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

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.

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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