The Meltdown

If the warming continues, glaciers in Glacier National Park will continue to melt. Of course, other features of the area will still be there, but the glaciers will be gone.

The melting glaciers could push wildlife out of the area. Grizzly bears are one example. They often move into the park’s meadows to eat berries and other favorite snack foods.

Huge avalanches make the meadows. An avalanche happens when lots of snow suddenly crashes down a mountainside.

The crashing snow tears down trees, giving berry bushes a place to grow. Without avalanches, there will be fewer berries. That means fewer bears. And bears are just one of the many animals affected by global warming.

The warming trend could affect many plants and animals because it is happening very fast. Some plants and animals might have to find new homes. Others might die out, or become extinct. To survive, they will all have to find ways to beat the heat.

Grizzly bear feeding grounds in national parks are becoming smaller due to the effects of global warming.