Notes Part 1 – Endangered Species research
Name ______________________________ Period _______ Day (1-3-5; 2-4-6)
Define:
1. Endangered species – species likely to become extinct throughout their range.
2. Threatened species – species likely to be endangered.
3. Critical habitat – habitat vital to survival of endangered or threatened species.
2. WHAT DOES THE ENDANGERD SPECIES ACT DO?
 It is a legal safety net to prevent loss of plant and animal species.
 It holds the federal government agencies accountable. It uses persuasion and litigation.
 It is an advocate for funding.
 It protects and restores habitats.
 It reduces threats to wildlife.
3. WHO DECIDES WHICH SPECIES GET ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
PROTECTION?
Fish and Wildlife Service
National Marine fisheries for marine fish and wildlife
4. HOW DOES A SPECIES GET ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST?
The Fish and Wildlife agencies look at scientific data collected by local, state, and national
scientists. Factors to be looked at area. species that have a large % destroyed
b. over-consumed species
c. diseased species
d. other mammals threatened
5. WHAT DOES THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROTECTION MEAN?
The species receives special protection by the federal government once it is on the
endangered or threatened list. It is protected from take, traded or sold.
6. WHY SHOULD WE PROTECT THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES?
Losing a single species can have a disastrous impact on the rest of the ecosystem.
Once the species is extinct, it is gone from this earth forever.
7. WHAT IS THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT?
In 1973, President Richard Nixon put into law the ESA. The extinction of any species is
illegal. The act spells out a practical program, it assesses damage, and seeks to protect the
species and habitat. Funding is available.
8. TWO EXAMPLES OF SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN RECOVERED AREThe Bald Eagle – (DDT); Florida Panther (uncontrolled hunting); Florida White Tailed
Deer(uncontrolled hunting).
9.WHAT ARE THE GREATEST THREATS TO THE SURVIVAL OF WILDLIFE IN THE
UNITED STATES?
a. disease
b. global warming
c. habitat loss
d. invasive species
e. oil spills
f. over exploitation
g. pollutants
10. HOW IS GLOBAL WARMING BECOMING THE BIGGEST THREAT TO THE
LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF AMERICA’S WILDLIFE?
As temperatures increase, wildlife and plants migrate north. Soon there will be no more
room. Global warming is confusing many species when to flower, nest or migrate. This
throws off the ecosystem. Forests are dieing from insects and disease.
Coral bleaching is occurring causing species to be in jeopardy. The artic seas are melting;
there is a loss of wetlands; the sea levels are rising and diseases are increasing.
11. HOW IS HABITAT LOSS A PRIMARY THREAT TO THE SURVUVAL OF
WILDLIFE IN THE UNITED STATES?
HABITAT DESTRUCTION – bulldozers are filling in wet lands, drudging rivers, moving
fields and cutting trees.
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION - the habitat is being cut into pieces by roads and
development
HABITAT DEGRATION – pollution, invasive species are causing the disruption of the
ecosystem.
12. EXPLAIN OVEREXPLOITATION AND THE EFFECTS ON WILDLIFE AND
PLANT SPECIES.
Over use of wildlife and plant species by people for food, clothing, pets, medicine, sport and
many other purposes are threatening species.
Sources: