COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Nemo the clownfish is more lost than ever, thanks to climate change.
Ocean acidification caused by global warming is destroying the sense of smell and navigational abilities of the little orange clownfish of Finding Nemo fame, pushing the species closer to extinction, a new report has found.
The report, launched on Monday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on the sidelines of global climate talks in Copenhagen, named 10 species that will be hardest hit by global warming.
Among the 10 was the clownfish, which uses its sense of smell to find its way to its host anemone.
“Ocean acidification and rising temperatures are of course destroying the coral reefs but, on top of that, they are affecting their olfactory senses,” the report’s co-author, Wendy Foden told reporters.
“They are literally unable to find their way home.”
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Sunanda Creagh, Reuters India, 14 December 2009. Article.
