Save the Planet Series: Book 1 by Teacher Superstore

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Written by Amelia Ruscoe & Naomi Budden. Illustrations by Melinda Brezmen. © Ready-Ed Publications - 2005. Published by Ready-Ed Publications (2005) P.O. Box 276 Greenwood Perth W.A. 6024 Email: info@readyed.com.au Website: www.readyed.com.au

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Permission is granted for the purchaser to photocopy sufficient copies for non-commercial educational purposes. However, this permission is not transferable and applies only to the purchasing individual or institution.

ISBN 1 86397 623 X

Foreword Save The Planet – Book 1 (Language Themed Activities) addresses contemporary issues relating to the plight of our natural environment. The book aims to strengthen language skills while challenging students to consider the consequences of human activities upon the environment. The content of each language task urges students to embrace an environmentally sustainable lifestyle and provides information for adopting a balanced approach to living within a complex and fragile environment.

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Each unit builds upon the knowledge gained from the previous theme, and broadens student vocabulary to equip them to comprehend and apply their new knowledge to increasingly complex environmental issues.

Comprehensive background information, teachers’ notes, relevant websites, answers and additional activities have also been included to support the teaching of each unit. Other books in this series include: Save The Planet – Book 2 (Science & Environment Themed Activities)

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Contents r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

Foreword ........................................................................ 2 Teachers’ Notes .............................................................. 4 Curriculum Links............................................................. 5 Background Information for Teachers ......... 6 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 7 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 8 Answers ..................................................... 9

Background Information for Teachers ......... 30 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 31 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 32 Answers ..................................................... 33

Natural Resources

Spotted-tailed Quoll

Background Information for Teachers ......... 10 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 11 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 12 Answers ..................................................... 13

Background Information for Teachers ......... 34 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 35 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 36 Answers ..................................................... 37

Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 15 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 16 Answers ..................................................... 17

Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 39 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 40 Answers ..................................................... 41

Recycling

National Parks

Background Information for Teachers ......... 18 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 19 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 20 Answers ..................................................... 21

Background Information for Teachers ......... 42 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 43 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 44 Answers ..................................................... 45

Pollution

Zoos and Wildlife Sanctuaries

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Threatened Species

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Ecological Footprints

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Background Information for Teachers ......... 22 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 23 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 24 Answers ..................................................... 25

Background Information for Teachers ......... 46 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 47 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 48 Answers ..................................................... 49

Biodiversity

Help for Wildlife

Background Information for Teachers ......... 26 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 27 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 28 Answers ..................................................... 29

Background Information for Teachers ......... 50 Student Page: Focus on Reading ................. 51 Student Activity: Focus on Language .......... 52 Answers ..................................................... 53 REFERENCES ............................................ 54

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Teachers’ Notes

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Save The Planet has been designed to encourage students to investigate aspects of our environment which are under threat due to human activities and consumption. By building a framework of familiar environmental terminologies and concepts, the book aims to promote an understanding of the progress that is being made towards creating a sustainable planet. Aspects addressed include natural resource use, renewable energy sources, biodiversity, pollution, recycling and conservation.

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Each unit includes a student reading passage (Focus on Reading) for the students to read either in a whole class situation, in small focus groups, independently or as part of a home study assignment. Each ‘Focus on Reading’ blackline comes with background information for the teacher and websites relevant to the topic. Teachers’ notes also include discussion questions to encourage the students to comprehend, assess and form opinions about what they have read.

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The material can be taught as whole units of work in conjunction with the Science and HSIE /SOSE / Society & Environment activities in Save the Planet Book 2. Alternatively, the activities within each unit can be used to complement existing environment based programs.

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The student reading passage in each unit is supported with a ‘Focus on Language’ page which includes language-based activities to clarify definitions and promote familiarity of new words and their spelling within the text. The activities also provide comprehension questions to assist in developing an understanding of the new concepts being introduced.

The ‘Focus on Language’ page directly relates to the ‘Focus on Reading’ page, providing a practical and informative reading program. Answers are provided on the accompanying teacher resource pages at the end of each theme.

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Curriculum Links For the activities in the Save The Planet series, a cross-curricular approach is taken and many learning areas are covered in the activities. A summary of the key strands from each state is provided with the focal state outcomes listed below. Please note that learning areas and strand headings will vary from state to state and therefore not all suggested strands and outcomes will address the same activities. All activities are aimed at Level 3-4.

Subject Areas / Strands

Science Working Scientifically (Investigating Scientifically) • Works methodically through a scientific experiment to formulate and investigate predictions, gather data and record outcomes. • Uses scientific understandings to develop responsible behaviours such as recycling materials or being “water-wise”, “energy-wise”. • Argues conclusions on the basis of collected information and personal experience. • Compares ways of solving problems and finding explanations. • Identifies ways science is used responsibly in the community.

Vic: BS 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, ES 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, PS 3.1, 4.1

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WA: IS3.3, IS3.4, IS4.3, IS4.4 EB3, EB4, EC3, EC4, LL3, LL4 National: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 3.9, 3.13, 3.16, 3.18. Level 4 equivalents. NSW: BE S3.1, IC S3.2, LT S 3.3, PP S3.4, PS S3.5, ES S3.6, INV S3.7, DM S3.8

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Earth Sciences/ Earth and Beyond • Examines the various sources of energy used by humans and the impact of mining and burning of fossil fuels versus use of renewable energy sources. • illustrates ways that used of the earth’s resources can change the physical environment.

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State Outcomes

Energy and Change • Reports on patterns of energy use at home and at school. Investigate the systems in which various forms of energy are transferred. • Compares energy options available in the community.

QLD: SS 3.2, 3.3, EB 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, EC 3.2, 3.3, LL 3.1, 3.3, NPM 3.1, 3.2, 3.3

Life and Living • Understands how living things depend on the features of the natural and built environment (considers and designs appropriate living requirements for animals and humans). • Maps relationships between living things in a habitat. • Explains why some living things have become extinct and identifies threats to current endangered species.

SA SA: ES 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2; EC 3.3, 3.4, 4.3, 4.4, LS 3.5, 3.6, 4.5, 4.6, 3.1, 3.2 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.8

Place and Space • Considers how humans care for the environment by using “friendly” alternatives. • Investigates how local environments such as the home and school can participate in responsible practices. • Identifies issues that arise when people’s actions affect other living things and places.

WA WA: ICP3.2, ICP3.3, ICP3.4, ICP4.3, ICP4.4, PS3.1, PS3.2, PS3.3, PS4.1, PS4.2, PS4.3, R3.2, R3.2, R4.1, R4.2, TCC3.2, TCC3.3, TCC4.2, TCC4.3, NSS3.1, NSS4.1

Society & Environment / SOSE / HSIE

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Resources • Understands that alternative resources such as wind, solar and hydro-power are being sought as solutions to the threat of environmental destruction and depletion of fossil fuels.

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Natural Systems • Describes the components of a natural system such as the water system or ecosystem, and considers how humans are influenced by, and can influence, this system. • Illustrates the linkages between rights and responsibilities for members of a community.

