Climate change and urbanization are significantly disrupting the lives and behavior patterns of animals on land and in water.
Some animals relocate when the environment around them changes, while others tweak their behavior or even their physical appearance. From different breeding patterns to new colors in their coats, the following 6 animals are adapting right before our eyes.

Crested anole
Crested anole lizards native to forests in Puerto Rico, are rapidly adapting to urban environments. .Known for their prowess at climbing trees, these reptiles have evolved to handle smoother surfaces, such as glass windows and painted concrete. Their toe pads, which are coated in scales called lamellae, are the key to their strong grip.Researchers have found that urban anole populations are equipped with bigger toe pads that feature surplus scales.

Tawny owls
Tawny owls have adapted to climate change through the microevolution of their plumage coloration. The hues of their feathers are determined by the degree of reddish-brown pheomelanin pigmentation.Based on data gathered in Finland between 1981 and 2008, researchers reported that although grey feathers are dominant, there has been an increase in brown-colored owls as winters become milder.

Pink salmon in Alaska
In Auke Creek, a small stream near Juneau, Alaska, climate change has caused the water temperature to increase by an average of 0.054 degrees Fahrenheit (.03 degrees Celsius) every year.
As a result, local pink salmon populations are making an earlier migration.

Mice in New York City
If you’re not a born-and-bred urbanite, it takes time to adapt to city life. That is even true for mice in parks around New York City. Scientists analyzed the genomes of 48 white-footed mice from across the city and neighboring locales .The researchers, who hailed from the State University of New York and Fordham University, learned that the metropolitan critters had evolved genetically to handle urban diets, including human grub like pizza and fast food.

Blackbirds
In noisy environments such as cities, animal species that communicate vocally have trouble talking to one another. A study conducted in Salamanca, Spain, found that blackbirds can shift the pitch of their vocalization so they’re not overpowered by low-frequency ambient noise.

Red squirrels
Red squirrels have shifted their breeding schedule to adapt to rising spring temperatures.
According to a Canadian study published in 2003, climate change has led red squirrels in the Yukon to shift their breeding time by 18 days due to higher spring temperatures and more food supply. The study featured data from 5,000 tagged female squirrels, who were tracked over 10 years.

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