The wisdom of people in various regions in Indonesia often uses birds as natural markers, for example the change of seasons. Unfortunately, in this country, local wisdom is increasingly being abandoned along with the times. However, the results of a study by BirdLife International with the Audubon Society, United States, show that birds are messengers from nature regarding the impacts of climate change which tend to have negative effects on the environment.
In Europe, for example, the increase in the average temperature each year makes birds adapted to cold temperatures decrease in population. On the other hand, species that are adapted to warm temperatures become abundant. Along with this, the distribution of birds in Europe and America is increasingly shifting to the north or closer to the polar regions.
Meanwhile, in Kalimantan and other parts of the world, mountain birds are increasingly shifting to higher altitudes. “Based on the BirdLife report, as many as 41% of bird species in the mountains of Kalimantan have shifted to higher elevations. The rest, as much as 35% did not shift in distribution and 24% shifted downwards," said Jihad, Bird Conservation Officer of Burung Indonesia.
Meanwhile in Mexico, areas important for biodiversity are losing endemic bird species to changes in temperature with climate change.
"This report contains surprising evidence from around the world that climate change is having a negative impact on populations of various species," said Dr Stuart Butchart, Head of Science of BirdLife International.
In addition to presenting a variety of evidence, in this report BirdLife International also presents nature-based solutions that have been implemented in various places to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on species, ecosystems and humans.
Di Inggris misalnya, pembuatan lokasi berbiak baru yang cocok untuk jenis Eurasian Bittern menyelamatkan spesies ini dari ancaman kepunahan akibat pulau tempatnya berbiak terancam tenggelam oleh kenaikan muka laut.
In the UK, for example, the creation of a new breeding site suitable for the Eurasian Bittern saves this species from the threat of extinction because the island where it breeds is threatened with sinking by rising sea levels.