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Time, Continuity and Change Understands why the local community and global environments have changed or are likely to change.

Vic: TIme, Cont. and Change 3 (3.2), Natural and Social Systems 3 (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), Place and Space 3 (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2), Resources 3-4 (3.1, 4.1, 4.3)

National: TCC 3.1b, 3.3, PS 3.4, 3.5, 4.5, 3.6, 4.6, R 3.10, 4.10, 3.12, NSS 3.13, 3.14, ICP 3.16, 3.17

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Investigation, Communication and Participation • Presents information to explore a key idea. • Frames questions and identifies sources of information.

English Speaking and Listening • Participates in a range of speaking and listening activities such as debates, peer interviews, presentations and role-play. Reading / Viewing • Engages in research to locate additional information and word meanings to enhance topic understandings. Writing • Expresses understanding of topics in a variety of creative and formal written formats, including stories, debating topics, signwriting, newspaper articles, reports and letters.

NSW: ENS3.5, ENS3.6, SSS3.7, SSS3.8

QLD: TCC 3.1, 3.4, 4.5, PS 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, D3.6, 4.1, 4.2, SRP 3.1, 3.5, D3.7, 4.1, 4.5

SA: Time, Cont., & Change 3.3, Place, Space & Env. 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, Society & Culture 3.9 Vic: SL 3.1, 3.2, 3.4; RE 3.5a & b, 3.8 a & b; WR 3.9, 3.10 WA: SL 3.1a & b, SL 4.1a & b, 3.2; R 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4; W 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, V 3.2, 4.2 National: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.8a & b, 3.9 NSW: TS 3.1, 3.2; RS 3.6, WS 3.9 QLD: Cu 3.1, 3.2, 3.3; Cr 3.2, 3.3 SA: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Ecological Footprints

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The study of the origins of language is very interesting. Anyone involved in the field of science will know that every living thing on earth is given a scientific name with usually Latin or Greek derivatives. Strict guidelines for classification called the International Rules of Nomenclature are followed all around the world (Note: nomenclature means naming). The scientific name is always written in Latin because it is a “dead” language that means the meaning of words do not change over time.

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However, the world ecology is derived from a Greek word “oikos” that means home. Whenever a word ends with “ology” it refers to “the study of something”, e.g. parasitology – the study of parasites; biology – the study of life; and so on. So ecology literally means “the study of the home”, the home referring to the environment of a plant or animal (including the non-living elements of matter and energy). The study of ecology includes an organism’s interactions within its environment and with other organisms.

The term “footprint” used in this lesson acknowledges that each and every organism impacts on the world in some way. Of course the impact need not be a negative one, but unfortunately, we are currently witnessing more negative than positive impacts of one particular organism – Homo sapiens – human beings.

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Humans are currently impacting on the earth at a greater level than is sustainable. In very simple terms this is basically the compounding result of: • significantly increasing world populations; and • the over-exploitation of resources made possible by powerful technologies. How can this be solved? Should the world strive for population decrease? Should we decrease the level of natural resources consumption? Or should we be focusing on new solutions in sustainability? Maybe it is a combination of all three that will be required.

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www.lead.org/leadnet/footprint/intro.htm www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm (Latin) (from University of Notre Dame www.nd.edu/)

/ DISCUSSION POINTS • Why is population growth so detrimental to the environment? • Is it possible for us to not deplete the natural resources of the world? • Why is the ecological footprint of a person living in Australia or America so much greater than one living in India? • What can be done to reduce ecological footprints?

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FOCUS ON READING

Student Information Page

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It is no secret that around the world we are witnessing and participating in a range of activities that are having a detrimental effect on our environment.

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Many experts, such as environmental scientists, ecologists, conservationists and restorationists, are working to solve these environmental problems. However, solving environmental problems is not as easy as simply reducing population growth. All detrimental impacts and their causes need to be addressed together to achieve sustainable living.

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The way this is happening is through: • population growth; • increasing use of our natural resources; • destruction of wildlife habitats; • extinction of plants and animals (loss of biodiversity); • poverty; • pollution.

For example, it takes about 10.9 hectares of land to sustain each person in Australia, as opposed to only one hectare to sustain a person in India. But if you look at the compounding effect of population on the use of natural resources, the impact of India as a country is much greater than Australia because their population is so much higher. (See figure below.)

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For the world to be sustainable, it would mean that all people’s basic needs can be satisfied without the depletion of natural resources for current and future generations of humans and all other species.

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To understand the compounding effect of environmental damage to the planet, often environmentalists refer to a person’s ecological footprint. A person living in Australia or the United States of America has a high environmental impact per person because of the amount of natural resources individually being consumed compared to, say, a person living in India.

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As the standard of living increases in all countries around the world, so does the pressure on natural resources. If the entire world population of 6.1 billion consumed as much as each Australian, we would require the land area of three worlds. However, all humans should have the same standard of living and this is where we get back to sustainability. Our use of natural resources has to become less wasteful, so that our ecological footprints are considerably reduced. PAGE 7

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Student Information Page

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Ecological Footprints

A) Find each new word in the puzzle.

New Words List

B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

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•Ecology ______________ _____________________ _____________________ •Biodiversity __________ _____________________ _____________________ •Detrimental __________ _____________________ _____________________ •Sustainable ___________ _____________________ _____________________ C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. ecological witness biodiversity detrimental destruction extinction poverty sustainable depletion population

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D) There are six words hidden in the puzzle which describe living things or where they can be found. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 7.) e_v________

Read the text on page 7 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Name three things which are having a detrimental effect on our environment. B) What kinds of ‘experts’ might work to solve these environmental problems? C) What is meant by ‘sustainable living’? D) (i) What is an ‘ecological footprint’? (ii) Rate your ecological footprint on the following scale. Please cirlce. low impact on the environment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 high impact on the environment E) Do you think the amount of natural resources used by people in Australia is fair for everyone? Yes / No Why? PAGE 8

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ANSWERS

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D) See diagram below.

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A)See diagram below.

A) •population growth; •increasing use of our natural resources; •destruction of wildlife habitats; •extinction of plants and animals; •poverty; •pollution.

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wildlife B) Check dictionary meanings. © ReadyEdPubl i ca t i onshabitat plants animals C) Teacher to check. planet •f orr evi ew pur poses onl y• environment

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B) Environmental scientists, ecologists, conservationists and restorationists.

C) Sustainability is a state where all people’s basic needs can be satisfied without the depletion of natural resources.

D) (i) An ‘ecological footprint’ is a term used to describe the amount of environmental damage or impact an individual or a country has on the earth. (ii) Answers will vary. E) Answers will vary.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Natural Resources

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Natural resources can be likened to the natural capital of our countries and world. ‘Capital’ traditionally refers to accumulated wealth owned by a person, business or country. Natural capital is a source of wealth used to support life – natural resources, living systems and ecosystem services. It provides all the requirements to sustain life now and in the future for humans and just as importantly, for all other animals and plants on the earth.

