TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Lucie AUBOURG, "America's national parks are losing their identity to climate change"
Biologist Don Swann looks at the remains of a dead Saguaro cactus in Saguaro National Park, on November 16, 2023. Young saguaros, which grow slowly, are particularly vulnerable to drought due to their limited water storage capacity. By age 15, they are a mere six inches (10 centimeters) in height, making them highly susceptible to drought conditions. As a result, "since the mid-1990s, we haven't had very many young saguaros surviving at all," says Swann. (Photo by Lucie AUBOURG / AFP)