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Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the Bramble Cay melomys become extinct?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
World map highlighting Earth's terrestrial biodiversity hot spots in red, showing regions with exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism. These hot spots are distributed across parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mediterranean basin, Africa, Madagascar, South and Southeast Asia, and islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as select areas in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
conservation

The Bramble Cay melomys is recognized as the first mammal species to become extinct as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change.1

The species, a type of rodent, was formally declared extinct after rising sea levels overwhelmed its island habitat, leading to the loss of the environment necessary for its survival. This event highlights the existential threat that global warming poses to biodiversity, particularly for species with highly restricted geographic ranges.1