DiscoveryBox

World

£ 4.15 - N. 145 – July/August 2010 issn 1366-9028

special issue

History

s l a im

Andanger i

Science What’s threatening them?

Animals What’s being done to protect them?

Cheetahs Wolves Gorillas Bees Coral Sharks Koalas and more…

Contents DiscoveryBox is a 2010 winner of a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award.

n

Competitio

WWF Fantastic won! e prizes to b 4 page

We live on a beautiful planet...

But all over the world, animals are in danger.

If they disappear, the diversity of life on our planet will be seriously damaged. DiscoveryBox and WWF tell you what’s going on and introduce you to people who are taking action to save our wildlife.

What are the threats?

Deforestation Hunting and fishing Invasive animals Climate change

page 6 page 8 page 10 page 12

Which animals are the most endangered?

In Africa In Europe In America In Asia In Oceania

page 16 page 24 page 32 page 38 page 44

Managing publisher: Christine Auberger. Editorial Manager: Elena Iribarren. Editor in Chief: Simona Sideri. Art Director: Pat Carter. Text and research: Liz Shepherd.

Editor: Caroline Pook. Sales and promotion: Andréa Chhan. Budget Controller: Vincent Delorme.

For editorial queries please contact: Bayard, 1st Floor, 2 King Street, Peterborough PE1 1LT. For a subscription in Switzerland: Edigroup SA - 39, rue Peillonnex - 1225 Chêne-Bourg (Switzerland) - tel: (0041)22 860 84 02 - fax: (0041)22 349 25 92 - e-mail: abobayard@edigroup.ch DiscoveryBox is published by Bayard Presse S.A, a Limited Liability company with a board of Directors and Supervisory Board and a capital of 16,500,000 Euros and having its principal place of business located at 18 Rue Barbès, 92120 Montrouge, France. Board of Directors and Management Committee: Georges Sanerot (Board President and Publication Director), Hubert Chicou, Alain Auge, André Antoni (Managing Directors). Main Shareholders: Assomption, Saint Loup Ltd, N.D.S. Association.

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Under law n°49956 of 16/07/1949 relating to youth publications. All rights reserved to the publisher © Images Doc, Astrapi – Bayard Presse. CPPAP: 0514 K 78793. ISSN 1366-9028 The name, surname and address of our subscribers are passed on to our in-house departments and all organisations under agreement with DiscoveryBox unless we receive a formal instruction not to do so from the subscriber, in which case the above information will only be used to carry out the subscription. Such information may be accessed or modified by the subscriber as specified by the law.

$ OJ UFOUT Constant care Return to the wild Money from tourism Safety in nature reserves

page 50 page 52 page 53 page 54

WWF fighting to protect endangered species page 56

Action around the world page 58

+

Games pages 14 and 48 Quiz and useful internet sites

illustrations: G. Marié.

What are we doing to protect animals?

To subscribe call 01858 438894 (for the uk) or+44(0)1733 565858 (for other countries) Visit our website: www.bayard-magazines.co.uk DiscoveryBox is printed on chlorine-free paper from managed forests.

Right, Hip, it’s time for us to leave!

Hip and Hop Er… I’m not sure where this bit goes…

ion

Competit

in partnership with

ic 10 fantast s WWF prize ! to be won

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s 1st prize: a WWF tiger adoption pack (includes a cuddly toy tiger + updates about biological diversity, ensuring that the use of your tiger 3 times a year + other surprises); renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and 9 runner-up prizes: an adorable wasteful consumption.

WWF plush toy Today, one of the most endangered species is the wild tiger. In the past 100 years, wild tiger numbers have plummeted by around 95%, to as few as 3,200. WWF’s map highlights the increasing threats faced by the species, including habitat loss, illegal trade and climate change. To view or download the map, please visit: www. worldwildlife.org/tigertroublespots.

You can help protect the future of the world’s largest big cat by adopting one.

What to do:

Draw a picture of a tiger and send it by 30th August by e-mail to: contact@bayard-magazines.co.uk or by post to: Bayard, 1st floor, 2 King Street, Peterborough, PE1 1LT, UK.

The 10 best entries will receive a fabulous prize!

Don’t forget to write your name and address and the name of your magazine.

Terms and Conditions: Entry into this competition implies acceptance of these rules and conditions. Open to all readers, other than employees of Bayard Presse and others professionally associated with the magazine and their immediate families. The prizes are as stated and will be awarded to the ten “Best entries” on the draw date. Winners will be notified within 28 days of the competition. The prizes are subject to availability. In the unlikely event of stated prizes being unavailable, Bayard Presse reserves the right to substitute the prize for one of equal value. No cash alternative is available. No correspondence will be entered into. One entry per competition per household. In entering this competition the entrant is agreeing to receive e-mails from Bayard Presse and carefully selected partners. This promotion may be conducted over several different magazines simultaneously. Winners’ names may be published in a future issue of the magazine. Promoter: Bayard Presse, UK Ltd, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill St, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 9EF, UK.

Visit wwf.org.uk to learn more about WWF and see how you can help to protect our beautiful planet.

What are the threats?

Deforestation Hunting and fishing Invasive animals Climate change

Christophe Courteau/Bios

pecies s , h t r a E n egan o Since life b d and disappeared. an are have appe l. But today more th a That’s norm species and 9,000 al 1,300 anim are threatened with es ? plant speci on. What’s going on cti rapid extin

Deforestation Most animals have adapted so that they can live in one specific place, such as the forest, the sea or the mountains… When forests are destroyed, the species that used to live there can’t survive.

Nigel Dickinson - Hélène Camoin/WWF

In Borneo, an island in Asia, bulldozers flatten huge areas of rainforest. The precious wood is sold in Japan and Europe. Forests are replaced by plantations of crops, such as soya and palm oil.

These fast-growing plants soon use up all the richness in the ground.

Forest riches

Humans don’t destroy forests for fun!

The forests contain all kinds of riches: animals, plants, as well as raw materials in the ground. We use the wood to make furniture and we burn it to keep warm and to cook. We also cut down trees so we can extract precious materials from the soil, such as gold, silver or copper. People need forest land to grow crops.

Huge loss

When a forest is burned or cut down, animals aren’t always able to escape.

They may sometimes disappear without us knowing. We don’t yet know about all the plant and animal species that live in the rainforests.

When forests are cleared, there’s nothing to stop the rain and wind thinning the soil. Soon no plants can grow there.

37 football pitches every m That’s the rate at wh inute! ich our ra are being destroyed. inforests

3

ed by n e t a e r h t animals pearance of the disap rest: est o on rainfor f z a n i m A a r e h the ars, big cats of t s of Borneo •Jagu tans, great ape gascar •Orang-u s, lemurs of Mada •Aye-aye

Solutions to deforestation

• Forest management schemes are being set up. Logging (cutting down trees) is allowed, but under strict rules so that the forest isn’t destroyed. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo helps you identify wood products that come from well-managed forests.

• Areas of forest that are fragile can be protected. New reserves and national parks are being set up in many countries.

• People can be educated about this issue. Local people can be helped to make the best use of their forests. Multi-national companies can be encouraged to stop bad practices. Consumers can be taught to only buy wood products from well-managed forests.

