAN DIE IF

IT'S EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURES

WARMER THAN 78 DEGREE

FAHRENHEIT.

SO, THEY HAVING TO CLIMB TO

HIGHER HABITATS TO STAY COOL.

BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THEY

RUN OUT OF MOUNTAIN?

HUNDREDS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

HAVE ALREADY BEEN AFFECTED BY

CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO, CLIMATE CHANGE CAN PUT

HABITATS IN DANGER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

HABITATS CHECK OUT THE SCIENCE

TREK WEBSITE.

YOU'LL FIND IT AT

IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCE TREK