Wildlife and Climate Change: Finding Hope in Refugia

Dr. Kelly Boyer Ontl
Dean of Graduate Studies

It is hot – 110°F. The sun is scorching. It hasn’t rained in months. I’ve been walking across the dry savanna with my field assistant, Saiba Keita, for hours. When we finally reach our destination, we scramble over the edge of the plateau to find ourselves in a cave. It is 20°F degrees cooler and more than a lifesaver.

Climate change presents one of the most critical threats to wildlife, with rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and habitat loss driving many species toward extinction. Yet, despite this global crisis, there is hope. Refugia—areas that remain protected from the most extreme effects of climate change—offer a lifeline for biodiversity. These zones act as natural sanctuaries where species can survive environmental stress and adapt to changing conditions.

Refugia are not a new concept, but their significance has become increasingly recognized in recent years. Scientists like Toni Lynn Morelli are at the forefront of researching how refugia can be integrated into conservation strategies. Morelli, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, emphasizes the need to identify and protect these resilient areas to preserve biodiversity as climate impacts worsen. Her work provides a roadmap for conservationists, helping them prioritize areas where species can best survive the harsh conditions of a warming planet.

Examples of the physical basis for geographic locations likely to experience reduced rates of climate change. (Morelli et al., 2017)

Morelli’s approach is both practical and optimistic. She advocates for the strategic identification and preservation of refugia to “buy time” for wildlife. By focusing on regions less vulnerable to temperature increases or habitat degradation, conservation efforts can be directed more effectively. This method not only highlights the importance of large-scale refugia but also smaller, localized microrefugia that offer immediate relief from climate extremes.

My own research on chimpanzees in the hot, arid savanna-woodlands of Senegal illustrates the critical role of microrefugia—small areas within a larger ecosystem that provide more stable, favorable conditions, allowing species to survive environmental changes like climate shifts (Boyer Ontl and Pruetz, 2020). In this harsh environment, chimpanzees use caves to escape the heat. These caves serve as natural “cooling centers”, providing relief from the intense heat of the dry season. This behavior exemplifies how species adapt to climate stress by seeking out smaller pockets of refuge within their habitats.

Camera trap image by Kelly Boyer Ontl

Chimpanzee cave use is not just an important adaptation phenomenon but a powerful symbol of resilience in the face of climate change. It highlights the importance of protecting large ecosystems as well as smaller microhabitats that provide essential refuges for wildlife. Caves, like many other microrefugia across the globe, are vital to the survival of species navigating increasingly inhospitable environments.The concept of refugia offers hope for the future, but it doesn’t diminish the urgency of addressing climate change. I think Anna Tsing said it best in her book “Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection“,

Hope is most important when things are going badly in the world; in the face of almost certain destruction, hope is a Gramscian optimism of the will. Such “unrealistic” hope begins in considering the possibility that tiny cracks might yet break open the dam. (Tsing, 2005:267)

In other words, we need the “pessimists” who warn us of the loss and tragedy of climate change as much as we need the “optimists” who remind us there is hope for a better future. Without the urgency, we might lose our drive and determination to keep charging forward. As we watch habitats change, contract, and disappear, we should remember the glimmers of hope in large-scale refugia mapped by scientists like Morelli and the microrefugia used by species like chimpanzees. By identifying and protecting critical spaces, we can support wildlife as they adapt to new environmental realities and create a future where both humans and animals thrive in a changing world.

As I stood in that cool cave on the edge of the savanna, it struck me that nature, even in its smallest refuges, is resilient. We can’t solve climate change overnight, but by protecting the places that offer shelter, we create a buffer for wildlife—and hope for the future.

In the end, these caves are more than a lifesaver for wildlife. They are a symbol of resilience, adaptation, and the possibility that, even in the harshest conditions, there is a way to endure.

Further Reading

https://www.climaterefugia.org/
Morelli, T. L., Barrows, C. W., Ramirez, A. R., Cartwright, J. M., Ackerly, D. D., Eaves, T. D., … & Thorne, J. H. (2020). Climate‐change refugia: Biodiversity in the slow lane. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 18(5), 228-234.

References

Boyer Ontl, K., & Pruetz, J. D. (2020). Mothers frequent caves: lactation affects chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) cave use in southeastern Senegal. International Journal of Primatology, 41, 916-935.
Morelli, T. L., Daly, C., Dobrowski, S. Z., Dulen, D. M., Ebersole, J. L., Jackson, S. T., … & Beissinger, S. R. (2016). Managing climate change refugia for climate adaptation. PloS one, 11(8), e0159909.
Tsing, A. (2005). Friction. An ethnography of global connection.