The Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan is specialized to dwell in high alpine environments—that is to say, it thrives in cold weather. But as the planet heats up because of human-caused climate change, these birds are in trouble. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hopes to protect them from that fate by listing them as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The federal agency announced its decision this month, citing climate change as the primary reason. Nick Bond, Emeritus State Climatologist, is quoted.