Hunting and fishing When wild animals are captured or killed, their species can become endangered.

For this reason, trade in wild animals is illegal. However, poachers still capture or kill some animals as they can make a lot of money from trafficking.

More and more hunting

Humans have always hunted and fished to eat. But today, there are more and more humans and our hunting techniques are very efficient. Greater numbers of animals are now captured – and not just for their meat. Hunters kill bears for the thrill. Monkeys, birds and all kinds of reptiles are sold as pets.

Tigers are killed for their fur.

£7 million

Fewer and fewer fish

Fishing has become a huge industry.

Radar is used to detect shoals of fish and nets can go very deep down.

Today three-quarters of fish species, including cod and anchovies, are overfished. They’re caught before they have reproduced. At this rate, in thirty years’ time, there will be no wild fish left in the oceans.

Vielmo Sabine/Argus/bios - Michel Gunther/Bios

e of ated annual valu This is the estim e in wild animals. the illegal trad

3 baynimpoaals threatened ching:

•Tigers for their fur •Elephants for their •Sharks for their fin tusks s

Rhinoceros horns are made into a powder and sold as medicine in Asia. Since 1977, trade in African rhino horn has been illegal.

But there’s a big demand so poachers still kill them and steal their horns.

Jane Goodall’s work

Jane Goodall is an American primatologist (someone who studies primates: monkeys and apes). She has devoted her whole life to studying chimpanzees in Africa.

She observed that they eat meat and know how to use tools. Thirty years ago she created a foundation to save chimps. Since then, several sanctuaries have been set up in Africa to look after young, orphaned chimps. They’re nursed back to health and taught to live in the wild.

Find out more at: www.janegoodall.org

Invasive animals

Frederic Feve/Bios - Galathée Films /Mathieu Simonet

Some animals travel from one continent to another as secret passengers on boats or planes. Others are released by humans far from the place where they usually live.

If they survive, they can threaten local species.

Red-eared terrapins have been sold in pet shops for a long time. They’re usually small when people buy them. But when they grow larger they can become a nuisance.

So their owners sometimes leave them in ponds where they become a threat to local European pond terrapins.

3 10

als:rope inva-esarivedetearrnapim ins in Eu pe •Red munks in Euro •Siberian chip ibis in Europe •African sacred

Released into the wild

Humans have always taken animals and plants with them when they travel.

But in the last fifty years there have been more and more journeys between continents so many more species have moved around. Also, some exotic animals raised in captivity or kept as pets have escaped from their cages or have been released into the wild in countries where they don’t usually live.

Good at adapting

When animals are released into a new environment, they survive only if the climate and food suit them. If they do survive, they may reproduce. Often their numbers will increase rapidly because they have no natural predators.

Environments are usually balanced, so the number of animals is controlled.

If a new species is introduced it can upset this balance.

10 out of 100

species can adap On average, one t to a new environment. sp will reproduce anecies among those 10 d become invasive .

Protecting native species

Not all species that are introduced to an environment are invasive.

Some new species can fit into an environment without affecting or competing with local species.

To protect native species from invaders, various organizations in different countries are taking action. In the United States, for example, there’s a campaign encouraging people not to carry fire wood from one place to another. Since forest insects survive inside wood where you can’t see them, they can be transported long distances by accident.

11

Climate change Global warming means that animals will have to deal with higher temperatures and longer periods of drought all over the world. It will become more difficult for them to find food. Many species won’t survive.

Klein-Hubert/Bios - Bertrand Guay/AFP

Polar bears hunt and eat seals on sea ice. The ice is melting earlier every year because of global warming, so they don’t have enough time to hunt and build up the reserves of fat they need to survive the cold.

12

3

to threats linked g: globmaerlsionwaofrPmacifinic islands •Sub polar ice caps •Melting ice at in dry areas •Desertification

Greenhouse effect

Since humans have been using coal, oil and gas as energy sources, factories and vehicles have been releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This gas forms a layer in the skies above us that stops the Earth’s heat escaping into space. So gradually, the Earth’s temperature is increasing, like in a greenhouse.

Disruption

Global warming is causing glaciers in mountains and at the poles to melt.

The oceans are heating up and sea levels are rising. Some islands and coastlines will soon be underwater.

Also, seasons are becoming less reliable and more extreme. That’s why we have seen such bad floods and storms as well as droughts in recent years.

0.6°C

This is the increa average temperase in the Earth’s 100 years. It coul ture in the last d in 2 to 5°C betwee crease by a further n now and 2100 .

Fighting global warming

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement on fighting climate change.

It became law on 16 February 2005. 187 states have now signed and ratified the Protocol, excluding the United States, which is one of the biggest polluters and producers of greenhouse gases.

The Protocol commits countries to reducing greenhouse gases and sets targets for the maximum amount of CO2 that rich countries (which create most pollution) are allowed to produce. Most scientists agree that the Kyoto Protocol isn’t the complete answer. But it’s a good start.

Find out more at: www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate

13

Games

1. Find 7 differences between these two pictures of the savannah.

Then work out what the photographer is saying‌

eb nac effarig elam A .llat m6 ot pu 2. This reporter has forgotten the names of the monkeys he photographed. Help him to remember using the letters on the films.

14

Answers on page 59.

Which animals

are the most endangered?

Animals in Africa Animals in Europe Animals in America Animals in Asia Animals in Oceania

Michel Gunther/Bios

e oceans, h t n i d n a inents ed, On all cont nimals are endanger s fa ant all kinds o est – such as eleph igg al. from the b allest – such as cor – to the sm

15

AFRIca

110km/h

This is the cheetah’s top speed when hunting.

Cheetahs !

Look Out! Denis-Huot/Hoa Qui, Shah/jacana

There are fewer than

10,000

cheetahs in the world.

16

Cheetahs may look proud and bold but they’re actually quite shy.

DiscoveryBox interviews a cheetah expert.

Where do cheetahs live?

In the past cheetahs lived in Africa and in Asia, as far east as India. Today there are still a large number in wildlife reserves in eastern and southern Africa. But they have almost disappeared in the north and west. In Asia, there are just a few left in Iran.

Female cheetahs raise their cubs alone.

They have 3 to 8 cubs at one time.

Have you ever been near a cheetah?

Yes, when I visited a care centre in Namibia in southern Africa. If farmers trap cheetahs they take them to the centre. Vets look after them and then release them in areas where there are no herds of cattle.

Are cheetahs aggressive?

Not at all. They’re shy.

They’re scared of people and run away from other predators, such as leopards and lions. As they’re not aggressive, they’re the only wild felines (cats) that can be tamed. But they have never been domesticated because they don’t reproduce easily in captivity.

Are cheetahs protected?

Hunting them is forbidden in all countries in Africa. But their beautiful spotted coats are illegally traded. They’re used to make prayer mats, for example. Cheetahs are also often poisoned by bait put down by farmers to protect their herds.

Supple back Cheetahs curl and uncurl their spine as they run to extend their legs. This helps them go faster.

Long tail Their tail measures 65 to 85cm.

Cheetahs hold their tail up when they run to help them turn.

Long legs Cheetahs’ legs are about 70cm long. They’re proportionately longer than other felines’ legs.

17

Ethiopia

AFRIca

These wolves are the largest members of the dog family in Africa.

