discovery box animals in danger

WWF’s map highlights the increasing threats faced by the species, including habitat loss, illegal trade and climate change.. 3 animals threatened by the disappearance of the rainforest

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What are the threats?

We live on a beautiful planet

But all over the world, animals are in danger

If they disappear, the diversity of life on our planet will

be seriously damaged DiscoveryBox and WWF tell you

what’s going on and introduce you to people

who are taking action to save our wildlife.

Fantastic WWF

prizes to be won!

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page 56

Action around the world

page 58

+

Quiz and useful internet sites

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWF’s mission is

to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Today, one of the most endangered species

is the wild tiger In the past 100 years, wild tiger numbers have plummeted by around 95%, to as few as 3,200 WWF’s map highlights the increasing threats faced by the species, including habitat loss, illegal trade and climate change To view or download the map, please visit: www.

worldwildlife.org/tigertroublespots

You can help protect the future of the world’s largest big cat by adopting one.

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Visit wwf.org.uk to learn more about WWF and see how you can help to protect our beautiful planet.

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WWF prizes

to be won!

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(includes a cuddly toy tiger + updates about

your tiger 3 times a year + other surprises);

9 runner-up prizes: an adorable

WWF plush toy

in partnership with

What to do:

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Since life began on Earth, species

have appeared and disappeared

That’s normal But today more than

1,300 animal species and 9,000

plant species are threatened with rapid extinction What’s going on?

In Borneo, an island in Asia, bulldozers flatten

huge areas of rainforest The precious wood is

sold in Japan and Europe Forests are replaced by

plantations of crops, such as soya and palm oil

These fast-growing plants soon use up all

the richness in the ground.

Forest riches

Humans don’t destroy forests for fun!

The forests contain all kinds of riches:

animals, plants, as well as raw materials

in the ground We use the wood to

make furniture and we burn it to

keep warm and to cook We also cut

down trees so we can extract precious

materials from the soil, such as gold,

silver or copper People need forest land

When forests are cleared, there’s nothing to stop the rain and wind thinning the soil Soon no plants can grow there.

Solutions to deforestation

• Forest management schemes are being set up Logging (cutting

down trees) is allowed, but under strict rules so that the forest isn’t

destroyed The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo helps you

identify wood products that come from well-managed forests

• Areas of forest that are fragile can be protected New reserves and national parks are being set up in many countries

• People can be educated about this issue Local people can be helped to make the best use of their forests Multi-national companies can be encouraged to stop bad practices Consumers can be taught to only buy wood products from well-managed forests.

That’s the rate at which our rainforests

are being destroyed.

3 animals threatened by

the disappearance of

the rainforest:

•Jaguars, big cats of the Amazon rainforest

•Orang-utans, great apes of Borneo

•Aye-ayes, lemurs of Madagascar

Hunting and fishing When wild animals are captured or killed,

their species can become endangered

For this reason, trade in wild animals is

illegal However, poachers still capture

or kill some animals as they can make

a lot of money from trafficking.

More and more hunting

Humans have always hunted and

fished to eat But today, there are more

and more humans and our hunting

techniques are very efficient Greater

numbers of animals are now captured

– and not just for their meat Hunters

kill bears for the thrill Monkeys, birds

and all kinds of reptiles are sold as pets

Tigers are killed for their fur

Fewer and fewer fish

Fishing has become a huge industry

Radar is used to detect shoals of fish and nets can go very deep down

Today three-quarters of fish species, including cod and anchovies, are over- fished They’re caught before they have reproduced At this rate, in thirty years’

time, there will be no wild fish left in the oceans.

This is the estimated annual value of

the illegal trade in wild animals.

Rhinoceros horns are made into a powder and sold as medicine in Asia Since 1977, trade in African rhino horn has been illegal

But there’s a big demand so poachers still kill them and steal their horns.

Jane Goodall’s work

Jane Goodall is an American primatologist (someone who studies primates: monkeys and apes) She has devoted

her whole life to studying chimpanzees in Africa

She observed that they eat meat and know

how to use tools Thirty years ago she created

a foundation to save chimps Since then,

several sanctuaries have been set up in

Africa to look after young, orphaned

chimps They’re nursed back to

health and taught to live in the wild.

3 animals threatened

by poaching:

•Tigers for their fur

•Elephants for their tusks

•Sharks for their fins

Red-eared terrapins have been sold in pet

shops for a long time They’re usually small

when people buy them But when they

grow larger they can become a nuisance

So their owners sometimes leave them in

ponds where they become a threat to local

European pond terrapins.

