Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species Chapter 7 Lesson 7.3.
Endangered, Threatened, Extinct, Indicator, Keystone ... · extinct due to destruction of their...
Transcript of Endangered, Threatened, Extinct, Indicator, Keystone ... · extinct due to destruction of their...
Farhan S.
Common Name:
Scientific Name: Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret is a part of a wide varieties of
animals called the weasel family. It is approximately
around 2-3 feet in length and weighs as much as a
book. It weighs 2 to 3 pounds. It is dangerous with it’s
long claws and it’s unique look with a black mask
around its eyes. The ferrets are known to be very
independent and selfish animal. They are active at
night which makes them nocturnal creatures. They
make there houses under ground as well.
Habitat- The black-footed Ferret are known to be found along
the center of the North American region. With there small size,
they don’t really need a lot of room to sleep. They primarily live
and grassy areas including grass prairies. They would make
homes in borrows made in the past by prairie dogs.
Ecological Niche: The black-footed ferret are known to be
fierce carnivores. There primary food option is prairie dog in
which they kill with a unique way. Other than the prairie dog,
the ferrets will eat animals like birds, squirrels, mice, and
reptiles.
The black footed were known before the turn of the 1900s
century to have a very large population. They began to become
extinct due to destruction of their habitats from humans.
Another reason for there extinction was a rapid spread of
diseases throughout there region. There population of ferrets
in 1986 was 18. As the years past, they started to increase
there population to 300 as of 2016.
The black-footed ferret is one of the most
biggest endangered animal in the U.S.
Endangered Species List. The are many factors
that cause the critters to go extinct. The
widespread of disease and destruction of their
homes are the two main reasons for there
extinction. Predation is also a major factor of
their extinction.
The CITES main action for protecting the
ferrets were putting them in captivity. This
began during the 1980’s when the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service began to have
upwards to 8,000 Black-footed Ferrets born in
captivity. They are started to be reintroduced
at the U.S. states where they were before.
These states include Montana, Wyoming, and
Utah.
Scientific Name: Amblyrhynchus cristatus
The Marine Iguana is one of the largest lizard species
in the worlds oceans. They tend to be smaller than
the commonly known land iguanas and their tail
shape helps them adapt to their environment. The
marine iguanas are seen sun bathing before they go
into the water. The iguanas can be around a meter
long and weigh about 2 kilograms. They also come in
a variety of colors from whatever habitat they come
from.
Habitat: The marine iguanas are found on the Galapagos
Islands off of South America. The iguanas are spread around
the different islands and range in different colors and sizes
from wherever there from. The marine iguanas also spend
most of their days in the ocean for food and reproduction
opportunities.
Ecological Niches: The iguanas hold an advantage over other
endangered species in which they have a very little amount of
predators. The predators include snakes, rats, and dogs. In
terms of what the iguanas eat, they tend to feed on algae all
throughout the ocean.
The exact population of the iguanas is unknown. It is
estimated to be around the ten thousands. They are on the
verge of extinction though and are considered to be
threatened.
There are many reasons why the marine iguana is
known to be a threatened species. The main cause of
the lack of ability for the iguana to evolve and avoid
the introduced animals that feed off the iguanas.
Another threat to the iguanas is the climate change
the occurs at the Galapagos Islands. The El Nino
effect destroys the iguanas and their habitats
throughout the years. This leads to any birth
problems.
The iguanas are being protected and under
supervision by the country of Ecuador. They
are under the CITES and there are being
actions taken to help stop the problem.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Nesiota elliptica
The St. Helena Olive a small tree or otherwise known
as a “a stout shrubby tree” because of its
appearance and functions. They grow to be around 5-
6 meters high. During the summer and early autumn
months, the tree blooms out small pink flowers and
fruit. The leaves of the plant is also unique in which
they are covered long white hairs.
Habitat: The St. Helena Olive existed throughout the
St Helena mountain range. They grew in the
inhabitant cloud forests along the steep and high
elevations.
Ecological Niche: The plant went through
photosynthesis like any other plant to produce its own
food. the period in which the flower is able to
reproduce and go through reproduction only
throughout the warmer months of the year.
The St. Helena Olive went extinct in 2003. The major cause of
the extinction happened in the 1600’s when the East India
Company deforested the St Helena area to make a colony. The
company wanted the fuel and timber that were around that
area. Even though the trees went extinct, the area was perfect
for large plantation and production back then.
The process the scientists made to conserve the
plant was costing and time consuming in many ways.
The scientists got to the last wild tree there was and
tried everything to conserve the tree specie. The
scientists tried to germinate the seed with another
seed they had across the world. The scientists were
trying to grow the trees out but the health of the trees
were declining and all ended up dying by 1999. The
last species known in the world ended up dying in
2004.
The St. Helena Olive did a lot to help out the
ecosystem. It provided vegetation to the
animals around and for people in some cases.
The flowers of the plant were pollinated by
insects such as hoverflies. The blossoms then
became a ripen fruit in about a year.
