Endangered habitat

{{Activity intro
 * Age range=all ages
 * of Participants=medium (6-20)
 * Setting=indoors, outdoors
 * Setup Time=short (0-5 min)
 * Duration=short (5-10 min)
 * Subjects=habitats, environments, endagered species
 * Keywords=habitat, ecosystem, endangered, extinct
 * Materials=several hula hoops
 * Presentation Style=active, interactive, model
 * Description=Endangered habitat is an acitivty where students pretend to be frogs whose habitat is threatened. Their habitat (hula hoops) is slowly taken away. What will they do?!
 * Objectives=*Students will understand how loss of habitats stresses communities of animals and plants
 * Scientific Background=An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters. Also it could mean that due to deforestation there may be a lack of food and/or water. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has calculated the percentage of endangered species as 40 percent of all organisms based on the sample of species that have been evaluated through 2006. (Note: the IUCN groups all threatened species for their summary purposes.) Many nations have laws offering protection to conservation reliant species: for example, forbidding hunting, restricting land development or creating preserves. Only a few of the many species at risk of extinction actually make it to the lists and obtain legal protection. Many more species become extinct, or potentially will become extinct, without gaining public notice.

IUCN Red List Endangered species
Endangered species under the IUCN Red List refers to a specific category of threatened species, and may include critically endangered species.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted as endangered species and fill all the criteria

The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is threatened species, which also includes the less-at-risk category of  vulnerable species together with endangered and critically endangered. IUCN categories include:


 * Extinct: the last remaining member of the species has died, or is presumed beyond reasonable doubt to have died. Examples: Javan Tiger, Thylacine, Dodo, Passenger Pigeon, Tyrannosaurus, Caribbean Monk Seal, Dimetrodon, Aurochs
 * Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples: Alagoas Curassow, Dromedary
 * Critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future. Examples: Mountain Gorilla, Arakan Forest Turtle, Darwin's Fox, Javan Rhino, Brazilian Merganser, Gharial, Vaquita
 * Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Dhole, Blue Whale, Bonobo, Ethiopian wolf, Giant Panda, Snow Leopard, African Wild Dog, Tiger, Indian Rhinoceros, three species of Albatrosses, Crowned Solitary Eagle, Markhor, Orangutan, Grevy's zebra, Tasmanian Devil
 * Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: Cheetah, Gaur, Lion, Sloth Bear, Manatee, Polar Bear, African Golden Cat, Komodo dragon
 * Conservation dependent: The following animals are not severely threatened, but must depend on conservation programs. Examples: Spotted Hyena, Blanford's fox, Leopard Shark, Black Caiman, Killer whale
 * Near threatened: may be considered threatened in the near future. Examples: Blue-billed Duck, Solitary Eagle, Small-clawed Otter, Maned Wolf, Tiger Shark, Okapi
 * Least concern: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Nootka Cypress, Wood Pigeon, Harp Seal, White-tailed Mongoose, House Mouse, Wolverine

Background information taken from: Wikipedia }}