Stream flowing toward a lake in Britain's Yorkshire Dales. Researchers say climate change is causing many species across the kingdom to migrate northward and higher in elevation.

Professor Chris Thomas of the University of York says that 80 percent of the 300 species his team monitored have abandoned habitats they occupied for thousands of years to move to areas 40 to 60 miles (70-100 km) farther north.

“Eighty percent is a surprisingly large percentage ... It’s amazing how strong and already visible is the signature of climate change,” said Thomas.

Animals studied by the team included insects, mammals, vertebrates and invertebrates. Thomas says 70 percent of the species found to be on the move were heading to higher ground, up to 495 feet (150 metres) above their normal habitats.

Some climate experts predict that average temperatures across the United Kingdom will increase by 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit (3.5 degrees Celsius) between now and 2080. Thomas warns that further warming could cause some species to reach the limit of their ability to migrate or adapt to climate change, sending them into extinction.