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Just as with traditional capital, natural resources have been given different ‘values’. Rice and wheat plants have significantly high value to humans in being staple food resources. Fossil fuels currently supply us with the majority of our energy resources. However, applying a value to natural elements is subjective – influenced by personal opinions, beliefs and understanding.

Take for example, the passage in the reading about snakes. Some people highly value certain species of snakes and will pay large sums of money to have these animals in their collection. Unfortunately, international illegal trade in such animals is high. Others fear snakes, regardless of whether they are any threat or not. These people feel snakes have no possible value and many snakes are killed even though in Australia this is an illegal practice. However, to ecologists, snakes have another value altogether because they can see how snakes belong to the ‘web of life’. Like every other living thing they have value in maintaining the environmental balance needed for ecological health.

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We know that many things occurring naturally in the environment have yet to be examined for their possible medicinal qualities or other use or value to humans as a natural resource. This is another strong motive to protect natural environments. However, there is another even more important reason – all elements of our natural world have an inherent right to exist regardless of value. When we think in these terms, we are compelled to regard the world not so much as what it can give to us, but what we, as humans, can give to the world to ensure sustained ecological health now and for the future.

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www.nrm.qld.gov.au/education/index2.html water.usgs.gov/education.html (containing a trivia game on water basics) interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/fun/trivia.htm

/ DISCUSSION POINTS • What do you consider to be the world’s most valuable resources? • Discuss the differences between renewable, potentially renewable and non-renewable resources. • Should all natural environments be preserved? How could this be achieved? P A G E 1 0 SAVE THE PLANET

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FOCUS ON READING

Student Information Page

Natural Resources

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Natural resources can be renewable, nonrenewable or potentially renewable. Energy from the sun, tides and wind are examples of resources which have little chance of running out. These are known as renewable resources. Fossil fuels and minerals take so long to be produced naturally, that they are considered nonrenewable resources.

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A resource is anything that has value to humans. Resources can either come from nature or from humans. Human resources include everything that has been achieved through development and civilisation, as well as cultural things such as music, art and religion.

value. Different people value different things based on their cultural beliefs and their level of understanding. For example, many people fear snakes and feel they have no useful value to them. However, ecologists understand the important value snakes have for the health of an ecosystem. Indirectly, snakes have a value to humans by keeping ecosystems functioning correctly and therefore maintaining environmental health.

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It is also important to remember that some things may not appear to have a usage value to humans, but instead have an inherent or existence value. Visiting places of natural beauty, such as rainforests and reefs, enriches our experience of life. Most people now understand that the world is full of special places, rich in diversity, that should be preserved in their own right. To look at it another way, humans do not have the right to destroy these places just because the environments do not have a current resource use.

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Potentially renewable resources are those which must be used carefully to be sustained. For example, air and water are resources that can only be used if kept clean from pollution. Extinction of plant and animal species results in potentially renewable resources being lost forever. When we think of resources as being things that have ‘value’, it suggests that maybe there are things that do not have any

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This is one reason why we now preserve and protect many natural environments throughout the world.

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Student Information Page

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

1 New Words List

Natural Resources A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

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resources civilisation cultural renewable fossil fuels potentially ecosystem inherent enriches preserve

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•renewable __________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ •potential ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ •ecosystem __________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ •inherent ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ •preserve ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

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D) There are nine words hidden in the puzzle which are either human or natural resources. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 11.) m____ p_____ m_______ w___ a__ s__ a______ t____ r_______

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Read the text on page 11 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) (i) What is a resource? (ii) List three human resources. B) What is the difference between a renewable and non-renewable resource? C) Why do different people value different things?

D) Why is it important to preserve environments which do not appear to have resources humans can use? P A G E 1 2 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Natural Resources 1

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D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

music plants B) Check dictionary meanings. © Re ady EdPubl i c a t i o n s minerals wind art sun C) Teacher to check. •f orr evi ew pur poanimals sesonl y• tides

A) (i) A resource is anything that has value to humans. (ii) Music, art, religion.

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B) When non-renewable resources are used, they are gone forever or will

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take a long time to form again. Renewable resources keep replenishing themselves.

C) People value different things based on their cultural beliefs and level of

understanding.

D) Answers will vary; because these environments may have a use in the

future; because these environments have the right to exist regardless of their value to humans.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Renewable Energy

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In 2004, three buses with a difference arrived in Perth, Western Australia. They are part of a two year trial being run out of Iceland at a cost of $15 million. These are no ordinary buses, forming part of an important scientific study. The buses operate totally on the use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source.

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Hydrogen does not produce carbon dioxide as a by-product. Carbon dioxide is the major problem with the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. Although carbon dioxide is a gas contained naturally in our atmosphere, too much of this gas increases the amount of heat returning to the earth, rather than being released back into space. This in turn is thought to be contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Scientific advances in the use of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels, is encouraging and welcomed. However, there are current drawbacks to this solution being pounced upon by industry around the world. Not only is hydrogen up to three times as expensive as other energy sources, it is not readily accessible in many countries. These problems, combined with the huge political and economic constraints that exist between and within countries around the world, are problems that remain to be solved.

The good new is that something is happening. Many industries are looking for cleaner and greener solutions to energy and other primary resources. Smart industries that have the wisdom to look to the future recognise environmental sustainability as a major planning consideration. They can also see the long-term economic benefits in being energy efficient.

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One of the biggest wastes of energy is that involved in moving products from one area to another. This energy cost must be taken into consideration when costing the manufacture of items and its ultimate delivery to consumers. There are also huge expenses of energy related to the transport of people to and from school and work every day. Thanks to technological advances, it is becoming possible for more people to work from home, thus saving energy consumed for travel.

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www.dpi.wa.gov.au/fuelcells/ (Hydrogen buses - Perth) www.greenhouse.gov.au/education/index.html www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/greenhouse.html www.wind-power.com/

/ DISCUSSION POINTS • • • •

Why it is important for us to become more energy efficient? Discuss places which are already using renewable energy sources. Why is too much carbon dioxide detrimental to the environment? How could using the Internet be energy efficient?

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FOCUS ON READING

Student Information Page

Renewable Energy r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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Forms of renewable energy include solar, hydro (water), wind and geothermal (extracting heat from the earth’s i n t e r i o r ) . However, there is another very exciting aspect with one of the solutions now being investigated. It has to do with burning hydrogen for our primary energy resource. We currently burn fossil fuels to produce electricity, but there are damaging pollutant by-products created, in particular, carbon dioxide.

a transition to burning hydrogen would be the solution to eliminating most of the world’s air pollution and global warming. Why? Because the burning of hydrogen does not produce any carbon dioxide.

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Traditional sources of energy are derived from non-renewable resources such as coal. Our ability to continue the use of these substances is finite because there will come a time when they have all been consumed. Consequently, many scientists around the world are currently looking for new ways to produce energy, as well as looking at how we can be more energy efficient.

Scientists are also constantly creating new ways to be more energy efficient. You cannot recycle energy itself, but you can use it to its fullest capacity. One way is through better building insulation to take advantage of the heat produced as a byproduct of using energy. Another is to buy energy efficient lighting and appliances.

