Endangered Species
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| endangered species/enˈdeɪndʒəd ˈspiːsiːz/ | A species facing a high risk of extinction. |
| extinct/ekˈstɪŋkt/ | Having no living individuals remaining, when referring to a species. |
| Habitat destruction/ˈhæbɪtæt dɪˈstrʌkʃn/ | The biggest threat by far. |
Species on the edge
- Some species have so few members left they may vanish.
- These are endangered species 濒危物种.
- If the last one dies, the species is extinct 灭绝 forever.
- Extinction is permanent — there is no undo.
The main threats
- Habitat destruction 栖息地破坏 is the biggest threat by far.
- Clearing forests and draining wetlands leaves species homeless.
- Overhunting takes more animals than can be replaced.
- Pollution, invasive species, and climate change add more pressure.
A coral reef: habitat loss, warming and acidification put whole reef communities at risk of extinction
An endangered species is one that…
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An endangered species has so few members left that it could go extinct without help.
How we protect them
- Protected reserves give species safe places to live.
- Laws ban hunting the most endangered animals.
- Captive breeding raises numbers, then returns animals to the wild.
- International trade bans stop the sale of endangered species.
Pushes toward extinction, or helps survival?
Sort each item into a threat that endangers a species or an action that protects it.
The biggest single cause of species endangerment is…
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Habitat destruction — clearing forests, draining wetlands — is the leading cause of endangerment.
When the very last member of a species dies, the species is ____.
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A species is extinct once its last individual is gone — a permanent, irreversible loss.
Why it matters
- Every species is part of a web of life.
- Losing one can unbalance a whole ecosystem.
- Species also give us food, medicine, and beauty.
- Once gone, a species can never be brought back.
Protected reserves and anti-hunting laws can help endangered species recover.
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Safe habitat plus protection from hunting gives endangered species a chance to rebuild their numbers.
Select all threats that endanger species.
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Habitat loss, overhunting, and pollution all endanger species. Reserves protect them.
Extinction is different from every other environmental problem in one way: it is permanent. A polluted river can be cleaned; a thinned ozone layer can recover. But when the last member of a species dies, that species — and everything it did in its ecosystem — is gone for good. That's why protecting endangered species before they vanish matters so much more than reacting after.
Saving a species from the brink:
- A rare bird is endangered: its forest is being cleared (habitat destruction) and hunters take the last ones.
- Conservationists create a protected reserve, ban the hunting, and start a captive-breeding program.
- Slowly the numbers climb, and birds are released back into the safe forest — a species pulled back from the edge of extinction.
An endangered species is at high risk of extinction — a permanent loss. The biggest threat is habitat destruction, followed by overhunting, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. We protect species with reserves, hunting bans, captive breeding, and trade bans. Because extinction cannot be undone, prevention matters most.