ENDANGERED ANIMALS

The main reasons there are so many endangered species in the wild now are due to:
Habit Destruction-When changes occur in a fast time individual animals don’t have time to adjust to those changes. Human activity usually causes habit destruction (pollution, hunting…) Soils in forests are lacking nutrition’s that grow plants and therefore many animals die from hunger.
Introduction of exotic species-These species are introduced into new environments because of human activity, either intentionally or accidentally. Introducing exotic species put native species in jeopardy by preying on them.
Overexploitation- There is a strong market for such things like: rhino horns, zebra skin, tiger bones …etc .Some of these things make traditional medicines and are on constant demand.
Diseases and Pollution- If plants don’t grow and animals go hungry their immune systems break down as well, letting certain diseases take disastrous affects on animals.


ZEBRA

The most common zebras (found in Africa) are the Burchell’s zebra. They are closely related to horses and donkeys however have white and black stripes and are unique to each individual. The black and white stripes on the body camouflages them and their legs are great for running away from or injuring anything that might threaten them. There diet consists of grass, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark. Zebras are an endangered species because hunters hunt them for their skin and lions kill them to eat. They are also endangered animals due to climate change and contamination.


WOLVES

There are many reasons why wolves are endangered animals. Many people were afraid of wolves and annoyed that they ate people’s cattle and sheep, therefore, received money for hunting them. This was called “Bounty Hunting”. Some people still receive money for bounty hunting these days. They also used to poison wolves, which is one of the main reasons there are so few left. There are great debates over wolves. While some people think that they should be hunted to the point of extinction, others thing it should be forbidden. Though many people don’t realise, wolves help little animal by keeping their predator in check and by letting eat the wolves leftovers.


Alexandra Morrison, 4th B ESO



An Endangered Animal: The blue whale


The blue whale is one of the most endangered animals in the world. These animals are the biggest of the animals, because it is 30 meters long. Today there are only between 5 thousand and 12 thousand specimens of this animal.
Why is the blue whale endangered? The blue whale lives in the ocean. Years before, the hunting of whales was excessive, because people make use of all parts of the whale. The blubber is used for making oil, the bones and the meat are used for eating. Also the blue whales suffer impacts with the ships in the high seas and they can stay caught in the networks of fishing. In addition, the increase of the noise produced by the human in the ocean (for example the sound) impedes the communication of the whales. The blue whales are migratory and they spend the summer in high latitudes, where they feed in waters in abundance of krill. In winter they move to hotter latitudes, where they form a pair and give birth. Their migration is based on the temperature of the ocean, a change would alter everything. The change of the temperature of the ocean would also concern their supply of food, since it would provoke a change in situation and abundance of the krill.
How can people help the Blue Whale survive? In 1967 the hunting of the Blue whale was prohibited for an international agreement. It is necessary to reduce the poaching with more vigilance in the sea. It is necessary to try to do that to sound damages less to the whales, controlling where they move to, that people don’t catch them with the networks of fishing, and to try that the global warming doesn’t increase more.
To sum up, together with the associations of protection of animals in danger of extinction, with more vigilance in the sea and avoiding increase the global warming, the number of whales will increase.


Inma Ros Madrid, 4th B ESO