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Many people have spoken about the advantages of using the Internet to save paper, but it also saves a lot of energy. Two ways this is achieved is through:

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Carbon dioxide is one of the natural gases in the atmosphere which traps the sun’s radiation in the form of heat (this is known as the greenhouse effect). An increase in carbon dioxide means that more radiation is being trapped, which in turn is responsible for global warming. However,

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- allowing more people to stay home and work (no energy consumed for travel);

- eliminating the need for warehouses, as products can be shipped directly from the manufacturer (reduction in energy consumed for transportation). It is interesting to think that the challenges of replacing finite energy resources with sustainable resources, may actually help us solve many of our other environmental problems.

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Student Information Page

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

1 New Words List

Renewable Energy A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

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•consume ___________________ ___________________________

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___________________________ substances consumed •by-product _________________ efficient ___________________________ by-product ___________________________ atmosphere eliminating •efficient ___________________ ___________________________ capacity ___________________________ insulation finite •finite ______________________ solution ___________________________

©___________________________ ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

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D) There are seven words hidden in the puzzle which describe things which can be used to produce energy or types of energy. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 15.) c___ s____ h____ g_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ h_______ f_____ f____

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Comprehension

Read the text on page 15 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Why is our ability to use non-renewable fuels described as ‘finite’? B) Give four examples of renewable energy sources. C) Name a particularly damaging by-product of burning fossil fuels. D) Why is carbon dioxide harmful to the environment? E) What do scientists believe would be a good alternative fuel to burn? F) Suggest three ways we could become more energy efficient. G) Do you think that using sustainable resources to generate energy will help solve other environmental problems or simply create different ones? Why? / Why not? P A G E 1 6 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Renewable Energy 1

D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

coal solar B) Check dictionary meanings. © R e a d y E d P u b l i c a t i o n s hydro geothermal C) Teacher to check. hydrogen fossil fuels •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y•

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A) Our ability to use non-renewable fuels is finite because there will come a time when these fuels have been consumed. B) Solar, hydro, wind and geothermal. C) Carbon dioxide.

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D) When carbon dioxide sits in the atmosphere, it traps radiation in the form of heat, causing a greenhouse effect and consequently, global warming.

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E) Hydrogen.

F) Answers will vary; better insulation; buy and use energy efficient lighting and appliances; using the Internet for business to avoid travelling and burning fossil fuels. G) Answers will vary.

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P A G E 1 7 SAVE THE PLANET

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Recycling

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Recycling is an environmental concept that has really taken off. Many people carry out some recycling now, particularly with newspapers and tin cans. Recycling newspapers has been very successful when using ‘closed-loop’ recycling. About 90% of the old newspapers are used again to make new newspapers with only 10% of virgin material needed. On the other hand, ‘open-loop’ recycling, when a used product is turned into something else, only reduces the amount of virgin material being used by 25%. That being the case, there is no doubt that this type of recycling is also very beneficial in combatting natural resource waste.

However, we need to go one step back by not creating so much waste in the first place. This is called ‘reducing’ and is the highest priority in waste management and prevention. For example, cleaning products have been developed where chemical cleaning agents have been replaced by the clever use of special fibres that can lift dirt just as effectively. Other waste prevention methods include: •Decreasing consumption; •Using fewer products in packaging; •Changing the processes in industry to eliminate use of harmful chemicals; •Making products that last longer, are recyclable, reusable or easy to repair.

© ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons Of course, as r consumers we need to continually make ethical decisions to buy products • f o r e v i e w p u r p o s e s o n l y • that use less packaging, are not harmful to the environment and are made from recycled

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materials. Consumers drive the direction of production and the more that ethically produced products are bought, the more corresponding businesses will have to change into environmentally favourable practices to be able to compete.

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Some cities and governments are taking up the challenge of how to eliminate waste as much as possible. In Canberra, for example, there are plans and systems in progress now that aim to have a waste-free city by the year 2010. Hopefully this example, encouraged by more changes in government legislation, will head towards best practice in waste management by rewarding those things that benefit the natural environment, making way for a sustainable and cleaner world in the future.

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WEBSITES

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www.recyclingnearyou.com.au/ www.epa.gov/recyclecity/(Kids recycling site) www.abc.net.au/science/features/bags/default.htm (Plastic bags)

DISCUSSION POINTS • Why do we throw so much away? • What can we learn about recycling from nature? • What can be done about reducing the amount of landfill we are producing? • Is the amount of waste we are producing in Australia reasonable? P A G E 1 8 SAVE THE PLANET

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Recycling r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

Ways we can produce less waste and pollution: - buying products that are less harmful and can be recycled; - reducing packaged materials in products; - manufacturing products that last longer, are recyclable, reusable and easy to repair; - using less harmful chemicals in industry and farming.

Every item we purchase is made from natural resources. Once we are finished with it, there is close to a 70% chance that the waste will end up in landfills or burned in an incinerator. We have taken and used a natural resource that is now gone forever as a resource, but remains with us always as pollution. The planet is being diminished to pollution by human consumerism. We need to take a lesson from nature, because all systems in nature are cyclical. In nature, everything that is consumed is returned to the environment in a form that can be used again.

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tyres, i.e. ones which will last longer and/or are made of material that could be recycled.

After all efforts are made to reduce waste, then the second priority is to recycle and reuse as much as possible. This can be achieved by: - reusing products (like plastic containers and shopping bags); - repairing products instead of just throwing them away; - recycling; - composting; - choosing products which use recycled materials.

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So this is where the term recycling comes from – using our natural resources over and over again in a continuous cycle. Before we look at ways to reuse and recycle goods, we need to ask ourselves another question. Why are we producing so much waste in the first place? Rather than trying to fix the problem after it happens, our first priority really needs to be waste prevention.

Unfortunately, most governments around the world are yet to encourage best practice in waste management. In fact, many countries still subsidise the extraction of natural resources, rather than subsidising and encouraging recycling industries. Although more things are now being recycled, in the United States each person still generates 730 kilograms of solid waste each year (the world’s highest, with Australia not far behind). Considering that the United States recycled six times as much in 1999 than in 1970, there is still a lot more that can be done.

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In the United States, for example, if you took all the car tyres used in one year and lined them up, they would encircle the planet three times. Instead of finding new ways to get rid of tyres, we need to find ways to produce better designed

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P A G E 1 9 SAVE THE PLANET

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1 New Words List

Recycling

Student Information Page

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

•incinerator _________________ ___________________________

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landfill ___________________________ incinerator •consumer __________________ pollution ___________________________ consumers cyclical ___________________________ recycling •priority ____________________ priority ___________________________ prevention ___________________________ encircle composting •encircle ____________________

©___________________________ ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y•

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D) Complete this sentence and find the four missing ‘re’ words in the puzzle above. You can use the text on page 19 to help you. We can _ _ _ _ _ _ pollution by re -_ s _ _ g products over and over, rep_ _r _ _ _ things instead of throwing them away, composting and buying products which use rec _ c _ _ d materials.

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Read the text on page 19 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Where does waste end up? Name two places. B) What is the lesson we can learn from nature? C) Describe what is meant by recycling.