Ethiopian wolves !

Look Out!

There are only

500

Michel Gunther/Bios

left in the whole of Ethiopia.

18

Ethiopian wolves are very rare. They’re the size of big dogs and they only live in Ethiopia in East Africa.

Harsh weather conditions

Ethiopian wolves live on the high plateaux (flat areas of land high up in the mountains) of Ethiopia at an altitude of more than 3,000m.

Here, they face strong winds and night-time temperatures of -15°C. Around 300 of the remaining 500 wolves in Ethiopia live in Bale National Park and 50 in Simen National Park.

The others are spread out in about ten groups and never meet.

Health threats

Ethiopian wolves sometimes come across sheep dogs on high pasture lands. The dogs aren’t vaccinated.

They can transmit the rabies virus or canine distemper to the wolves.

Epidemics then break out among the wolf population.

Threat to food

The Ethiopian wolf’s favourite prey is a large rodent called a mole rat that lives only in Ethiopia. During periods of drought, herds of cows are brought up onto the high plains.

As they graze, the cows destroy the mole rats’ tunnels.

This means that Ethiopian wolves can’t find their favourite prey in these areas any more.

Threat to reproduction

When young, female Ethiopian wolves leave their pack, they often come across sheep dogs. They mate with them and give birth to cubs that are half-wolf, half-dog. Scientists are worried that soon there will be no true Ethiopian wolves left.

Pointed muzzle Ethiopian wolves have long jaws.

Their teeth are smaller and more spaced out than those of other members of the dog family.

Bushy tail It’s white at the base and has a black tuft at the end.

Red coat Their fur is short but thick with white patches on the cheeks and inside legs.

Long legs These wolves are the size of a big dog. Their long legs make them look more like a coyote than a dog.

19

AFRIca

Gorillas are the biggest and most powerful of the apes.

big photo : A. et M. Shah/jacana, small photo: Plumptre/OSF/BIOS

Mountain gorillas !

Look Out!

There are only around

700

mountain gorillas living in Africa.

20

Mountain gorillas live in the rainforest in Central Africa. They may look scary but they’re gentle, peaceful animals. Their survival is seriously endangered.

Read on to find out why.

Super-fragile babies

.

Dangerous friendship

Female gorillas give birth to only one baby every four years.

A new-born gorilla weighs 2kg.

Its mother suckles it for two years.

It’s very fragile. The mother holds her baby close to shelter it from the rain but if it gets a chill, it could die of pneumonia.

Scientists and nature enthusiasts are fascinated by gorillas. Tourists pay money to go and see them.

The money from tourism encourages African countries to protect gorillas. But sometimes, tourists can give the big apes viruses, such as the flu!

Shrinking territory

Mountain gorillas live in protected national parks in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The human population is growing fast in those countries and people need to grow crops for food.

Part of one park in Rwanda has already been turned into farm land.

Violent human beings

Poachers still hunt gorillas although it’s illegal. They sell the meat – called ‘bush meat’ – in African markets.

Fighting for minerals

In the Democratic Republic of Congo there’s a rare mineral called coltan. It’s used to make mobile phones, computers and games consoles. People fight over this mineral. More than 3 million people have been killed since 1998 in the fighting. Thousands of gorillas have also been killed in military fire or by mines.

Silverback Adult males are called this, because of the silver hairs on their back.

Large pelvis It helps gorillas to stand up, although they move around mostly on all fours.

Sharp teeth They use these to bite through the hard fibres in the plants they eat.

Bent fingers Gorillas walk by leaning on their fingers.

Only gorillas and chimpanzees walk like this.

Big tummy Gorillas need to eat huge amounts as they’re vegetarians and plants aren’t very nourishing.

21

AFRIca

They’re the biggest land animals.

200kg

of e weight This is th t’s trunk. an an eleph

Elephants

Tusks as valuable as gold

Rouse/NHPA-Cosmos

!

Look Out! There are

600,000

elephants in Africa and they could be extinct by 2025.

22

At the beginning of the 20th century there were around 4 million elephants in Africa. In 1960, there were still 2 million. Then, hundreds of thousands were slaughtered because their ivory tusks had become very valuable. Ivory was used to make jewellery and ornaments.

Disappearing forests

Some elephants live deep in the rainforests of Africa. They like to live in hiding and they need a lot of space. But in the last fifty years, half of Africa’s rainforest has been destroyed so that plantations and crops can be grown. Elephants are victims of this destruction.

Forbidden ivory

In an attempt to save elephants, international trade in ivory and other elephant products was made illegal 20 years ago. But elephants are still under threat. Even if most African countries are against the ivory trade, some continue to sell ivory. Around 38,000 elephants are still killed every year. That’s 104 every day!

Madagascar

They have nails, not claws.

AFRIca

This is a bla ckand-white ruffed lem ur.

What are lemurs?

Lemurs are primates, like humans and monkeys. The smallest are the size of a mouse and the biggest are the size of a fox. Their thick, woolly fur makes them look bigger.

Their feet are like hands with four fingers and

a thumb opposite them.

Lemurs use their hands to climb from tree to tree. They rarely go down to the ground.

Why do they only live in Madagascar?

Lemurs are descended from animals that arrived in Madagascar – an island off the coast of Africa –

35 million years ago. They probably came from Africa and crossed the sea, clinging to floating branches.

In Madagascar they are isolated and have no predators. There are no wild cats on the island. Also, lemurs have no competition as there are no monkeys.

Why are they endangered?

Lemurs need trees for food and shelter. When forests are destroyed, they can’t survive. People in Madagascar need to grow crops. They regularly burn down the forest to clear the land for farming. Today, most lemurs live in reserves where they have some protection.

!

Look Out!

There are around 30 lemur species in Madagascar but there’s a risk that all of them will disappear.

Catherine Jouan, Jeanne Rius

Lemurs

23

EUROPE

Eurasian lynx Eurasian lynx used to live in mountain forests across Europe and Asia. But today, there are few in western Europe. There are still some out of in central Asia. Most are danger! in northern Europe The number of and Russia. lynx in western They’re Europe is the largest 7,000. felines Their numbers are increasing. (cats) in Europe.

Staffan Widstrand

!

24

Shy animals

Lynx live alone and are difficult to observe. The spotted markings on their fur help to camouflage them.

They sleep almost all day and are most active at dawn and dusk when they come out to hunt. Eurasian lynx eat deer and rodents. In Spain and Portugal there’s another even rarer lynx species called the Iberian lynx.

They hunt rabbits and some birds.

Careful eater

Lynx catch and eat about 100 animals per year.

So they don’t hunt every day. When they have eaten enough meat, they hide the rest under leaves, earth or snow. They return over the next few nights to finish the remains.

They leave only the skeleton, skin, stomach and intestines.

20kg is their average weight.

Forest worker

Lynx have an important role as predators (hunters) in the forests.

They generally hunt sick animals or those animals that are most numerous. In this way they help keep down the numbers of herbivores (plant-eaters) and rodents (such as mice, shrews etc) in the forest.

Victims of poaching

Lynx are a protected species. But they’re still regularly killed by poachers’ traps, passing cars and trains. They have been reintroduced to many parts of Europe including Switzerland, Italy and France and are now not in danger.

