[kfarr]

Fair to point out the confusion, however not sure the distinction is needed for the core point that global warming may increase similar incidents -- I think it's safe to assert body temperature is correlated with air temperature

[kergonath]

> I think it's safe to assert body temperature is correlated with air temperature

Not at all. The whole point of warm-blooded organisms is to maintain a constant temperature, to a really good level of accuracy.

A change in body temperature is not needed for this sort of things to happen, though. A warmer environment is enough. See for example the headlines about flesh eating bacteria creeping north in the US.

[trimethylpurine]

I don't think they are correlated in warm blooded animals. Anyway, 37 degrees is a day at the beach in San Diego or Miami. It should hardly be fatal to most any mammal. You can blame drought, which is what the article did, but air temperature is not directly correlated with body temperature unless you're referring to an animal that's already dead.