D) List three things we can do to reduce waste and pollution.

E) The text states that many countries still encourage the use of natural resources. How do you think they do this? F) Why do you think that many people are not concerned about making so much waste? P A G E 2 0 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Recycling 1

D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

We can reduce pollution by re-using products over and over, repairing things instead of throwing them away, composting and buying products which use recycled materials.

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A) Landfill, incinerators. B) Nature teaches us to recycle. C) Recycling is the process of using natural resources over and over again in a continuous cycle without waste. D) Buy products that are less harmful and can be recycled; reduce packaging materials in products; manufacture products that last longer, are recyclable, reusable and easy to repair; use less harmful chemicals in industry and farming. E) Many countries subsidise the extraction of natural resources. F) Answers will vary.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Pollution

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In recent times, there has been much attention placed on the phenomenon called ‘global warming’. Interestingly, the terminology is changing. Many commentators and politicians now refer to global warming as ‘climate change’ or ‘global climate change’. One wonders if the change of wording has been used to counter the dramatics of the situation, so as not to scare people too much about the impending problems. Certainly, small variations in an expression can make a difference in interpretation and this is an intriguing element of language. Unfortunately, nature provided the world’s most dramatic evidence of its force in the Asian tsunami that claimed so many innocent lives in late 2004. All of these people lived in low lying areas on the coastline. These are the exact same areas that will be affected by increased sea levels as a result of global warming. In fact, a two metre rise in sea levels would see the Maldive Islands disappear almost completely. A rise of only one metre would result in 200 million people being homeless. That’s about 100 times worse than those who lost their homes in the tsunami.

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The Great Barrier Reef has complex management problems for healthy sustainability. The reef is an extraordinary ecosystem and one that is highly biodiverse, containing myriad different forms of life, many still to be discovered or documented. It is also a fragile system. For example, only once a year does the coral reproduce, with all the eggs and sperm being released on the same night across the entire reef. Only slight variations in the environment can alter how it functions. Therefore the multiple problems from many different types of pollution entering the reef, make it difficult for the organisms living there to sustain healthy living. With so many problems comes a solution that also must be multi-faceted. A united approach from all government, industry and individual people must be sought. The problem of pollution (and other environment problems) must be tackled by everyone and that will take an across the board mind-change and hopefully lead to the ‘nature’ revolution.

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www.cleanup.com.au/ www.gbrmpa.gov.au (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park)

/ DISCUSSION POINTS •Why is the Great Barrier Reef under threat? •Coral bleaching is a natural phenomenon. Why is the coral no longer recovering as it once did? •What pollution is most damaging to the environment? •How does pollution affect humans? •What do you think is meant by a ‘nature’ revolution? P A G E 2 2 SAVE THE PLANET

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Pollution r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s natural wonders and is visited by thousands of tourists each year wanting to see such a beautiful environment. But like everywhere in the world today, the Great Barrier Reef is under threat from pollution. What makes things worse is that the reef is being polluted from all angles.

survive. The relationship between the coral and algae is broken down when the water is too warm and the algae leaves the coral. Throughout history, coral bleaching has occurred naturally and the coral has recovered. However, now the corals are debilitated by the compounding effects of all the other pollutants. Their health declines and in turn, their chances of recuperating after coral bleaching is greatly reduced.

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Humans are dealing with the same problems as the corals and all other living creatures. Pollution is causing an unhealthy environment for us to live in. So what is the answer? Certainly, recycling and using renewable energy are parts of the solution – but we need to go further. In fact, we need to totally change the way we think about nature. Over the past 200 years we have experienced the industrial revolution which involved the destruction of nature and the creation of by-products which are polluting our environment. We now know that this cannot continue, because many resources being used are finite and running out fast! Furthermore, without nature, we simply will not have clean air and clean water.

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There are oil spills from cargo ships, plus rubbish, sewerage and outboard motor fuel from the tourist and fishing industries. There are land-based pollutants entering the reef through waterways in the form of sediment (caused by erosion from land clearing), and herbicides and pesticides from farms. Because Australian soil is low in nutrients, farmers also load tonnes of fertiliser into the soil, much of which also ends up in waterways and therefore on the reef. Nutrients from these fertilisers increase plant growth and disturb the natural balance of the reef environment.

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Global warming, caused by air pollution (high levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants in the atmosphere), in turn causes sea temperatures to rise and coral bleaching. Coral polyps need to live together with certain algae plants to

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Maybe our next revolution will be the ‘nature’ revolution! P A G E 2 3 SAVE THE PLANET

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Pollution

Student Information Page

A) Find each new word in the puzzle.

B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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•nutrients ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ sewerage •compound _________________ sediment ___________________________ herbicide ___________________________ pesticide •recuperate _________________ nutrients ___________________________ bleaching ___________________________ debilitated •revolution __________________ compounding ___________________________ recuperating ___________________________ revolution •debilitate __________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

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D) There are four different forms of pollution not listed above which are hidden in the puzzle. Each affects the Great Barrier Reef. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 23.) f _ _ _ _ _ _ _ er

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Comprehension

Read the text on page 23 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Why is the Great Barrier Reef under threat?

B) List five things which pollute the water surrounding the Great Barrier Reef. C) What do you think is meant by ‘global warming’? What is causing global warming?

D) How are the problems we are experiencing from pollution similar to the problems experienced by coral reefs? E) What has happened to our environment during the industrial revolution? F) Why do we need to change the way we think about nature? P A G E 2 4 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Pollution 1

D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

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fertiliser

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A) The Great Barrier Reef is under threat from pollution. B) Oil spills, rubbish, sewerage, outboard motor fuel sediment, herbicides, pesticides and fertiliser. C) Answers will vary; the warming of the earth. Global warming is caused by extra heat and radiation from the sun being trapped in our atmosphere by a layer of pollution (carbon dioxide). D) Pollution is causing an unhealthy environment for us to live in. E) The destruction of nature and the creation of by-products which are polluting our environment. F) Answers will vary; to improve the health of our environment; to ensure we have clean air and clean water; because our natural resources are running out.

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P A G E 2 5 SAVE THE PLANET

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Biodiversity

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Biodiversity is a term that only really became popular in the late 1980s and is a portmanteau word (a word made by joining the first part of one word to the end of another – ‘biological diversity’ in this instance). Once again ‘biological’ has its origins from Latin – bio means life – so the term literally means life diversity. Scientifically, biodiversity is defined as ‘all aspects of biological diversity – the variety of life forms; the different plants, animals and microorganisms; the genes they contain; and the ecosystems they form’. Few people realise that plants and animals are so diverse. To most people a zebra is a zebra, however, in reality there are three entirely different species incapable of interbreeding. Eucalyptus trees are highly diversified with well over 500 different species. Each plant and animal species has its own niche, way of life, or role of a species in an ecosystem. Individual organisms interact with one another, other species and with their non-living environment of matter and energy. All elements for the survival of all the organisms are contained within the ecosystem they live in, and the balance is often referred to as ‘the web of life’.