Spotted fur Lynx have grey or reddish fur, depending on the season.

Retractable claws Lynx walk on their toes. They keep their claws pulled in as they walk.

Short tail This is less than 25cm long. The tip is always black.

Furry pads Lynx have tufts of fur between their toes to stop them sinking into the snow.

25

EUROPE

1

baby every two years.

Photos F.Larrey-T. T. Roger/regard du vivant: www.regard-du-vivant.fr

Fin whales !

Look Out!

Whale hunting is now legal again in many countries.

26

These whales are the second largest animals in the world after the blue whale. They live in all oceans and are the most widespread whales in the Mediterranean Sea. But they’re endangered.

Shy giant

Although fin whales weigh 50 tonnes and are 20m long, they’re hard to spot. They’re shy and often solitary creatures. Experts think there are several thousand that live all year round in the Mediterranean Sea.

Small fin Their dorsal fin is curved. It’s far back on their body.

Fin whales come to the surface to breathe every 5 minutes.

Then they dive back down again.

Danger at sea

Every year, dozens of fin whales are killed by cargo ships, car ferries or military ships that don’t see them. Fin whales are also affected by pollution in the Mediterranean.

It makes them ill and stops them reproducing.

Transmitter beacons

In order to protect fin whales in the Mediterranean, scientists are trying to follow their movements. They have attached beacons to some of them. The beacons transmit signals so the scientists can track the whales.

White belly Fin whales have a white underside and a dark back.

Baleen Fin whales are baleen whales. They have more than 300 baleen plates close together that act as a sieve to catch shrimps.

Illustration Mauricio Wurtz

Long body Their body is long and thin.

This helps them to swim fast.

They can reach a top speed of 40km per hour.

27

EUROPE

Wolves’ yellow eyes shine in the night.

Wolves !

Look Out!

Jorge Sierra/Pho.N.E - bios

Only half of wolf cubs reach adulthood.

28

Good runners

Protected but not loved

Good appetite

Low numbers

In Europe, there are wolves in Spain, Italy and even in France. But they’re often quite difficult to see because they hide. They come out early in the morning and in the evening to hunt. They’re good runners and can reach speeds of 45km per hour.

They can easily cover 60km at a trot in one night.

Wolves eat between 1.5 and 2.5kg of meat per day.

They prefer large prey, such as mountain goats or sheep, stags or wild boars. They hunt animals that are easy to catch and will provide them with the most food. That’s why they sometimes attack farm animals.

Wolves almost became extinct in Europe. Now they’re protected but some people still dislike them.

Shepherds accuse them of killing ewes and putting their herds under stress. Hunters don’t like them because they kill their game.

Every year, a number of wolves are poisoned or shot.

In some countries, there aren’t enough wolves for them to survive.

Scientists think that if there are fewer than 150 wolves – or around 20 packs – in an area, then the wolf population is likely to disappear.

25km/h speed This is the im at. n sw beavers ca

EUROPE

Beavers are the largest rodents in Europe.

Eurasian beavers Beavers weigh about 30kg. Their bodies are heavy and they move around awkwardly on land. But they’re completely at home in the water.

Their feet are webbed and their tail is flat and acts as a rudder. Baby beavers learn to swim a few hours after they’re born.

Lumberjacks

Beavers depend on trees that grow on river banks. They gnaw at the base of a tree trunk until it falls down. In four hours they can bring down a tree with a 25cm diameter – just using their teeth. They eat the bark, leaves and fruit of trees.

They use the branches to make their dams.

Dam builder

Beavers pile up hundreds of tree trunks, branches and pebbles in the middle of a river. They make a dam that slows the water flow and forms a calm pond. The beaver family lives in the pond. They dig their den, called a lodge, into the river bank.

The entrance is underwater so they’re safe there.

Saved

Beavers almost disappeared in Europe between the 16th and 19th centuries. They were hunted for their fur and became extinct in many places, including Great Britain. But they’re now being re-introduced. Beavers are an important part of the ecosystem. The ponds they make are great habitats for other animals.

Here’s a job for a beaver!

!

out of danger!

Beavers are being reintroduced and their numbers in Europe are going up.

Vincent Munier

Champion swimmers

29

1 in 5

bee colonies w as during 2008 an lost d 2009.

EUROPE

Bees weigh less than 1g.

Bees Honey factories Wild flower h on e y

!

Look Out! Jean-Claude Teyssier

The planet’s bio-diversity depends on bees.

30

Bees are famous for their honey.

They have to work very hard to make this delicious food. Forty thousand bees live and work inside one hive. Pollen-gathering bees suck up a sweet juice called nectar from flowers. When they get back to the hive, they pass the nectar to other bees which turn it into honey using their saliva.

Friends of flowers

Bees also gather tiny grains of pollen from flowers to feed the larvae (young) in their hive. As they move from flower to flower, pollen sticks to their body and legs. The bees carry it from one flower to another without knowing it.

This exchange of pollen helps flowers to reproduce and grow fruit and seeds.

Poisoned bees

For the last 10 to 15 years, bee keepers have watched bees die in their millions.

This is happening mostly in industrialised countries. The bees’ environment changed with the introduction of intensive farming.

They can’t find the same variety of flowers any more for gathering nectar and pollen. They’re also poisoned by pesticides.

Hives in cities

There are several campaigns to save bees all over the world.

It’s become illegal to sell certain pesticides that particularly affect bees. Also bee hives are being set up again in cities where there aren’t any pesticides. Bees can produce plenty of goodquality honey in cities.

350g

ght of This is the wei rth. bi at b a bear cu EUROPE

An adult brown bear weighs around 150kg.

Brown bears Bears need to roam across huge areas to find food and shelter.

They’re very shy creatures.

They run away when they sense human beings nearby.

They also avoid roads, dams and railway lines.

Food lovers

Brown bears are omnivores which means they eat anything. They have powerful claws and jaws so they can hunt. But they eat more vegetable matter than meat. Their food is 80% grass, leaves, fruit, buds and roots. They also eat ants and larvae.

Sometimes they may attack sheep.

Endangered species

In the Middle Ages, bears lived all over Europe. But by 1850, they only survived in mountainous areas.

One hundred years later they were almost extinct. The last adult female born in the Pyrenees Mountains in France was shot by a hunter in 2004.

Reintroduction

There are still brown bears in Russia, Scandinavia and many parts of eastern Europe, as well as in the Abruzzi region of Italy. In the last few years they have been reintroduced to the mountains of France and have adapted well.

They have also had cubs. But some shepherds think the bears are a threat to their herds. Now there are plans to reintroduce bears to other areas too.

!

out of danger!

The brown bear’s only predators are human beings.

But they’re protected now and their numbers are going up.

Francisco Marquez/Bios

Solitary travellers

31

United States

North A merica

Bald eagles !

out of danger!

There are

Daniel J. Cox

10,000

32

bald eagle couples living in North America today.

Bald eagles are among the largest birds of prey on the planet. They almost disappeared during the 20th century. Fortunately, measures were taken to protect them.

Guns, poison and electric cables

Bald eagles were accused of catching too many fish. So hunters began to shoot them. There was a cash reward for every eagle killed. At the same time, some of the prey that eagles caught had eaten insecticides. So the birds of prey were poisoned and could not reproduce any more. Also, when electricity came to homes and businesses, power lines were put up. If bald eagles touched two electric cables at the same time, they were electrocuted and died.

