October 18, 2022

Brown Pelicans Suffer as Climate Change Erases Gulf Coast Islands

Experts estimate Louisiana loses a football field’s worth of ground every 60-90 minutes.

Brown pelicans along the Louisiana coast.Pattrn

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This story was originally published by Pattrn and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

A beloved bird is in decline along coastal Louisiana, thanks to the effects of Climate Change. The brown pelican is seeing its habitat shrink as land sinks and sea levels rise. Experts estimate that the state loses a football field’s worth of coastal ground every 60 to 90 minutes. And as the cost of restoration projects mounts, the situation becomes more dire for the pelicans and people who live on the Gulf Coast’s vanishing islands. Climate Desk partner Pattrn reports.

More Mother Jones reporting on Climate Desk

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