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This is why the disappearance of one or more elements from the ecosystem has an effect on the other organisms living there. Sometimes, it is an initial positive effect for an individual species, such as an increase in population due to the disappearance of a predator. But usually in time, another predator will migrate to that area and restore the balance. Such ebbs and flows of species are natural in the environment and balance is maintained due to changes being gradual. However, much of the ecosystem change that is happening throughout the world today is happening at a pace much faster than nature can cope with and the balance – the web of life – is being disrupted.

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www.acess.250x.com/ (Australian loss of biodiversity) www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm (Latin) (from University of Notre Dame www.nd.edu/) www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ www.australianmammals.org.au/Species/species.htm (Echidna)

/ DISCUSSION QUESTIONS •What is meant by biodiversity and why is it important? •It is possible to live without many species, so why do we need to preserve them? •How does taking a species out of an ecosystem cause a ‘ripple effect’? •Why is biodiversity important for keeping our earth healthy?

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Biodiversity The term biodiversity refers to the diversity or variety of living species on Earth. Living things can be diverse in a number of ways.

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For example, the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) has five sub species (races) that differ from each other by the length and density of their fur. The sub species acanthion – found in the arid regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory – has short, sparse fur. However, the Tasmanian sub species, setosus, has fur that may be longer than the spines. The long, thick fur of the Tasmanian echidnas is an obvious adaptation to the colder climate.

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Genetic diversity relates to the variations of genetic makeup within an individual species.

different communities of species all interacting with each other and their nonliving environment to create ecosystems. Habitats include rainforests, rivers, oceans, reefs, deserts, arctic regions, mangroves, swamps, grasslands, beaches, alpine regions, caves and heathland, just to name a few. No ecosystem is more important than another in a global sense. We need all types of ecosystems to maintain ecological diversity. Functional diversity describes the processes and cycles that sustain species and communities within ecosystems. By looking at functional diversity we can see how the entire living and non-living environment is connected, and how the removal of one or more of the elements can cause a ‘ripple’ effect throughout the entire ecosystem. Sea otters, for example, eat sea urchins which eat kelp. Kelp also provides food and shelter for numerous fish species. When sea otters were exterminated by hunters off North America, the sea urchin numbers increased, kelp decreased and there was a dramatic decline in many fish species. When sea otters were reintroduced, the sea urchin numbers returned to normal, and the kelp reappeared, along with the fish.

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If one or more of the sub-species were to become extinct, both the genetic diversity of that species and their ability to i n h a b i t suitable environments would be diminished.

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Ecological diversity describes the variety of environments and the plants and animals in them that combine to make an ecosystem. There are multitudes of

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This is a dramatic example of how the elimination of one single element of an ecosystem can have such far-reaching consequences. When looking at how interrelated life on Earth is, we begin to learn why biodiversity is the key to keeping our planet healthy.

P A G E 2 7 SAVE THE PLANET

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Student Information Page

Biodiversity

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

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•diversity ___________________

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___________________________ biodiversity diversity ___________________________ genetic •ecosystem __________________ species adapted ___________________________ ecological ecosystem ___________________________ communities exterminated •adapt _____________________ consequences ___________________________

©___________________________ ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y•

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D) There are thirteen habitats hidden in the puzzle. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 27.) r___f______ d______ gr _ _ _ l _ _ _ _ c____

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Read the text on page 27 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) What is biodiversity?

B) Name three ways living things can be diverse.

C) Which ecosystem is the most important? Explain why you think this. D) What is meant by a ‘ripple’ effect?

E) Describe why you think biodiversity is important. P A G E 2 8 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Biodiversity 1

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B) Check dictionary meanings.

D) See diagram below.

rainforests oceans deserts mangroves grassland alpine regions heathland

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A) See diagram below.

rivers reefs arctic regions swamps beaches caves

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A) The diversity or variety of living species on Earth. B) Genetic diversity; Ecological diversity; Functional diversity.

C) No ecosystem is more important than another. We need all types of ecosystems to maintain ecological diversity. D) A ‘ripple’ effect occurs when one event effects another, which affects another and so on. E) Answers will vary.

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P A G E 2 9 SAVE THE PLANET

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Threatened Species

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S Extinct Extinct in the wild Adequate data

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It is obvious that there are many ways that a plant or animal can be threatened and no two species will have the exact same problems. When an organism is threatened it means that the total number of individuals in that species has declined to a level where long-term survival is of concern. Species can be threatened on a global scale, at a national scale, at a State level or even at regional levels. For example, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is listed as a common species distributed throughout eastern Australia. However, the Queensland Government has recently listed them as vulnerable in the greater south-east region of the State, with only 100,000 individuals left in what used to be a densely inhabited area. There are different categories for threatened species, allowing a better understanding of the status and subsequent level of urgency and actions required. Status categories for threatened species were devised by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as follows:

Threatened

Critically endangered Endangered Vulnerable

Lower risk

Conservation dependent Near threatened Least concern

Data deficient

START

Not evaluated

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In the reading, it mentions the five principal ways that humans are threatening species – habitat destruction, pollution, over-harvesting, introducing species and habitat fragmentation. As mentioned in the “Ecological Footprints” unit, these threatening processes have been brought about by two major compounding influences on the earth – population growth and rising resource use. However, there are also a couple of other basic underlying causes. Poverty causes people to move into marginal areas cutting forests, growing crops in areas that are not suited, overgrazing, over-harvesting fish resources and killing endangered animals for their fur, tusks, meat and other parts. Government and economic systems throughout the world fail to account for and value the environment and the ecological services it provides. These underlying causes create the more direct threats to the world’s biodiversity, leading to diminishing populations and often extinctions.

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www.redlist.org (IUCN site) www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/

/ DISCUSSION POINTS • Who or what is responsible for the extinction of animals and plants? • How do the activities of humans threaten other living things? • Why do we need all living things to exist? P A G E 3 0 SAVE THE PLANET

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Student Information Page

Threatened Species r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

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When a species becomes extinct the world loses a little more biodiversity, but also loses the opportunity for ourselves and for all future generations to know and understand that particular species. Furthermore, any direct benefits, for example medicines, that could have been discovered by future scientists is also gone. A good example of this is the gastric brooding frog (Rheobatrachus silus) from Queensland that has not been seen since 1981 and is thought to be extinct. This frog was able to incubate its eggs in its stomach without the eggs being digested. The process of how this unique frog was capable of such a feat is unknown to science and could have been useful in human medicines to combat gastric illness. Now that the gastric brooding frog is most likely extinct, we have lost this opportunity forever.

natural stocks are currently experiencing the effects of over-harvesting. Introduced species compete with native species for food and habitat. For example, the cane toad (Bufo marinus) was introduced to the cane fields of Queensland to help combat the cane beetle (Dermolepida albohirtum). Not only does the toad compete for food and habitat, but it is deadly poisonous to most predators at all stages of its life (i.e. egg, tadpole and adult frog).

