What is an Endangered Species? Today we are going to look at Endangered Species. We will talk about, - What ‘endangered’ means - Where endangered species can be found - What the threats to endangered species are - When it is happening - and how we can help stop species becoming extinct

What is an endangered species? A species that is at risk of extinction A species with a small or declining population, or a very small range. Start with a discussion with the class about endangered species. Do you know what an endangered species is? How would you explain it to someone who didn’t know what an endangered species was? Endangered species are species that are at risk of extinction. They usually have a small or declining population size or a very limited range. This means factors such as habitat loss, hunting, disease or climate change could cause them to disappear. Some species are so endangered that they could disappear completely within our lifetimes. All different types of animals are endangered – mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, plants, even insects and other invertebrates. Who knows what this is a picture of? This is a Thylacine (also known as a Tasmanian tiger) and it is an extinct species. They went extinct in the 1930’s because they were seen as pests by farmers so they were hunted. Thylacine

What is a Conservation Status? Most Endangered (Extinct) The black rhino is Critically Endangered The thylacine is Extinct The green turtle is Endangered There are lots of different endangered species and some are more endangered than others. Scientists have created a scale which measures how endangered (or at risk) individual species are. The conservation status of a species indicates how great the risk is of that species becoming extinct in the near future. Species at this end of the scale (least endangered) are less at risk of extinction than those at this end (most endangered). The African elephant is Vulnerable The little spotted kiwi is Near Threatened Least Endangered

Why are species endangered? Hunting Over-fishing Invasive species Cape fox Southern bluefin tuna Kakapo Pollution Pet trade Habitat loss Ask the class - Why are species endangered? What are the threats that cause animals and plants to become endangered? - hunting/poaching (caught for fur or because they are seen as pests) - over-fishing (eg. tuna caught for food) - invasive species (can carry diseases that threaten native species or can become predators of native species) - pollution (can be oil, pesticide or fertiliser run off from farmland) - pet trade (people want to keep rare and exotic animals and plants in their homes) - habitat loss/deforestation (trees cut down to be used for building, or to convert the land to farmland) Also mention, - Climate change (ice melting threatens polar habitats) - Disease (particular threat if the population is small) African penguins Siamang Golden-crowned sifaka

Where are they found? Endangered species can be found worldwide, the problems that affect species can be seen on all continents and in all seas. It is not a localised problem. Compare… - the kakapo and the red squirrel (both threatened by invasive species) The kakapo is a ground nesting, flightless parrot found in New Zealand which is threatened by the introduction of dogs and rats. The red squirrel is threatened by habitat loss as well as the introduction of grey squirrels which then compete with them for food and suitable habitat. Grey squirrels are also thought to carry a disease which doesn’t affect them but is deadly to red squirrels. - the golden-crowned sifaka and the brazil tree (both have had habitat destroyed) - the polar bear and the African penguins (both have suffered because of human action – pollution and climate change) - the Przewalski’s horse and the tiger (both are hunted and are having habitat destroyed)

NOW! When is it happening? Species are being put at risk every day. As the human population grows we are using up more natural resources (more land is needed to grow food and more trees are cut down). It is important that we consider our actions and how they impact the other animals on the planet.

What is being done? Scientists study species in the wild using Radio tracking collars Ringing However, there are lots of people working to protect and conserve endangered species. In order to find out how endangered individual species are we first need to know how many individuals there are out there. There are lots of scientists working to study populations in the wild. They can estimate populations using radio tracking and ringing (this might look like a scary picture but it doesn’t hurt the bird and is very useful method of monitoring). Once we know how many individuals there are and how large their home ranges are (by using radio tracking) it is easier to work out ways we can help to protect them and their environment. Kemp’s ridley turtle Aardvark Northern harrier

What is being done? Protect remaining populations Inform the public Black rhino Black-necked crane Protect remaining populations This black rhino is under protection of a guard in a fenced sanctuary because black rhinos are hunted for their horn and this is one of the best ways of protecting them. It is estimated that between 1970 and 1992, when hunting was at its worst, around 96% of the black rhinoceros population was lost. Inform the public If people know what amazing animals they have in their surroundings, and how important they are, hopefully they will be more likely to care about them. Road signs are used to warm motorists to drive carefully because of the presence of animals that might be at risk (like we often have signs for deer along country roads). Greater bilby

What is being done? Captive breeding programmes Wattled crane Captive breeding programmes Reintroductions to the wild Giant panda Scimitar-horned oryx Captive breeding can be used to help enhance wild populations, particularly if the individuals bred in captivity can then be released into the wild Wattled crane – largest and rarest crane (type of bird) in Africa. Lives in wetlands, habitat destruction is a big problem. People dress up as cranes to rear the chicks in captivity so they don’t get used to people. Have to teach them to feed using a puppet that looks like an adult wattled crane. Giant panda – they are protected by law in China and anyone found killing a giant panda or smuggling panda skins can be sent to prison for life. They don’t breed very well in captivity so sometimes humans have to lend a hand with the feeding. Scimitar-horned oryx – this is classed as Extinct in the Wild which means that there are no individuals left except for those in captivity. These captive animals have been bred and some have now been released into protected areas.

A Success Story!! This is the Antiguan racer. It was once thought to be the most endangered snake in the world. The Antiguan racer was once thought to be the most endangered snake in the world. Originally found across the West Indies, by the late 20th Century, it was found only on Great Bird Island off the northeast coast of Antigua. The Antiguan racer population has increased from just 50 individuals in the mid-90s to over 500 today. Eradication of rats from their island homes, and a successful captive breeding and reintroduction programme mean that the Antiguan racer’s future is now looking much brighter. Thanks to captive breeding, re-introductions and the removal of rats, numbers are now increasing again.

How can you help? Be careful with your litter Recycle litter pick your playground Recycle recycling one tonne of paper can save 17 trees! Spread the word & Get involved!! volunteer to take part in a local wildlife survey White stork Magellanic oystercatcher Green turtle Explain to the class that there are simple ways in which they can help the environment and protect some of the worlds endangered species. For example: Being careful with your litter - litter pick your playground, as a class or as a whole school, to prevent rubbish being washed into rivers and eventually oceans. Recycling - recycling one tonne of paper can save 17 trees! (one tonne is a lot, but if everyone in your school recycled paper when at school and at home it would soon add up!) Spreading the word & Getting involved!! – perhaps your class could volunteer to take part in a local wildlife survey. Encourage the students to tell people about what they learned today – a friend in another class, parents, siblings etc. Every individual can make a difference.

Sorting Endangered Species Activity Sorting Endangered Species Everyone will be given an Endangered Species card. Read through your card and decide what is the biggest threat to your species (habitat destruction, hunting etc). Place your species in the right ‘threat group’ then compare your card with the others in the same group. Explain that the students are going to use what they have learned about endangered species to look at common threats to species (both animals and plants). You will need to hand out a different activity card to each student. Ask the students to read their cards, decide what the biggest threat to their species is and then find others in the class whose species faces the same threat as their species. Remind them of the threats you talked about earlier on, and suggest that these might include habitat loss, hunting and fishing, pollution, collection and the pet trade, invasive species and disease. Explain that once the students have formed groups, their task is to make a poster explaining the threat, the different species it affects and what people can do to help. (You can decide whether to ask the class to work in larger groups or pairs) There are 60 different cards so students could be issued with two cards each to ensure that they get to see the full range of species and threats. You may then need to evenly distribute the students into groups to complete the posters to avoid uneven groupings. At the end of the session, you can ask the students to present their posters to the rest of the class.