Invasive animals Some animals travel from one continent to another as

secret passengers on boats or planes Others are released

by humans far from the place where they usually live

If they survive, they can threaten local species.

3 invasive animals:

•Red-eared terrapins in Europe

•Siberian chipmunks in Europe

•African sacred ibis in Europe

Released into the wild

Humans have always taken animals

and plants with them when they travel

But in the last fifty years there have

been more and more journeys between

continents so many more species

have moved around Also, some exotic

animals raised in captivity or kept as

pets have escaped from their cages

or have been released into the wild in

countries where they don’t usually live.

Good at adapting

When animals are released into a new environment, they survive only if the climate and food suit them If they do survive, they may reproduce Often their numbers will increase rapidly because they have no natural predators

Environments are usually balanced, so the number of animals is controlled

If a new species is introduced it can upset this balance.

Protecting native species

Not all species that are introduced to an environment are invasive

Some new species can fit into an environment without affecting or

competing with local species

To protect native species from invaders, various organizations in different countries are taking action In the United States, for example, there’s

a campaign encouraging people not to carry fire wood from one place to another Since forest insects survive inside wood where you can’t see them, they can be transported long distances by accident

species can adapt to a new environment

On average, one species among those 10 will reproduce and become invasive.

Polar bears hunt and eat seals on sea

ice The ice is melting earlier every year

because of global warming, so they don’t

have enough time to hunt and build up

the reserves of fat they need to survive

the cold.

Climate change

Global warming means that animals will have to deal with higher temperatures and longer periods of drought all over the world It will become more difficult for them

to find food Many species won’t survive.

3 threats linked to global warming:

•Submersion of Pacific islands

•Melting ice at polar ice caps

•Desertification in dry areas

This is the increase in the Earth’s average temperature in the last

100 years It could increase by a further

2 to °C between now and 2100.

Greenhouse effect

Since humans have been using coal,

oil and gas as energy sources, factories

and vehicles have been releasing large

amounts of carbon dioxide into the

atmosphere This gas forms a layer in

the skies above us that stops the Earth’s

heat escaping into space So gradually,

the Earth’s temperature is increasing,

Also, seasons are becoming less reliable and more extreme That’s why we have seen such bad floods and storms as well

as droughts in recent years

Fighting global warming

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement on fighting climate change

It became law on 16 February 2005 187 states have now signed and ratified the Protocol, excluding the United States, which is one of the biggest polluters and producers of greenhouse gases

The Protocol commits countries to reducing greenhouse gases and sets

targets for the maximum amount of CO2 that rich countries (which create most pollution) are allowed to produce Most scientists agree that the Kyoto Protocol isn’t the complete answer But it’s a good start.

Find out more at: www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate

A male giraffe can

be

up to 6m tall.

1 Find 7 differences between these two pictures of the savannah Then work out what the photographer is saying…

2 This reporter has forgotten

the names of the monkeys

he photographed Help him

to remember using

the letters on the films.

Games

Where do cheetahs live?

In the past cheetahs lived in Africa and in Asia,

as far east as India Today there are still a large number in wildlife reserves in eastern and southern Africa But they have almost disappeared in the north and west In Asia, there are just a few left in Iran.

top speed when hunting.

Female cheetahs raise their cubs alone

they have 3 to 8 cubs

at one time.

Are cheetahs aggressive?

Not at all They’re shy

They’re scared of people and run away from other predators, such as leopards and lions As they’re not aggressive, they’re the only wild felines (cats) that can be tamed But they have never been domesticated because they don’t reproduce easily in captivity

Are cheetahs protected?

Hunting them is forbidden in all countries in Africa But their beautiful spotted coats are illegally traded They’re used to make prayer mats, for example Cheetahs are also often poisoned by bait

put down by farmers to protect their herds.

Long tail

Their tail measures 65 to 85cm Cheetahs hold their tail up when they run to help them turn.

Supple back

Cheetahs curl and uncurl their spine as they run to extend their legs This helps them go faster.

Long legs

Cheetahs’ legs are about 70cm long They’re proportionately longer than other felines’ legs.

no herds of cattle.

A F R I c A

Ethiopian wolves are very rare they’re the size of big dogs and they only live in Ethiopia in East Africa.

Harsh weather conditions

Ethiopian wolves live on the high plateaux (flat areas of land high up

in the mountains) of Ethiopia at

an altitude of more than 3,000m

Here, they face strong winds and night-time temperatures of -15°C Around 300 of the remaining 500 wolves

in Ethiopia live in Bale National Park and 50 in Simen National Park

The others are spread out in about ten groups and never meet.

