Wildlife Census Shows 38 Heatwaves and 29 Droughts—17 Days Overlapping in Both

Fri, 01 May 2026 05:15:53 +0000

Wildlife Census Reveals Stark Realities: 38 Heatwaves, 29 Droughts, and 17 Overlapping Days—A Crisis in Progress Recent wildlife census data is painting a troubling picture of how climate extremes are reshaping ecosystems across vulnerable regions. Conducted over the past five years, the census uncovered 38 heatwaves, 29 droughts, and alarmingly—17 days where both heatwaves and droughts occurred simultaneously. This convergence of extreme weather events is not only accelerating habitat degradation but also endangering biodiversity in ways previously underestimated. ### The Alarming Numbers Behind the Crisis Heatwaves—defined as prolonged periods of excessively hot weather—have become more frequent and intense, lasting days or even weeks. Droughts, marked by severe water shortages and parched landscapes, further stress flora and fauna alike. When these phenomena overlap, their cumulative impact becomes exponentially worse. The census data reveals that 17 distinct days experienced both extreme heat and drought conditions within the same period—a critical overlap that disrupts food chains, breeding cycles, and animal behavior.