Well-protected adults

Symbol of the United States since 1782

Today there are more than 20,000 bald eagles in the United States. Several measures were put in place to save them. Since 1972, the use of certain insecticides has been illegal. So fish are less contaminated. Electric cables were moved further apart so that bald eagles don’t touch them.

Pampered chicks

When there are more than two chicks in a nest, the youngest ones don’t survive.

Scientists can save them by putting them in the empty nest of another female who will look after them. Scientists also take eggs from nests and put them in an incubator.

They raise the chicks and release them in areas where bald eagles don’t live any more.

Huge wings They are rectangular.

When stretched out, they’re 2m long.

24 years This is the old recorded a est ge a bald eag of le.

Piercing eyes Eagles see eight times better than humans.

Hooked beak The eagles use it to tear prey into strips.

Powerful toes Bald eagles have four large toes on each foot. Each toe has a sharp, hooked claw.

33

Great Plains

North A merica

4ea0rs

y

long This is how e for. liv bison can

Bison On the Great Plains

!

Look Out! There are about

150,000

Michel Gunther/Bios

bison left in America.

34

The Great Plains are the vast flatlands in the middle of the United States. In the 16th century millions of bison lived there.

(They’re commonly called buffalo in America.) Native Americans killed bison for food and used their hides to make tepees and clothes. They only killed the number of animals they needed.

Huge mammals

Male bison weigh a tonne and stand 2m tall. Females are slightly smaller.

They’re the biggest land mammals in America.

They eat 25kg of food every day. They graze on grass and tree shoots.

Massacred by Europeans

When Europeans arrived in America, they chased the Native Americans off the plains so that they could live there themselves.

They massacred the bison so that the Native Americans had no food.

The most famous bison hunter was Buffalo Bill who lived at the end of the 19th century. When the railways were built, even more bison disappeared.

Protected at last

Today, bison live in zoos or safari parks. Many are raised for their meat. Only a few thousand live in the wild in nature reserves in the United States and Canada where they’re protected.

Alaska

Sea otters can identify shellfish that are toxic and won’t eat them.

North A merica

Sea otters Sea otters live along the Pacific coast. They move around well on land but they’re better adapted to life in the water. They have webbed feet and a tail that acts as a rudder. Their fur is very thick and protects them from the cold. Female otters spend a lot of time grooming their babies’ fur.

Shellfish fans

Sea otters are one of the few animals that can use tools. They pick up stones and pebbles to break open sea urchin shells and shellfish.

They also eat crabs and starfish.

Hunted and trapped

Sea otters nearly disappeared because of hunting. In the past

they were killed for their fur, which was used to make coats. Today they sometimes get caught in fishing nets. They drown because, although they can dive and swim, they can’t breathe underwater.

Victims of orcas and oil slicks Two sea otter populations in California and Alaska have been protected since 1911 by an international treaty. But recently, 90% of sea otters in Alaska have disappeared. When orcas (killer whales) can’t find enough seals, they attack sea otters. Many sea otters are killed by oil slicks.

The oil ruins their fur so that they’re no longer protected from the cold.

!

Look Out! There are

15,000

sea otters on the north and west coasts of the United States.

A. Maywald/Fotonatura/Bios

Excellent swimmers

35

Galapagos Islands

south America

A row of spines bristles down their back.

30°C This is the f re o temperatu d. o lo b ir the

Marine iguanas Volcanic islands

!

Tuy de Roy/Minden Pictures/J.H. Editorial agency

Look Out!

36

These are the only marine lizards in the world.

The Galapagos Islands are on the equator in the Pacific Ocean.

The islands are 1,000km from the South American continent and belong to Ecuador. Some amazing prehistoric-looking animals live there. One of these is the marine iguana. This is the only place on earth where these lizards live.

Strange lizard

Marine iguanas lie in the sun all day. They need its heat to raise the temperature of their blood to 30°C. When they’re hungry, they dive into the shallow water to find food. As soon as their blood temperature goes down to 24°C, they get out of the water. They stay in the sun to warm up again.

Underwater meal

Marine iguanas are the only reptiles that eat algae. They cling to rocks under the water with their claws and slow down their heart rate to save energy. They graze on the algae growing on the rocks.

The algae are very salty. Glands in the iguanas’ nose clean their blood of the salt. Then the iguanas ‘sneeze’ the salt crystals out of their nostrils.

Threatened by humans

The Galapagos Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

But more and more tourists are going there so it’s not always easy to protect the environment. Marine iguanas are also threatened by oil. Since the oil tanker Jessica ran aground in 2001, the death rate among marine iguanas has gone up.

Guyana

These are the biggest turtles in the world.

south America

1,000m

This is th to which th e depth ey can swim .

Leatherback turtles Leatherback turtles are the largest of all sea turtles. Unlike other marine turtles, their shell isn’t made of scales or attached to their body. It’s made of bony ridges under a leathery skin. That’s how they get their name.

Mysterious creatures

Leatherback turtles are very difficult to observe. Females can be seen when they come to lay their eggs on the beaches in Guyana. But laying eggs on land is tiring and risky for them.

Hunted by humans

Leatherback turtles have been hunted for a long time. An oil extracted from their fat was used to make beauty products. Their eggs

were dug up and sold for a lot of money. Today leatherback turtles are a protected species. But this doesn’t stop poachers stealing their eggs.

Beacons

Leatherback turtles get caught in fishing nets and they drown because they can’t come to the surface to breathe. To avoid this, beacons have been attached to several turtles so they can be followed by satellite. If more is known about their migration routes (where they travel to) then the damage that fishing causes them can be limited.

!

Look Out!

Of the thousands of eggs laid, only one or two grow into adult turtles.

Olivier Grunewald

Largest sea turtles

37

China

Asia

The Chinese call them bear-cats.

National Zoo/UPI/Gamma - Chinaspan/Sunset

Giant pandas

38

!

Look Out! There are fewer than

1,600

giant pandas in China today.

Giant pandas live in the forests in the mountains of south-west China at an altitude of between 1,200 and 3,400m.

It’s illegal to hunt them but poachers still kill them because their fur is worth a lot of money.

Territory halved in 15 years

Pandas live in four different areas in the mountains. There has been deforestation and drought in these places. The bamboo that pandas eat is disappearing.

The human population in China is increasing and new settlements stop pandas moving around freely.

One baby every three years

Pandas are solitary creatures. In April, during the mating season, males and females spend 10 days together. But there are only two days in the year when females can become pregnant. As panda numbers decrease, females don’t always meet a male at the right time. Baby pandas weigh only 150g at birth and their mothers can accidentally kill them by lying on them. The babies are so small that they can easily be crushed.

WWF logo

The World Wildlife Fund was set up in 1961. The panda was chosen as its symbol because it’s one of the most threatened species in the world. In 1979 the Chinese government asked the WWF to help them save the panda. The species is now protected by very strict Chinese laws.

Four specialised clinics

China has set up four research centres where scientists and vets study panda reproduction.

Scientists want to increase the number of pandas being born so they can reintroduce young pandas into reserves.

Cats’ eyes Pandas have very good night-time vision.

