The American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is a critically endangered species whose range has dramatically declined due to habitat loss and environmental change. As climate change continues to alter ecosystems, new areas may become suitable for its survival. This study uses MaxEnt v.3.4.4 in R to model current and future habitat suitability for N. americanus under the severe SSP585 climate scenario projected for 2061–2080. Occurrence data were obtained from research-grade iNaturalist records, and models were built using key bioclimatic variables: Annual Mean Temperature (BIO01), Minimum Temperature of Coldest Month (BIO06), Mean Temperature of Warmest Quarter (BIO10), Annual Precipitation (BIO12), and Precipitation of Wettest Quarter (BIO16). Future projections were based on outputs from the EC-Earth3-Veg global circulation model. The final model performed strongly (AUC = 0.940) with low omission rates, indicating high reliability. Results suggest a potential poleward shift in suitable habitat, aligning with broader patterns of climate-driven range shifts in insects. These findings highlight the importance of identifying future suitable habitats, particularly those outside current protected areas, as priorities for conservation and connectivity planning.

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