Endangered Species

• English
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2,3

Name as many animals as you can!

CONSERVATION: 

How endangered are these animals?

What can we do to protect them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How endangered are	How can we help
Sharks
Pandas
Rhinos
Bees
Birds

What does it mean when a species goes extinct?

Why should we care if a species goes extinct?

Mako sharks get new protections from trade

At the global wildlife trade meeting in Geneva, countries have decided to protect the endangered mako shark from trade.

Endangered Species

There is agreement on protecting 18 threatened species of sharks and rays. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreed to give greater protection for the marine creatures from commercial fishing. Many of the threatened species are hunted for their meat and fins. Some of the protected species include the world's fastest shark (the mako shark), wedgefishes and guitarfishes. The Wildlife Conservation Society said: "Sharks are vulnerable....Momentum is clearly building to ensure that these species...continue to be around for future generations."

CITES is an international treaty established in 1973 signed by 182 different states to protect endangered animals and plants. The focus of the weekend meeting was on protecting sharks. The number of sharks killed each year by commercial fishing is estimated at 100 million. A conservation group said this could be as high as 273 million. Forty countries disagreed that the mako shark was in danger because there was not enough evidence to show it was disappearing as a result of fishing. The global shark fin market is thought to be worth over $1.2 billion.

1. 18 threatened species of sharks
   
2. agreed to give greater
   
3. marine
   
4. hunted for their meat
   
5. Some of the protected
   
6. Sharks are
   
7. Momentum is clearly
   
8. continue to be around for future
   

a. vulnerable

b. and rays

c. generations

d. protection

e. building

f. and fins

g. species

h. creatures

Phrase Matching - Paragraph 1

Role Play

Get in to groups of four.

Each of you in the group must select either A, B, C or D

Follow the instructions on following slides depending on which letter you have selected

Role Play

Role A – Eating Animals

You think eating animals is the worst thing to do to animals. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worst of these (and why): keeping animals as pets, cloning or using animal fur.

Role Play

Role B – Keeping Animals As Pets

You think keeping animals as pets is the worst thing to do to animals. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worst of these (and why): eating animals, cloning or using animal fur.

Role Play

Role C – Cloning

You think cloning is the worst thing to do to animals. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worst of these (and why): keeping animals as pets, eating animals or using animal fur.

Role Play

Role D – Using Animal Fur

You think using animal fur is the worst thing to do to animals. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worst of these (and why): keeping animals as pets, cloning or eating animals.

Internet activity

Go to the internet page on the next slide. Select a story that interests your group and make a few notes. Divide the information into four parts so that you all have something to say on the subject. Report back to the class

www.nationalgeographic.com

Discuss in your groups.....

1. All species have a right to exist? 
2. Different species rely on other species to exist
3. The natural world generates important income for every country on the planet

What are some of the benefits of nature to human lives?