Cane toads
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Discuss the main issues in the BtN story with another student.
Why are cane toads a pest?
What are a group of school kids in Darwin doing to get rid of cane toads?
How many years ago were cane toads introduced?
Why were they introduced to Australia?
What impact do they have on native animals?
Approximately how many cane toads do scientists think there are in
Australia?
8. How do meat ants help control cane toad numbers?
9. Why do meat ants attack baby cane toads and not other animals?
10. Apart from cane toads, what other introduced species have become pests in
Australia?
Create a facts sheet about cane toads including information about when and why they
were introduced and the impact they have on native animals.
Frogwatch – Toad busters
http://www.frogwatch.org.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&p=12
Northern Territory Government – Cane Toads
http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/wildlife/animals/canetoads/wycd.html
Australian Museum – Cane Toads
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Cane-Toad
National Geographic – Cane Toads
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/cane-toad.html
Rabbit Scan
1.
2.
3.
In your own words, describe what a feral animal is.
What damage do rabbits cause?
What are the two reasons for rabbits having a huge impact on the
environment?
4. Why were they introduced when Europeans settled Australia?
5. What methods have been used in the past to get rid of rabbits?
6. How are kids getting involved in the war against rabbits?
7. What is `rabbit scan’ trying to achieve?
8. Why do rabbits eat their poo?
9. How are the kids helping scientists with their research?
10. Name three facts you learnt in the BtN rabbit scan story.
Create a plus, minus and interesting chart about rabbits.
ABC Landline Rabbit scan story
http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2008/s2538167.htm
Rabbit scan – What is Rabbit scan?
http://www.rabbitscan.net.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl
e&id=56&Itemid=26
Rabbit scan – Teachers guide
http://www.rabbitscan.net.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl
e&id=51&Itemid=2
Feral cats
1.
2.
3.
4.
Summarise the BtN story in a paragraph.
Where in Australia are sea birds threatened by feral cats?
What are they doing to control the feral cat population?
Apart from setting traps, what else is Harko doing to fight the feral cat
problem?
5. What impact do feral cats have on the environment?
6. What do you think responsible cat ownership involves?
7. What are some solutions to controlling the feral cat problem?
8. What strategies are governments thinking about introducing to control the
problem?
9. What do you think should happen next?
10. Predict what might happen if feral cats aren’t controlled.
ABC News - Calls for action on feral cats
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/09/2359630.htm
ABC News – Council’s concerns over cat plan
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/14/2335234.htm
Department of Primary Industries – Feral cats
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.nsf/LinkView/DAAE1EF4D1D38A01CA2
56BCF000AD58F5BD72BECDF572AFD4A256DEA00295282
Feral cat fact sheet
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/cat/pubs/cat.pd
f
Department of Primary Industries – Pest patrol activity book
http://dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/IPA-PestPatrol-Book-Complete.pdf
Cat Protection Society of NSW – Responsible cat ownership
http://www.catprotection.org.au/responsible_owner.php
Kangaroo cull
1. What is culling?
2. Where is the cull going to take place?
3. Is culling kangaroos the same as culling elephants? Why or why not?
4. How many kangaroos are they going to cull?
5. Why are there too many kangaroos in the Defence Force base?
6. What impact are the kangaroos having on the environment in the area?
7. What are protesters and wildlife groups suggesting should happen to the
kangaroos?
8. Why is the RSPCA supporting the cull?
9. What do some Japanese people think about culling kangaroos?
10. Do you believe it is the same as killing whales? Why or why not?
Government response to cull
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/25/2198742.htm?section=australia
RSPCA supports cull
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/05/14/1922650.htm
Kangaroo cull hurting RSPCA donations
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/23/2196954.htm
Protesters rally against kangaroo cull
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/15/2190355.htm
RSPCA kangaroo code review
http://www.rspca.org.au/campaign/kangaroobackground.asp
Animal ID
Animal recognition technology has been developed
to help farmers control some introduced and native
animals.
EPISODE 29
Focus Questions
1.
2.
3.
What was the main point of the story?
Describe how a bore works.
What happened to animal populations when underground water was
discovered?
4. What environmental impact did this have?
5. What is animal recognition technology?
6. How does a blue screen work?
7. How it is being used to control animals?
8. Describe the success of the project.
9. Are there any negative aspects of the technology?
10. Is there another solution to the problem? Explain your answer.
What is the impact?
After watching the BtN story about animal recognition technology, ask students to
brainstorm what they know about the impact of some native and introduced
animals on the environment. Students will then investigate an animal of concern
and create an electronic text with the information. A possible structure for their
investigation could be:

