Rising Seas Threaten Survival of Florida's Endangered Key Deer

Climate change poses a critical risk to the Key deer's habitat, potentially undoing decades of conservation success.

Key deer, the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer, are native to the Florida Keys and have been endangered for nearly 60 years.
Sea level rise is altering the landscape of Big Pine Key, home to the majority of the estimated 800 Key deer, reducing freshwater and food sources.
Climate change also increases the frequency of stronger hurricanes, further endangering the deer's habitat and survival.
Efforts to protect the deer from vehicle collisions have stabilized the population, but climate change presents a more significant long-term threat.
Experts suggest that without intervention, rising seas could eliminate much of the deer's habitat by 2050, with relocation to zoos as a last resort.