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There are five principal ways throughout the world that humans are threatening species with extinction. They are:

Habitat fragmentation occurs when there are gaps between groups of a species. These groups are sometimes referred to as ‘islands’. These gaps prevent plants and animals from reproducing with their other populations, eventually leading to the decline and loss of some species. It can also cause over-populations when animals are able to breed but are unable to spread out, leading to habitat destruction by overgrazing and ultimately a complete collapse of the environment and localised extinction of the animal.

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1. Destroying habitats; 2. Polluting; 3. Over-harvesting; 4. Introducing species; 5. Habitat fragmentation (creating habitat islands which isolate species).

Habitat destruction and pollution are obvious threats. Over-harvesting relates to taking more of a species from the wild to satisfy human needs at a rate higher than the species can repopulate. Many fishing industries around the world that rely on

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Unfortunately, these threatening processes are not the only ones. Along with some of the major threats, each individual threatened species has its own localised range of problems, such as poaching and living close to urbanisation (i.e. cars, electric power lines, competition with crops / grazing). P A G E 3 1 SAVE THE PLANET

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FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Threatened Species

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

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•extinct ____________________

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•isolate _____________________

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extinct biodiversity generation species incubate combat isolate predators threat poaching

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___________________________ ___________________________

•poaching ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

•fragmentation ______________

©___________________________ ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ •words f or ev i e w ptou r p sesentence. sonl y• C) Use three fromr the word list above write ao sensible

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(habitat) d _ str _ _ _ _ _ n

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int _ _ d _ _ _ _ (species)

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D) There are five ways throughout the world that humans are threatening species with extinction. They are hidden in the puzzle above. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 31.) (habitat) fr _ gm _ _ _ _ _ ion

Read the text on page 31 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Why is the extinction of the gastric brooding frog a loss to humans? B) Describe these threatening processes: •over-harvesting •introducing species •habitat fragmentation

C) Why do think extinction of species still occurs and is occurring at an increasing rate? P A G E 3 2 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Threatened Species 1

D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

©B)R ea dyE dPubl i ca t i ons destruction Check dictionary meanings. pollution C) Teacher to check. over-harvesting •f orr evi ew pur poses onl y• introduced

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fragmentation

A) The process of how the gastric brooding frog is capable of incubating eggs in its stomach could have been useful in human medicines to combat gastric illness.

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B) •over-harvesting: taking more of a species from the wild to satisfy certain human needs at a rate higher than the species can repopulate. •introduced species: bringing a species from another continent into an environment where it competes with native species for food and habitat. •habitat fragmentation: occurs when there are gaps between groups of a plant or animal, preventing them from breeding effectively and eventually leading to the decline and loss of the species. C) Answers will vary: extinction will continue to occur and will occur at an increasing rate while measures are not being taken to rectify the problem; the human population increases along with their use of natural resources.

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P A G E 3 3 SAVE THE PLANET

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Spotted-tailed Quoll

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Early European settlers in Australia noted the similarity between spotted-tailed quolls and a weasel-like animal called a polecat. Consequently, they referred to this new unknown creature as a ‘native polecat’. It was as early as 1792, that British naturalist Robert Kerr, gave a scientific name to this animal that he recognised as being not only a marsupial, but a carnivorous (meat-eating) variety. He officially named them Dasyurus maculatus meaning ‘spotted hairy-tail’. However, right up until the 1970s this quoll went by the name of tiger cat belonging to a grouping called ‘native cats’, not just incidentally but also in written scientific literature. In fact all four quoll species have been given quite an interesting variety of common names in the past, the most notable being the northern quoll’s previous name as Satanellus – which was hopefully not some reference to Satan! Unfortunately, all these different names have led to misunderstandings about quolls. Even today when you explore the Internet there are dozens of inaccurate references to quolls as being native cats. This is a good example of how only official websites such as statutory issued or university approved sites can be trusted for accurate information.

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One of the biggest problems faced by the misinterpretation as being a ‘cat’ is that feral cats are a major environmental threat in Australia. The feral cat is an introduced predator that has successfully out-competed most carnivorous marsupials. In Queensland, there is a task force of volunteers called the “Quoll Seekers Network” who are trying to ascertain the localities and densities of spotted-tailed quolls remaining in the state’s south-east. With some people estimating that there are 1.5 million feral cats in Queensland, it is no wonder that quoll sightings are very rare – in fact, they number only a handful each year. Sadly, most of the sightings go unreported, as farmers usually kill any quolls that come near their chicken pens. This persecution could be the result of their resemblance to a cat and farmers may see them as being just another common pest. It is more likely that most farmers have no idea just how rare and threatened these beautiful creatures are and that quoll-proofing their chook-pen is a necessity. By doing so, they will not only contribute to the survival of spotted-tailed quolls, but they will also be saving their chickens from introduced foxes and cats which are the real threat.

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/ WEBSITES

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www.quollseekers.com/index.htm

/ DISCUSSION QUESTIONS •What is special about the spotted-tailed quoll? •What is meant by a ‘threatening process’? •Why would the predator at the top of the food chain often be the first species to decline?

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Spotted-tailed Quoll What is a spotted-tailed quoll?

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The spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) has reddish-brown fur on its back and pale fur underneath with white spots over its back, and of course, its tail. This animal does resemble a cat in size and sharp teeth, but has a long snout. The females have a pouch. Males grow up to 7 kilograms, making this animal not much smaller than the Tasmanian devil, which is the best known carnivorous marsupial. Their diet includes small to medium-sized mammals, birds, lizards, insects and carrion.

The threatening processes for quolls include: • habitat destruction (clearing for agriculture, logging, rural urban development);

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This is a question that most people have trouble answering. Some respond with “it’s a bird ... no, it’s a type of wallaby”. Some describe it as a native cat. In fact, a quoll is neither a bird nor a wallaby and definitely not a cat. It is a carnivorous marsupial. Furthermore, it is one of Australia’s threatened fauna species.

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areas except south-west Western Australia where its current status is endangered.

• Competition from feral animals (foxes and cats); • Intolerance from poultry owners (shooting). Many quolls also die from eating poisonous cane toads and there is unsubstantiated evidence that poisoning from ‘1080’ baits set for foxes and dingoes may also be threatening quoll populations.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA VICTORIA QUEENSLAND

NEW SOUTH WALES

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There are three other quoll specials found in Australia which are smaller and do not have a spotted tail. The current status of the spotted-tailed quoll is as follows:

What is interesting about spotted-tailed quolls is that they represent the top of the food chain in Australian mainland environments, being the largest marsupial carnivore. Large predators are often the first species to decline when an environment is degraded, and serve as an indicator for ecosystem health.

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TASMANIA

Extinct

Endangered

Vulnerable Vulnerable

Many things are being done to save our wonderful wildlife and plants that are threatened. The quoll is no exception and in Queensland the Quoll Seekers Network has been established. They have an informative and interesting website: www.quollseekers.com

At Risk

Most other quoll species have similar stories. For example, the chuditch (or western quoll) is extinct from all former

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Spotted-tailed Quoll

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

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•marsupial __________________ ___________________________

native carnivore marsupial threatened fauna extinct endangered vulnerable feral predator

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___________________________

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•feral ______________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

•native _____________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

___________________ ©•predator R e a dyEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ ___________________________ •f o rr evi ew pur posesonl y•

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C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ D) There are five words hidden in the puzzle which describe the diet of the spotted-tailed quoll. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 35.)