A brief description of the animal

What damage to the environment has the animal caused?

What are the financial costs?

What strategies are used to control or eradicate the animal?

Are these strategies effective?

Predict what might happen if the animal isn’t controlled.
Discuss with students possible sources for collecting information including
relevant organisations and the Internet.
Students will create an electronic text to demonstrate their understanding of the
issues. Possibilities include:




Using photographs to explain the issues
PowerPoint presentation
Animation
Web page
21ST OCTOBER 2008
Learning Area
Society and
Environment
Key learning
Students will
investigate the
impact introduced
and native animals
have on the
environment.
Develop a rubric
Negotiate with students what the assessment criteria will be for this investigation.
Create a rubric using templates at the following website:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
Further investigations
Create a timeline showing when non-native animals were introduced in Australia.
Make a game that teaches people about the environmental impact of some introduced
and native animals.
Show on a map of Australia where there has been control or eradication of introduced
or native animals.
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Candid camera
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2008/09/14/2363184.htm
University of Queensland – Animal recognition technology
http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=15038
ABC The New Inventors – Animal recognition invention
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s2271782.htm
Department of Environment – Feral animals in Australia
http://environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/ferals/index.html
Questacon – Information about introduced species
http://www.questacon.edu.au/indepth/clever/control_ferals.html
Nova Science website – Australia’s threatened species
http://www.science.org.au/nova/010/010box02.htm
Elephant Culling
Curriculum Outcome Links: Society and Environment/HSIE
DATE 4/03/08
Subject: Animal culling
Student learning outcomes
Students will:
 Develop an understanding of what culling is and why it occurs.
 Understand different perspectives regarding the issue of culling.
Focus Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Why were elephants shot last century?
What year was there a worldwide ban on ivory trading?
How many elephants live in Kruger National Park in South Africa?
What is culling?
Why do authorities want to resume elephant culling?
Why do some people believe this is wrong?
What are some alternatives to culling?
What might be some of the issues with using some of these
alternatives?
9. Describe what you know about culling or plans to cull animals in
Australia.
10. What do park rangers believe are threatened because of elephant
over population?
To cull or not to cull…
1. In small groups, research the reasons for culling animals. Topics
to explore could include:
 Economic
 Cultural
 Environmental.
2. Develop a case for or against animal culling stating the reasons
why you believe it should or shouldn’t happen.
3. Present your case to the class. Consider how you will present the
information. Some suggestions include:
 A formal class debate
 Powerpoint presentation
 Role play
 Using graphic organisers (Inspiration software)
4. Tell us what you think about the issue on the Behind the News
Guestbook
Knowing
What do you now know about culling that you didn’t know before?
Understanding
Research animal culling in Australia. Show on a map areas that have
either culled or are planning to cull animals. Show graphically what the
animals are and the reasons for doing it.
Applying
Design an leaflet or poster for an animal rights group or a pro culling group
advertising your point of view.
Analysing
Do you think the type of animal being culled affects how people feel about
the act of culling?
Creating
Create an art work or cartoon based on the topic of animal culling.
Evaluating
Tally the number of people in your class or other classes that are for or
against culling. Do you think this represents societies view? Why or why
not?
 Related Research Links
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2172463.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2005/11/21/1511044.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/2006/s1904205.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7260000/newsid_7263300/72
63338.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/static/find_out/specials/newsround_ex
tra/africa/html/game.stm