How climate change may cause gingers to become extinct

Experts warned that those with ginger hair could face extinction due to increasingly sunny skies.

16:35 07 July 2014

Scientists believe that the gene which causes red hair could die out if temperatures continue to rise and this could result to the extinction of flaming red heads within centuries.

According to a study, ginger-haired people represents just 1-2per cent of the world’s population. However, this number is higher in Scotland with about 13per cent of the population (650,000 individuals). Also, 40per cent of those living in Edinburgh are thought to carry the red hair/blue eye gene while in the North and West of the UK, 29per cent of the population are believed to have the gene.

Dr Alistair Moffat, managing director of Galashiels-based ScotlandsDNA, said: “We think red hair in Scotland, Ireland and in the North of England is adaption to the climate.

“I think the reason for light skin and red hair is that we do not get enough sun and we have to get all the Vitamin D we can.

“If the climate is changing and it is to become more cloudy or less cloudy then this will affect the gene.

“If it was to get less cloudy and there was more sun, then yes, there would be fewer people carrying the gene.”