Health threats

Ethiopian wolves sometimes come across sheep dogs on high pasture lands The dogs aren’t vaccinated They can transmit the rabies virus

or canine distemper to the wolves Epidemics then break out among the wolf population.

Pointed muzzle

Ethiopian wolves have long jaws Their teeth are smaller and more spaced out than those of other members of the dog family.

threat to food

The Ethiopian wolf’s favourite prey is a large rodent called a mole rat that lives only in Ethiopia During periods of drought, herds

of cows are brought up onto the high plains

As they graze, the cows destroy the mole rats’ tunnels

This means that Ethiopian wolves can’t find their favourite prey in these areas any more.

threat to reproduction

When young, female Ethiopian wolves leave their pack, they often come across sheep dogs They mate with them and give birth to cubs that are half-wolf, half-dog Scientists are worried that soon there will be no true Ethiopian wolves left.

Red coat

Their fur is short but thick with white patches on the cheeks and inside legs.

Long legs

These wolves are the size of

a big dog Their long legs make them look more like

a coyote than a dog.

Read on to find out why.

Dangerous friendship

Scientists and nature enthusiasts are fascinated by gorillas Tourists pay money to go and see them The money from tourism encourages African countries to protect gorillas But sometimes, tourists can give the big apes viruses, such as the flu!

Gorillas are the

biggest and most

powerful of the apes.

Violent human beings

Poachers still hunt gorillas although it’s illegal They sell the meat – called

‘bush meat’ – in African markets

Fighting for minerals

In the Democratic Republic of Congo there’s

a rare mineral called coltan It’s used to make mobile phones, computers and games consoles People fight over this mineral More than 3 million people have been killed since

1998 in the fighting Thousands of gorillas have also been killed in military fire or by mines

leaning on their fingers

Only gorillas and

Large pelvis

It helps gorillas to stand up, although they move around mostly on all fours.

tusks as valuable as gold

there were around 4 million elephants in Africa In 1960, there were still 2 million Then, hundreds

of thousands were slaughtered because their ivory tusks had become very valuable Ivory was used to make jewellery and ornaments.

Disappearing forests

Some elephants live deep in the rainforests of Africa They like to live in hiding and they need a lot

of space But in the last fifty years, half of Africa’s rainforest has been destroyed so that plantations and crops can be grown Elephants are victims of this destruction.

In an attempt to save elephants, international trade in ivory and other elephant products was made illegal

20 years ago But elephants are still under threat Even

if most African countries are against the ivory trade, some continue to sell ivory Around 38,000 elephants are still killed every year That’s 104 every day!

What are lemurs?

Lemurs are primates, like humans

and monkeys The smallest are the

size of a mouse and the biggest are

the size of a fox Their thick, woolly

fur makes them look bigger

Their feet are like hands

with four fingers and

a thumb opposite them

Lemurs use their hands to

climb from tree to tree They rarely

go down to the ground.

Why do they only live in

Madagascar?

Lemurs are descended from animals

that arrived in Madagascar –

an island off the coast of Africa –

35 million years ago They probably came from Africa and crossed the sea, clinging to floating branches

In Madagascar they are isolated and have no predators There are no wild cats on the island Also, lemurs have

no competition as there are

no monkeys.

Why are they endangered?

Lemurs need trees for food and shelter When forests are destroyed, they can’t survive People

in Madagascar need

to grow crops They regularly burn down the forest to clear the land for farming Today, most lemurs live in reserves where they have some protection.

Lemurs

LOOk Out!

There are around 30

lemur species

in Madagascar but there’s a risk that all

of them will disappear.

-A F R I c -A

they have nails, not claws.

Madagascar

eurasian lynx used to live

in mountain forests across europe and asia But today, there are few in western europe there are still some

in central asia Most are

in northern europe and russia

they’re the largest felines (cats) in europe

Shy animals

Lynx live alone and are difficult to observe The spotted markings on their fur help to camouflage them They sleep almost all day and are

most active at dawn and dusk when they come out to hunt Eurasian lynx eat deer and rodents In Spain and Portugal there’s another even rarer lynx species called

the Iberian lynx They hunt rabbits and some birds.

Retractable claws

Lynx walk on their

toes They keep

their claws pulled

in as they walk.