Sharp claws Pandas use these to cling on to branches when they climb trees.

Short legs Pandas can easily stand on their hind legs to climb or reach branches.

Black and white coat Giant pandas are the only bears with two colours in their fur.

39

Japan

Asia

3km

This is the d ista their cry can nce carry.

For the Japanese, a crane means happiness.

Red-crowned cranes Living on marshland

There used to be a lot of cranes in Japan, on the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, further south.

They lived on marshlands where they found reed shoots, insects and frogs to eat.

Threatened species

!

Vincent Munier

Look Out!

40

They’re protected but they’re still rare.

Then the marshes were dried out to make way for farms and towns.

The cranes disappeared from Honshu. In 1910 there were only a few left on a marsh in Hokkaido.

Hunting them was made illegal.

They are now classified as a ‘natural treasure’.

The marshes where they live are protected.

Saved from the snow

In 1952 the winter was very harsh.

There were more than 33 starving cranes in Hokkaido. Farmers gave them maize and wheat and they were saved. Since then, crane numbers have been increasing because they’re fed every winter.

Show in the park

Today between 800 and 1,000 cranes live in nature reserves in Hokkaido. Tourists come to admire them all year round.

They’re some of the most elegant and rarest birds in the world.

Siberia

Asia

500

f number o This is the ers living g Siberian ti ild. in the w

Siberian tigers In Russia and China there are about 400 adult Siberian tigers in the wild and around 100 young tigers. There are 500 in zoos around the world. These are descended from 83 tigers that were captured in Siberia.

How did they become so rare?

Siberian tigers were hunted for their fur and for their bones, which are used in Chinese medicine. Tigers were also killed by farmers who were worried they would attack their herds. Today tiger hunting and trading is illegal.

Why are they raised in zoos?

They have to be bred in zoos to keep this tiger species alive. Zoos put them in couples where the male and female aren’t brother and sister or cousins. A female tiger has an average of 2 or 3 cubs per litter.

If she doesn’t look after them, they can be bottle fed.

Are they still endangered?

Yes. Russian forests are being cut down for their wood. So the amount of prey is decreasing and tigers are being chased off their territory. Poachers continue to trap tigers because they can still sell their skin and teeth illegally.

!

Look Out! The Siberian tiger is one of the rarest creatures in the natural world.

Michel Gunther/Bios

How many are left?

41

India

Asia

Their only predators are human beings .

Snow leopards are most closely related to tigers.

Snow leopards

Klein - Hubert/Bios

!

42

Look Out! The number of remaining snow leopards is 7,500.

Mountain cats

Beautiful fur

Sure-footed predator

Grim future

Snow leopards are the only felines that live high up in the mountains. Their home is in central Asia on the slopes of the Himalayas at an altitude of between 2,000 and 4,000m. They can survive icy cold temperatures and amazingly steep mountain sides. They travel dozens of kilometres every day to find food.

Snow leopards will attack prey that is much bigger than them, such as wild boar, stags and mountain sheep. They also hunt smaller animals, such as marmots. In winter when food is scarce, they go lower down the slopes to 2,000m and sometimes attack farmers’ herds.

Snow leopard numbers have decreased dramatically. There are fewer than 8,000 left. They are hunted for their magnificent fur. But their numbers are also decreasing because of changes in the landscape. Snow leopards’ territory is shrinking because more and more livestock herds are grazing at high altitudes.

Snow leopards have been a protected species for more than 50 years. This hasn’t stopped poachers and hunters. To save this species, huge national parks need to be created where snow leopards would have enough space. They don’t thrive in captivity.

Borneo Sumatra

Asia

20m

high This is how e up a tr e ns’ orang-uta . re a s st e n

Orang-utan means ‘man of the trees’ in Malay.

Orang-utans Orang-utans are the only great apes in Asia. They live in the rainforest in two islands in Indonesia: Borneo and Sumatra. During the day they move from branch to branch in search of food. At night they sleep for 10 to 12 hours in a nest high up in a tree.

Fruit eaters

Orang-utans are vegetarians.

They eat mostly fruit. This doesn’t give much energy so they have to eat a lot of it. They can recognise at least 400 types of edible plants. To find enough food they range across a territory as big as 3,500 football stadiums.

Disappearing habitat

Orang-utans could disappear because of deforestation. This is very serious in Indonesia. People are cutting down a huge number of trees. The wood is sold all over the world to make furniture, flooring and decking. The cleared land is then used for farming.

Victims of poaching

Poachers kill female orang-utans so they can capture their babies.

The babies are sold in Asia as pets.

Sometimes, poachers are arrested by the police. The babies are then taken to orphanages where they’re fed. Then they have to learn to find food for themselves before they can be returned to the forest.

!

Look Out! There are fewer than

20,000

orang-utans left.

D. J. Cox/OSF/Bios

Great apes of Asia

43

indian ocean

One coral reef can give shelter to 4,000 fish species.

oceania

Coral

!

Pascal Kobeh

Look Out!

44

Coral reefs are essential to marine bio-diversity.

Strange creatures

Coral isn’t a rock. It’s the skeleton of tiny animals called polyps! They live in huge colonies, all stuck together.

They eat mostly algae, as well as plankton (microscopic organisms). They can even stun small fish with their tentacles and pull them into their stomach. Polyps produce limestone, which forms their hard skeleton – coral. Thousands of these skeletons together form a reef.

Fish heaven

Coral reefs provide shelter and food for fish. They can hide among the coral when they’re in danger.

Fish, starfish and sea urchins also eat coral.

Under attack

Coral reefs are delicate and fragile.

Divers’ flippers, boat anchors, fishing nets, pollution and rising sea temperatures all destroy coral.

About one third of coral reefs have already disappeared as a result of these problems.

The sea is too hot

Coral develops in warm seas, such as the Indian Ocean.

It needs temperatures above 20°C. But global warming has increased sea temperatures and this kills coral. When coral dies, many fish disappear too.

300

indian ocean

f number o This is the eir jaw. teeth in th

oceania

They live in all seas in the world.

Great white sharks Like most sharks, great whites are awesome hunters. Their highly developed sense of smell, their swimming speed and their sharp teeth make them excellent predators. They’re at the top of the food chain and feed on smaller fish, seals and sea lions.

Bad reputation

Great white sharks are said to be dangerous killers. But they rarely attack humans. When they do, it’s often because they have confused a surfer’s board with a sea lion.

Their name comes from their white underside and their size – they can be up to 6m long and are the biggest meat-eating sharks.

Shark fin soup

Great white sharks are threatened with extinction. They’re fished for their flesh and their fins are a delicacy in China where they’re used to make soup. Their teeth are sold for a lot of money and are used to make necklaces.

Some protection

If great white sharks disappear, the food chain that depends on them will change. It’s now illegal to fish them in Australia and South Africa. Some organisations are trying to make sure great whites survive. They fix transmitters to some sharks so they can follow their migration. The aim is to find out where the sharks reproduce so those areas can be protected.

!

Look Out! About

200,000

sharks are killed every day.

Amos Nachoum/Un. Press. Com

Sea predators

45

Australia

oceania

Their name means ‘no drink’ because they hardly ever drink!

Koalas

Unique animals

!

