Animal Survival

1. Animal Survival S4L2 Students will identify factors that affect the survival or extinction of organisms such as adaptation, variation of behaviors (hibernation), and external features (camouflage and protection). EQ: What are behavioral adaptations? Why are some animals extinct and others endangered?

2. Vocabulary • Extinction: The death of all the members of a certain group of organisms. • Endangered species: A species present in such small numbers that it is at risk of extinction.

3. Introduction • There has been animal and plant life on the Earth for millions of years. • There have been many changes in climate, animals and plants. • This has led to the extinction of many animals. • Since humans emerged, animals and plants are dying out at a greater rate.

4. Endangered or Extinct? • The number of people in the world is growing at an alarming rate. • But this is not true for all animals. • It is believed that the that more animal species have gone extinct than are currently alive.

5. Some Extinct Animals • Wolly Mammoth • Saber-toothed cats • Bachman’s Warbler • Dodo Bird

6. Wolly Mammoth • Died 30,000 years ago!

7. Saber-toothed Cat • Fossils of saber-toothed cats have been found in California’s tar pits. • The last one died about 10,000 years ago!

8. Bachman’s Warbler • Originally found in the Southeastern United States. • Has not been seen since 1960’s and is now thought to be extinct due to loss of habitat.

9. Dodo Bird • Discovered by Portuguese explorers in 1505 on an island. The birds did not fly and weighed about 50 lbs. • Imported pigs, monkeys and rats fed on the Dodo's eggs in their ground nests.  • The last Dodo was killed in 1681.

10. Some Endangered Species • Hairy Rattleweed • Gray Bats • Cheetah • African Elephant

11. Hairy Rattleweed • Only found in Georgia, it is endangered do to logging. • The plant is fast losing it’s habitat

12. Gray Bat • Originally found in Northwest Georgia, it is now listed as endangered. • The main reason is people have disturbed and damaged the caves where they live.

13. Cheetah • Approximately 12,400 cheetahs remain in the wild in twenty-five African countries. • Loss of habitat, conflict with humans are the main threats facing the cheetah today.

14. African Elephant • Elephants are the largest living land animals, with adults sometimes weighing six tons or more. • Elephants are threatened by shrinking living space and poaching for the ivory trade. • As habitat shrinks, their huge appetite can bring them more frequently into conflict with people.

15. Why are these animals facing extinction? • Humans • Disease • Pollution • New predators • Climate change • Hunting and poaching (for sport, their fur, tusks or meat). • Destruction of habitat (woodlands cut down, rivers drying up, hedgerows removed).

16. Caring for the Environment  • It is in our own best interests to look after the world we live in. • If a habitat is lost or damaged, it has an effect on everything else, even if we do not see or understand it straight away. • Remember - once something becomes extinct, it’s gone forever!