The Key Largo tree cactus, a rare species native to Florida, has become the first local species to be wiped out by sea-level rise. This event, driven by human-caused climate change, marks a significant and alarming milestone as it is the first time an entire species in the U.S. has been lost to rising sea levels. The only known domestic population of this cactus, located in the Florida Keys, has been completely eradicated. Experts warn that this could be a harbinger of more species extinctions to come due to climate change.
