WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- The
orange clownfish -- think of the animated movie fish Nemo --
is in
danger of extinction and needs protection, a U.S. environmental group
says.
The Center for Biological Diversity, based in Arizona, asked the
federal government Thursday to consider putting the orange clownfish and
seven other species of damselfish that need coral reefs to thrive on
the endangered list.
The center blames the coral reef-dwelling species' woes on the
growing acidity of ocean waters, which is harming the coral reefs and
shellfish.
"As we continue to emit greenhouse gas pollution, we are seeing more
and more animals and plants in the U.S. and around the world that are in
danger from climate change," Shaye Wolf, climate science director for
the center, told McClatchy Newspapers. "This case is important because
not a lot of people understand how much the ocean is being harmed by
carbon pollution."
Orange clownfish is found in the Pacific Ocean near Australia, while some of the others live in U.S. waters.