Careful eater

Lynx catch and eat about 100 animals per year

So they don’t hunt every day When they have eaten enough meat, they hide the rest under leaves, earth or snow They return over the next few nights to finish the remains

They leave only the skeleton, skin, stomach and intestines.

forest worker

Lynx have an important role

as predators (hunters) in the forests

They generally hunt sick animals or those animals that are most numerous In this way they help keep down the numbers of herbivores (plant-eaters) and rodents (such

as mice, shrews etc) in the forest.

Victims of poaching

Lynx are a protected species But they’re still regularly killed by poachers’ traps, passing cars and trains They have been reintroduced to many parts of Europe including Switzerland, Italy and France and are now not in danger.

Furry pads

Lynx have tufts of fur between their toes to stop them sinking into the snow.

in all oceans and are the most widespread whales in the Mediterranean Sea But they’re endangered.

Shy giant

Although fin whales weigh 50 tonnes and are 20m long, they’re hard to spot They’re shy and often solitary creatures Experts think there are several thousand that live all year round in the Mediterranean Sea.

danger at sea

Every year, dozens of fin whales are killed

by cargo ships, car ferries or military ships that don’t see them Fin whales

are also affected by pollution in the Mediterranean

It makes them ill and stops them reproducing.

transmitter beacons

In order to protect fin whales in the Mediterranean, scientists are trying to follow their movements They have attached beacons

to some of them The beacons transmit signals

so the scientists can track the whales

Long body

Their body is long and thin

This helps them to swim fast

They can reach a top speed of

40km per hour.

Baleen

Fin whales are baleen whales They have more than 300 baleen plates close together that act as

a sieve to catch shrimps.

White belly

Fin whales have a white

underside and a dark back.

fin whales come to the surface to breathe every 5 minutes

then they dive back down again.

They can easily cover 60km at a trot

in one night.

good appetite

Wolves eat between 1.5 and 2.5kg

of meat per day

They prefer large prey, such as mountain goats or sheep, stags or wild boars They hunt animals that are easy to catch and will provide them with the most food That’s why they sometimes attack farm animals.

Protected but not loved

Wolves almost became extinct

in Europe Now they’re protected but some people still dislike them Shepherds accuse them of killing ewes and putting their herds under stress Hunters don’t like them because they kill their game Every year, a number of wolves are poisoned or shot.

Low numbers

In some countries, there aren’t enough wolves for them to survive Scientists think that if there are fewer than 150 wolves – or around

20 packs – in an area, then the wolf population is likely to disappear

are heavy and they

move around awkwardly

on land But they’re

completely at home in the water

Their feet are webbed and their tail

is flat and acts as a rudder Baby

beavers learn to swim a few hours

after they’re born.

Lumberjacks

Beavers depend on trees that grow

on river banks They gnaw at the

base of a tree trunk until it falls

down In four hours they can bring

down a tree with a 25cm diameter

– just using their teeth They eat

the bark, leaves

and fruit of trees

They use the

branches to make

their dams.

dam builder

Beavers pile up hundreds of tree trunks, branches and pebbles in the middle

of a river They make

a dam that slows the water flow and forms

a calm pond The beaver family lives

in the pond They dig their den, called a lodge, into the river bank

The entrance is underwater

so they’re safe there.

Saved

Beavers almost disappeared in

centuries They were hunted for their fur and became extinct in many places, including Great Britain But they’re now being re-introduced Beavers are

an important part of the eco- system The ponds they make are great habitats for other animals

E U R O P E

out of danger!

Beavers are being re- introduced and their numbers in Europe are going up.

!

Beavers are the largest rodents

Bees are famous for their honey

They have to work very hard to make this delicious food Forty thousand bees live and work inside one hive Pollen-gathering bees suck up a sweet juice called nectar from flowers When they get back to the hive, they pass the nectar to other bees which turn

it into honey using their saliva.

friends of flowers

Bees also gather tiny grains of pollen from flowers to feed the larvae (young) in their hive As they move from flower to flower, pollen sticks to their body and legs The bees carry it from one flower to another without knowing it

This exchange of pollen helps flowers

to reproduce and grow fruit and seeds.

Poisoned bees

For the last 10 to 15 years, bee keepers have watched bees die in their millions

This is happening mostly in industrialised countries The bees’

environment changed with the introduction of intensive farming They can’t find the same variety

of flowers any more for gathering nectar and pollen They’re also poisoned by pesticides.

Hives in cities

There are several campaigns to save bees all over the world It’s become illegal to sell certain pesticides that particularly affect bees Also bee hives are being set up again in cities where there aren’t any pesticides Bees can produce plenty of good- quality honey in cities.