"Climate Change Threatens Endangered Species Act and Toy Deer"

The Key deer, the smallest deer species in North America, is facing extinction due to rapidly rising seas caused by climate change. With the knowledge that their habitat will be lost in the future, wildlife managers are grappling with how to save endangered species like the Key deer. Options include translocating them to new areas, collecting DNA and storing seeds, or keeping them in zoos. However, these solutions raise questions about the cost and long-term viability of the species. The Endangered Species Act, which turns 50 this year, is being tested by climate change and rising sea levels, particularly in low-lying island ecosystems like the Florida Keys where the Key deer resides. The challenge lies in determining what it means to "save" a species in the face of habitat loss and climate change.