Look Out! Klein - Hubert/Bios

Every year

46

4,000

koalas are killed by dogs or run over by cars.

Koalas aren’t like any other animals. They don’t belong to the bear family as is often thought. They’re marsupial mammals like kangaroos.

This means that their babies are born and then climb inside a pouch on their mother’s belly where they grow. But koalas are very different to kangaroos.

Special diet

Koalas live in the middle of Australia, in eucalyptus forests.

Eucalyptus leaves are the only food that agrees with them.

These leaves contain a poison called cellulose that koalas can digest. They carefully choose the less toxic leaves.

70cm

This is the ir size.

Big sleepers

Koalas eat 500g of leaves per day.

This food gives them very little energy. So they save energy by sleeping for 18 to 22 hours a day up in the trees. They spend the rest of the time collecting leaves to eat.

Defenceless animals

Koalas have few natural predators.

For a long time, human beings were their main predators and hunted them for their fur. Today it’s illegal to hunt koalas. But they’re in danger because eucalyptus forests are being cut down so the land can be used for farming.

New Guinea

55 days

as This is when baby echidn s. ine sp ng start growi

oceania

Their brains seem complicated and are being studied by scientists.

A kind of hedgehog?

Echidnas have spines all over their back and they also roll up into a ball when they’re disturbed, just like hedgehogs do. But the two animals aren’t related. Echidnas have a long snout, like anteaters.

They use it to dig in the ground and look for food.

Living fossil

Echidnas and duck-billed platypus are the only survivors of a family that has died out. They’re called monotremes. They’re mammals that lay eggs but then suckle (feed milk from the breast) their young.

Monotremes existed millions of years ago but this family has almost disappeared. That’s why echidnas are so interesting to study.

Two types of echidnas

There are two types of echidnas.

The first are short-beaked echidnas that live in Australia. They eat ants and termites. The second are long-beaked echidnas that live in New Guinea. They’re bigger and feed mostly on earth worms. The long-beaked echidnas are the ones threatened with extinction.

!

Look Out! Long-beaked echidnas are endangered.

Their habitat has been reduced by 70% .

Hunting trophy

Echidnas have few natural predators. When they’re in danger, they roll into a ball or bury themselves in the ground leaving only a pile of spines showing! But they’re threatened by human beings. The people of New Guinea eat echidnas. Dogs are specially trained to hunt them.

Widstrand/Naturepl.com

Echidnas

Copy cat!

47

Games

1. Give each feline it’s correct name.

Then enter each one in the table according to its weight. Use the four clues to help you.

The animals aren’t drawn to their true proportions.

A

B

Four clues

1. The puma is in the middle.

2. The lion is heavier than the puma.

3. The jaguar is lighter than the tiger and heavier than the panther.

4. The tiger is heavier than the lion.

C

Heaviest animal

Lightest animal

E

D 2. Which of these 5 ostriches will arrive first? It doesn’t have a long neck or tail feathers sticking up.

3. To find out an ostrich’s top speed, count the eggs, bushes and trees and do the following sum: eggs

x

bushes

x

trees km/h

A

D

B

E

C 48

Answers on page 59.

What

are we doing to protect animals?

J. m. Labat - F. Rouquette/Bios

e all over l p o e p , y l e Fortunat to save g n i y r t e r a the world imals and n a d e r e g n enda planet’s e h t t c e t o pr y. bio-diversit

Constant care Return to the wild Money from tourism Safety in nature reserves WWF and other actions

49

Constant care The people of the Bijagos sea turtles The Bijagos archipelago is off the west coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s formed of 80 islands but only 20 are inhabited. The people who live there have always looked after nature. The islands are an amazing natural treasure.

Poilao, island of the turtles

The island of Poilao is inhabited. Every year, between 5,000 and 10,000 female green turtles go there to lay their eggs on the beach. The young green turtles hatch 30 to 40cm beneath the sand. All the eggs in a nest hatch at the same time. As soon as they come out of the sand, the tiny turtles set off together towards the sea.

50

AFRIca Gambia Senegal

Islands protect

Guinea-Bissau Bijagos Islands

Atlantic Ocean

Guinea

Saved from vultures

Jean-François Hellio - Nicolas Van Ingen

A villager spots some vultures in the palm trees by the beach.

He knows that they’re looking for baby turtles. So he goes to help the turtles reach the sea safely. According to Bijagos tradition, no blood, not even a turtle’s blood, should be spilled on the island.

Safe in the ocean

Hundreds of baby turtles reach the ocean. They swim using their front flippers. As adults they will weigh 300kg.

51

A s ia

Russia

Ulan Bator

Mongolia

China

Return to the wild Saving Mongolian horses

Mongolian wild horses, also called Przewalski’s horses, are the last wild horses in the world. They had almost disappeared but an organisation managed to save them and reintroduce them to Mongolia.

Learning to be free

In the 20th century, Mongolian horses could only be found in zoos around the world. In 1994, 11 horses were released in a nature reserve in France. The climate and vegetation there are similar to that of Mongolia. Slowly, the horses began to find food for themselves.

They survived the winter. They formed family groups just as their ancestors had done. By 2003 there were already 55 of them.

In the land of their ancestors

52

In 2004, 12 of the horses were flown to Mongolia. Then they travelled to the steppes (plains) by truck. The local people were delighted to see them.

But how would the horses adapt?

They had to learn to walk on sandy soil, face wolves living in the area and survive temperatures of -40°C.

Successful return

The 12 horses managed to survive the winter. They coped with the cold and learned how to keep the wolves at a distance. In the spring of 2005, people observed the horses mating.

Soon the first foals were born.

Other group of horses were brought from France to join them.

AFRIca

Money from tourism Villagers in Niger show off their giraffes

Algeria

Libya

Niger

Niamey Kouré

Nigeria

West African giraffes have paler spots than other giraffes.

They used to live across West Africa but in 2006 there were only 130 left, in Niger near the village of Kouré. The local people saved them.

Humans and giraffes live side by side

Learning about giraffes

Christophe Courteau - Véronique Savigny

The teacher has drawn a giraffe to explain how these mammals live and how they can be protected.

The people who live in this area of Niger are farmers. They grow millet and have herds of goats and cows. Beyond their fields is the bush (countryside), which is where the giraffes live. But the giraffe’s territory is getting smaller because of crop farming. This means the giraffes have to move around to find food.

Giraffes damage crops

The giraffes’ favourite food is acacia leaves. As they wander around looking for food, they sometimes walk through the fields and trample the crops. The farmers know the giraffes don’t eat millet. But they have to protect their crops. So they try to chase the giraffes off the fields without hurting them.

A good solution

Now the giraffes bring money to Kouré.

Tourists want to see the last West African giraffes and local people can act as their guides. They wait for tourists along the only tarred road and take them into the bush in four-wheel drive vehicles. The tourists pay for the trip, so now the people who live in Kouré benefit from the giraffes and are keen to protect them.

53

Safety in nature reserves R angers look after white In Kenya, rhinos live in huge national parks. In Nakuru National Park there are a lot of rhinos. But in Meru Park there aren’t enough. Rangers sometimes capture rhinos in Nakuru and release them in Meru. Find out how.

