WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–According to a new survey released today by Nat Geo WILD and Kelton Global, an overwhelming 94 percent of Americans believe that global warming is real — and 87 percent think that human activity at least contributes to climate change, if not is primarily responsible for it. These national survey results show the highest percentages to date¹, and suggest that climate change is affecting most Americans’ daily habits, lifestyle choices and even political decisions.

The survey shows that more Democrats (89 percent) than Republicans (69 percent) say environmental issues are important when helping them decide which presidential candidate to support, and that Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton lead as the presidential candidates Americans think would be the best environmental advocates. This bodes well for those candidates, as 80 percent of Americans say that this issue plays an important role when deciding their next president. Donald Trump came in third in the poll, followed by Ted Cruz and John Kasich.

“While its no surprise that global warming is on the minds of many Americans these days, even our team at Nat Geo WILD was surprised at the near unanimous belief that this is an issue that affects us all,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager of Nat Geo WILD. “This survey shows that climate change is an issue that not only presidential candidates should address, but something that anyone running for public office should give substantial consideration to … not just for our species, but for the animal kingdom as well.”

In addition to politics, wildlife is on the minds of Americans, as most (91 percent) are concerned about the extinction of endangered animals. Millions take action to protect them and learn more about conservation. Perhaps their empathy comes from guilt — many (45 percent) believe human-driven habitat destruction has the biggest impact on animal populations. What’s more, many (82 percent) think zoos should exist and most (83 percent) agree with SeaWorld’s efforts to cease captive breeding of orcas.

Nat Geo WILD will celebrate Earth Day by shining a light on the wildlife advocates who inspire us to take care of our world and the animals who live in it. Beginning with premieres on Friday, April 22, at 6:30/5:30c, of the best short films from this year’s Wild to Inspire competition and continuing with an investigation into the new threats facing wild orangutans in Mission Critical: Orangutan on the Edge at 9/8c, we will celebrate by honoring the people who get their hands dirty making the world a better place. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com or our press site www.foxflash.com, or follow us on Twitter using @NGC_PR.

In addition to Nat Geo WILD’s lineup, National Geographic’s Earth Day celebrations will continue across its portfolio. National Geographic believes that our planet is a precious place and it’s our responsibility to preserve it, not just on Earth Day, but every single day. Using the power of its social media and online presence, National Geographic will celebrate April 22 with a social takeover on Instagram and Snapchat Discover, a #NatGeoEarthDay Instagram call-out, dedicated digital content across nationalgeographic.com and additional initiatives that inspire and empower people around the world to make changes in their daily lives in support of a more sustainable planet.

Other highlights from the survey:

Environmentally Conscious Americans

With most of the nation agreeing that global warming is real, Americans’ daily habits are influenced by the state of the planet. Over nine in 10 Americans (94 percent) have made an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Common steps these environmentally conscious Americans have taken include purchasing eco-friendly light bulbs (68 percent), using reusable shopping bags (66 percent) or purchasing recycled products (57 percent).

Endangered Species

A large majority (91 percent) of Americans are concerned about the extinction of endangered animals. But this worry comes with a sense of optimism. Nine in 10 (90 percent) are hopeful that the animal species on the endangered list will not become extinct. However, nearly half (45 percent) of Americans think human-driven habitat destruction has the biggest impact on animal populations, and close to a third (32 percent) believe animal poaching has the biggest effect.

Conservation Efforts

Interest and concern about endangered animals are likely why nearly 200 million Americans (81 percent) have participated in wildlife conservation efforts, and these actions are most commonly recycling (75 percent), purchasing environmentally conscious products (50 percent) or donating money (40 percent). More than one in four (27 percent) of those who participated in wildlife conservation efforts have supported a wildlife conservation cause online or on social media. And for those who have not participated in wildlife conservation efforts, lack of knowledge is likely a factor. The most common (27 percent) reason for not participating is not knowing how.

Animal Protection Efforts

Over eight in 10 (82 percent) Americans agree that zoos should exist. This is likely because zoos are seen as educational (91 percent) and fun (85 percent). While close to three in five (58 percent) Americans believe holding or displaying animals at zoos or theme parks should be legal, over four in five (83 percent) agree with SeaWorld’s decision to end captive breeding of killer whales.

Celebrity Activists

Those in the limelight have a bit of an influence on eco-friendly actions. About 76 million Americans (31 percent) say that the environmental activities of celebrities or endorsements motivate them to change their behavior regarding our planet. Ellen DeGeneres and Betty White top the list of celebrity animal activists that Americans believe do the most to help their cause, with 27 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

Presidential Election

Eight in 10 Americans (80 percent) say environmental issues play an important role when deciding which presidential candidate to support. Bernie Sanders (34 percent) and Hillary Clinton (29 percent) lead as the presidential candidates Americans think would be the best advocate for environmental issues. Nearly half (49 percent) of millennials believe this to be true about Sanders, versus 28 percent of older Americans. Older Americans are more likely to say this about Clinton (32 percent vs. 23 percent of millennials). More Americans living in the West than those living throughout the rest of the country (43 percent vs. 32 percent, respectively) believe Sanders is the candidate who would best advocate for environmental issues.

The Future of Planet Earth

Nearly a quarter (22 percent) of Americans think “The Hunger Games” best captures what Earth will look like in 100 years. Nearly one in five say this about “Star Trek” (18 percent), “Wall-E” (17 percent) and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (17 percent). However, millennials are more than twice as likely as older Americans (30 percent vs. 12 percent, respectively) to think “Wall-E” best resembles what our planet will look like in 2116, while more Americans ages 35 and over than millennials (20 percent vs. 12 percent, respectively) say this about “Star Trek.”

This survey was conducted by Kelton Global March 28-April 3, 2016, among 1,053 nationally representative Americans 18+, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure a reliable representation of the U.S. population 18 and over.

ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNELS

The National Geographic Channels (The Channels) form the television and production arm of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society. As a global leader in premium science, adventure and exploration programming, the Channels include National Geographic Channel (NGC), Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo MUNDO. Additionally, the Channels also run the in-house television production unit, National Geographic Studios. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with entertaining, innovative programming from A-level talent around the world, and with profits that help support the society’s mission. Globally, NGC is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages, and Nat Geo WILD is available in 131 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Partners is also a leader in social media, with a fan base of 250 million people across all of its social pages. NGC contributes over 55 million social media fans globally on Facebook alone. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and www.natgeowild.com.

ABOUT KELTON

Kelton is a research, strategy and design consultancy that works with many of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands to help them better understand and connect with consumers. Kelton provides highly customized qualitative, quantitative, innovation and design research for a wide variety of companies across multiple sectors. For more information about Kelton Global, please call 1-888-8KELTON or visit www.keltonglobal.com.

¹ Compared to the University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll and The National Surveys on Energy and Environment; please note: questions/methodology may not have been exactly the same.