Scientific Name- Perisoreus canadensis
The Gray Jay are unique birds that are dark grey on
the top of there torso’s and light gray on the bottom.
They are songbirds and there shape is pretty stocky.
The bird usually travel throughout North America in
small groups. They make different kinds of bird
noises from hoors and chatters, but they are known
to be less noisy then other birds.
Gray Jays eat a wide arrange of foods such as fungi, berries,
and arthropods. They are very intelligent creatures and have
also been known to taking human food as well. The gray jays
conserve their foods year-round by molding it into a sticky glob
and hiding it behind a flake of a bark or under a lichen. They
always some how remember where they keep the food.
Grey Jays do a lot for and to the ecosystem in
which they live in. The ecosystems
throughout the years have been known
affect them negatively due to acid rain and
harsh winters. Even with those conditions,
the birds help maintain the ecosystems they
live in.
Gray Jays have a positive effect on the
ecosystem. They contribute to the ecosystem
in North of North America. The Jays do a lot to
keep themselves and their loved ones
protected. They would do things such as alarm
calls, chatters, and screaming to help aid them
and the environment to success.
Over the past 30 to 40 years there has been a
slight decline of Grey Jays due to many
reasons. The main reason is on their breeding
problems. The success of them breeding only
occurs during the right time of the year. This
occurs during the warmer months and has
been a trend for the birds for many years.
Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
The sugar maple trees are spread across the United
States of America and are known because of their
leaf shape and fruit. The leaves of the tress are broad
and posses a U-shape. The changing of these leaves
are a beautiful and distinctive sight because of the
different color changes that occur. The trees grow to
be around 75-100 feet with a the trunk diameter of 2-
4 feet.
The Sugar Maple is a sturdy tree which can grow in almost any
soil type out there. The tree produces maple syrup which is
used for us humans and animals living around the tree. The
tree goes through photosynthesis like many other plants and
use the sun as their main source of energy.
1. The sugar maple tree goes through a process
called hydraulic transfer that helps aids plants
nearby. The process occurs as the sugar maple’s
roots absorbs water from the soil and distributes it
to drier areas.
2. Another way the tree is a keystone species is that
it helps humans in many ways. The tree provides
sap to make maple syrup. The tree is also cut
down for furniture, instruments, and flooring.
There are many types of animals and plants
that rely on the Sugar Maple Tree. Animals like
the white-tailed deer use the tree to browse
and consume the maple of the tree. Another
animal are squirrels, that feed on seeds, twigs,
and leaves.
Due to the many benefits of the tree, it is very
susceptible to damage. The top reason is
animals destroying the trees and using the
resources. Even though it is helpful for the
animals, the tree slowly gets weaker as the
animals eat away he bark and roots. Protection
of the trees have included fencing high enough
to keep any animal out.
Scientific Name: Aedes albopictus
The adult tiger mosquito is known to have
black and white scales around its torso. The
antennae of the male are seemingly smaller
then the females. The mosquito is known to be
fierce to it’s prey, but when it comes to
reproducing, they will do whatever it take to get
a mate.
The mosquito originated from Southeast
Asia. They feed on different types of plants
from nectar to sugar-rich plant juices. As the
mosquito becomes more and more
developed, it needs blood in it’s system to
develop their eggs.
The mosquitos new habitat is the United States of
America. It is commonly found around the southeast
part of the country. It was originated mainly from
Taiwan. The mosquito live in shallow water and
reproduce in wet and damp conditions. The female
mosquito sucks on bloods from mammals and then
transfer it to other mammals, keeping some for itself.
Adaptions that the mosquitos have made to aid in their
success is how the female mosquitoes have longer stingers
that are used to collect blood from the victims and to help aid
in developing its eggs and babies. The male would be smaller
and would feed on nectar and plants.
There are many negative effects that the
mosquito brings to the ecosystem. Most
seemingly, they serve as a health threat to
many species. They are a easy way for the
spread of disease throughout humans and
animals. Other then the spread of disease, a
sting from the bug can lead to a great deal of
pain.
There are many things being done to remove the
mosquito and help save animals. Some actions major
organizations such as the U.S. Public Health Service
suggest is eliminating standing water in a populated
area, change wet dishes recently, and just find a way
to avoid creating a habitat for the animal. Other
suggestions would be wearing long sleeves and
repellent.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/14020/0
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/blackfootedferret.htm
http://www.defenders.org/black-footed-ferret/basic-facts
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=165
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/marine-iguana
http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-
fungi/nesiota-elliptica-st-helena-olive
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/37598/0
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/37598/0
http://www.arkive.org/st-helena-olive/nesiota-elliptica/
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gray_Jay/id
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Perisoreus_canadensis/
http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/maple_sugar/maple_sugar.htm
http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/pubs/trees.htm
http://webpage.pace.edu/naturespace/Sugar%20Maple.htm
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/aquatic/asian_tiger.htm
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Aedes_albopictus/
http://sites.naturalsciences.org/invasives/mosquito.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1920178
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/aquatic/asian_tiger.htm
https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_acsa3.pdf