Morning flight by helicopter

54

As dawn breaks on Nakuru National Park, and while it’s still cool, rangers prepare the helicopter. A vet gets into the helicopter with a dart gun and they take off. They fly over a rhino that the rangers have been watching for several days. The vet shoots and the tranquillising dart hits the rhino’s thigh. The rhino carries on running for several hundred metres. Suddenly it stops and collapses. Now it’s unconscious.

The park rangers on the ground drive towards the rhino in a truck.

AFRIca Ethiopia

Kenya

rhinos

Somalia

Nairobi

Pain-free capture

The rangers spray the rhino with water and cover its eyes to protect them from the burning sun. They take a blood sample.

Analysing the rhino’s blood will provide information about the animal’s background and its health.

Indian Ocean

Michel et Christine Denis-Huot

Tanzania

Gentle persuasion!

A ranger saws off the rhino’s horn while it’s still tranquillised.

This doesn’t hurt. It will stop poachers killing the rhino for its horn. Once the rhino is awake, 20 rangers push it into a transport box. In eight hours’ time, it will be released 280km away in Meru National Park.

55

WWF fighting to protect endangered species The World Wildlife Fund is the most important worldwide organisation for the protection of the environment.

The WWF is actively involved in projects around the world to preserve threatened species and their habitats and to protect them from human activity. Find out about five WWF initiatives.

Protected species in the Mediterra

nean

The WWF and other organisations are involved in MedPan, a network across more than 20 countries that protects the Mediterranean Sea. There are many diverse animal species in the Med iterranean including bottlenose dolp hins, fin whales, monk seals and red coral…

But the Mediterranean is becomin g more and more fragile. It’s being ruined by inte nsive fishing, tourism, transport by sea, and various types of pollution, includin g plastic bags. Protected Marine Area s have now been set up. Threatened spec ies are safe here and can reproduce.

Find out more at: www.medpan.o rg

Monitoring trade in animals

56

and the International Union for TRAFFIC was created by the WWF wild a network that monitors trade in Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It’s European the ng aski is ork the TRAFFIC netw animals and plants. At the moment and rk) species: spiny dogfish (or mud sha Commission to limit trade in two . ans fished and eaten by hum porbeagle sharks. These sharks are .org affic w.tr Find out more at: ww

www.wwf.org.uk

Tracking species

To protect leatherback turtles from fishing nets, we need to know their migration routes (where they travel) through the world’s ocea ns. This can be done using radio-tracking. A sate llite beacon is fixed to a turtle’s back so that its journey can be followed on a computer. The WW F followed one turtle called Aïtkanti in this way . It had a beacon fitted in South America.

It was tracked swimming all the way across the Atlantic, past northern France and on towards Gre at Britain.

Guyana rainforest reserve

Diver: PH. Robert, PN Port-Cros Turtle: WWF Canyon, Tanya Petersen Guyana: WWF Canon, Michel Gunther

America there In the north-eastern part of South ian rainforest. zon Ama are 650 million hectares of sts. It’s also fore rain et’s plan the of That’s one third There are ld. wor home to 10% of all species in the ans, South caim k blac as endangered animals, such e areas Som los. adil arm t gian and rs American tapi They use ers. digg gold are particularly threatened by age dam they and n, utio poll ses mercury, which cau n bee has F WW the soil. For more than 20 years the . ana Guy in Park l campaigning for a Nationa

Calling all children

Children who are growing up now will soon be responsible for our planet’s eco-system. WWF has launched the One Planet Schools campaign. The aim is to encourage children to think about how our lifestyle affects the planet and to learn how to live in a more sustainable way that protects our environment.

Find out more at: www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/working_with_schools/ about_one_planet_schools

57

Action around the world There are still too many endangered species.

But there are laws and regulations in place to protect them.

Since 1972 the United Nations has organised

a world conference on the environment every ten years. Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, 158 countries have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity. Countries that sign agree to ensure the survival of the different species that live on their territory.

The next Earth Summit is scheduled for 2012 and will be held in Rio again.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global environmental network of governments, scientists and organizations. It keeps a ‘red list’ of endangered species which is constantly updated. This shows which species are the most endangered and need the greatest protection.

- Shark - Turtle - Pan

You can get involved too!

. .

The European Union (EU) is a group of 27 countries that act together on economic and political issues. It also lays down rules for protecting nature.

Every country in the EU must respect these laws. Almost all EU countries have had to take measures to protect birds. They have changed their hunting-season start dates and the number of species they’re allowed to hunt.

In many countries, human activity is threatening animals. But many protected areas have been created. In the UK there are 15 national parks, for example.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is an agreement between governments to make sure that trade in endangered species doesn’t threaten their survival. Customs officials stop people at borders if they’re trading in live wild animals, their parts or products.

nda.org/what_ species, visit the WWF at: wwf.pa for more information on endangered we_do/endangered_species/ , for example: r own organizations protecting them most endangered species have thei Rhinos – www.rhinos-irf.org/white rg Tigers – www.savethetigerfund.o org.uk dcs. w.w ww – Whales and dolphins f.org w.aw ww African animals – www.bornfree.org.uk itats: www.rspb.org.uk for protection of birds and their hab ect the planet: for things that you can do to prot reen_up_your_life.html www.foe.co.uk/learning/youth/g ml www.littlerotters.org.uk/kidzone.ht g.uk www.recyclezone.or web/index.htm www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/kids www.chewonthis.org.uk

..

58

Answers to games Page 14

Page 48

1. The 7 differences are:

1. From the heaviest to the lightest:

tiger (E), lion (B), puma (C), jaguar (D), panther (A).

2. Ostrich C will arrive first.

An ostrich’s top speed is 70km per hour (7 eggs x 5 bushes x 2 trees = 70).

Back cover quiz The photographer is saying, “A male giraffe can be up to 6m tall.”

1B the orang-utan; 2A spotted; 3A Madagascar; 4C a beaver; 5A nose; 6C less than 1g; 7B an animal; 8A on the Great Plains.

2. The monkeys’ names are :

gorilla, grivet, mandrill, gelada, hamadryas, baboon, chimpanzee.

DiscoveryBox in September New look DisocveryBox re

u t u f e h t s of l a i r e t a M

Close up to a lion family k s a m l a r e n u f s ’ n u m a Tuta nkh g Boomeran Chimpanzee true story s r a s t n ia s s u R e h T And much, much more…

Right...

Our vehicle is ready and we can leave now!

Byeee…

Goodbye, everyone!

Enjoy your new look magazine… without us. Sob!

59

N. 145

MEGA-QUIZ 1. The biggest Asian ape is:

2. A jaguar’s fur is:

A

the gorilla

A

spotted

B

the orang-utan

B

striped

C

the baboon

C

plain

3. Lemurs live in:

4. The biggest rodent in Europe is:

A

Madagascar

A

a rat

B

Hawaii

B

a squirrel

C

Australia

C

a beaver

5. Marine iguanas get rid of salt through their:

6. A bee weighs:

nose

A

100g

B

mouth

B

10g

C

ears

C

less than 1g

7. Coral is:

8. The bison or American buffalo uesd to live:

Answers on page 59.

A

a rock

A

on the Great Plains

B

an animal

B

in the Rocky Mountains

C

a plant

C

in the Mississippi River

www.bayard-magazines.co.uk

A