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m_m_ _ _ _ I_ _ _ c _ _

_ _ _ ds c _ rr _ _ _

__z___s

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Read the text on page 35 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Describe the physical characteristics of a spotted-tailed quoll.

B) Why do you think ‘most people have trouble answering’ what a spotted-tailed quoll is? C) Name two ways the spotted-tailed quoll is similar to a Tasmanian devil. D) The spotted-tailed quoll are already extinct in South Australia. Describe three things which may have contributed to their extinction. E) What can indicate a decline in the health of an ecosystem? P A G E 3 6 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Spotted-tailed Quoll 1

D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

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carrion

A) Spotted-tailed quolls have reddish-brown fur on their back and pale fur underneath with white spots over their back and tail. They have sharp teeth and a long snout. The females have a pouch and the males grow up to 7 kilograms.

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B) Most people have trouble describing a quoll because they are so rare and people have often never seen or heard of them. C) Both are carnivorous marsupials and both grow to about the same size. D) Habitat destruction (clearing for agriculture, logging, rural urban development), competition from feral animals and intolerance from poultry owners (shooting). E) When large predators at the top of a food chain begin to decline, it is an indicator that an ecosystem is becoming unhealthy.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Conservation

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Conservation is defined as ‘sensible and careful use of natural resources by humans’ and people who have this view are called conservationists. In the early 1900s, Also Leopold, an American man employed by the United States Forest Service, became alarmed at the over-grazing and deterioration of the land. He lobbied for the preservation of 202,000 hectares as a wilderness area called Gila National Forest. Aldo Leopold was also one of the founders of a conservation group called the “Wilderness Society” and had a deep appreciation for the preservation of nature that was uncommon in an age that saw nature primarily as a thing to be conquered and exploited. He expressed ethical principles that changed the role of humans from being conquerors to protectors of nature, with everyone having individual responsibility to a life community that included plants, animals, water and soil – the natural environment. Basically, Leopold felt that if something tended to maintain the earth’s life-support systems for us and other species, then it was the right thing to do. However, anything that did not must be wrong. This is a very sensible and simple ethical basis for conservation. The essential premise that Earth’s life-support systems (e.g. water cycle, biodiversity, clean air, etc.) must be sustained not only for the current generation but for all those in the future, highlights just how interconnected our human activities are with those natural processes.

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different intellectual resources. Firstly, there are professionals from many scientific disciplines involved. Consultants with the knowledge of law, politics, sociology, economics and cultural heritage also play key roles. The involvement of governments throughout local, regional, national and international levels are required, along with all the resources afforded by non-government environmental organisations. Education and interpreting the national environment are particularly important because, as was mentioned earlier, there is an individual/community responsibility to contribute to conservation.

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The effort of harnessing all of these human resources requires carefully integrated management, that is undeniably necessary to ensure the earth’s healthy future.

/ WEBSITES

www.wwf.org.au (World Wide Fund for Nature) www.ecnc.nl/doc/europe/organiza/interorg.html (Guide to conservation organisations)

/ DISCUSSION POINTS •What is the purpose and scope of conservation? •What is the difference between preservationists, restorationists and environmentalists? •What aspects of conservation would you be interested in becoming involved with? P A G E 3 8 SAVE THE PLANET

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Conservation • Environmentalists are concerned with the ways humans are degrading the quality of the whole of the earth’s environment.

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• Conservationists are not only concerned with preserving and managing areas in national parks and reserves, but are concerned with the way all natural resources are managed regardless of their specific land use.

Many people who care for the environment fit into more than one category mentioned above. Another major point is that all these different types of people with their different interests and views, are all working together for the same common cause – they all want a healthy and diverse living enviroment today and for the future.

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The world’s largest independent conservation organisation, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) now has 4.7 million regular supporters across 96 countries and aims to conserve nature and ecological processes by “preserving genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; ensuring the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and promoting actions to reduce pollution and wasteful exploitation and consumption of resources and energy”. This is what conservation is all about.

It is also important to note that you do not have to be employed as a conservationist to be one. Many people do volunteer work for the environment or are members of a conservation group like WWF. Anybody who strives towards changing detrimental human practices to achieve a cleaner, sustainable environment for the benefit of humans and all living things, is contributing to the vitally important purpose of conservation.

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To understand this a little better, we need to look at some of the other people that are involved in environmental welfare. For a start, there are scientists including ecologists, environmental scientists and conservation biologists. These scientists are the people who work towards finding accurate information used to develop practical solutions to environmental problems. But there are also preservationists, restorationists and environmentalists.

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• Preservationists are people concerned with preserving natural areas from being changed in any way by humans. • Restorationists concern themselves with restoring areas disturbed by humans back to their natural state.

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Conservation

Student Information Page

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

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•diverse ____________________

___________________________ •preserve ___________________

national park

___________________________

reserve restore degrade welfare

___________________________

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conserve preserve genetic diverse exploitation

___________________________

•restore ____________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

________________ ©•exploitation Read yEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ •f o rr evi ew pur posesonl y• ___________________________

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C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ D) There are six words hidden in the puzzle which describe the different types of conservationists. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 39.) (conservation) b _ _ _ _ gist e _ _ _ _ gist (environmental) sc _ _ _ _ ist pr_ _ _ _ _ ationist r _ _ _ _ ationist e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ alist

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Read the text on page 39 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) What is the world’s largest independent conservation organisation? Name two things this organisation aims to do. B) Describe, in your own words, what conservation is all about.

C) What is the difference between preserving and restoring an environment? D) What is the primary concern of environmentalists?

E) Why is it necessary for people to be employed in conservation work? P A G E 4 0 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Conservation 1

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D) See word puzzle.

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A) See word puzzle.

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A) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

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B) Check dictionary meanings. ecologist scientist © R e a d y E d P u b l i c a t i o n s biologist preservationist C) Teacher to check. restorationist environmentalist •f orr evi ew pur pos esonl y •

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Aims: preserve genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; ensure the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; promote actions to reduce pollution and wasteful exploitation and consumption of resources and energy.

B) Answers will vary.

C) Preserving an environment involves keeping natural areas from being changed in any way by humans. Restoring means returning areas disturbed by humans back to the natural state. D) The primary concern of environmentalists is the way humans are degrading the quality of the whole of the earth’s environment. E) So that we can have a healthy and diverse living environment today and in the future.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

National Parks

One of the reasons that places have been protected in national parks around the world, is for their extraordinary natural beauty and wealth of wildlife and flora. These places are visited by locals and tourists for a nature experience that is uncommon for most of us who live in cities. The beauty and serenity of these places refreshes and inspires, reminding us that there is more to life than traffic jams, timetables and televisions.

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Aboriginal peoples enjoy these significant places and have a history of cultural integration with most national parks in Australia. When Europeans settled, they too realised these places have outstanding natural characteristics and, over time, have used such places for a variety of different reasons.

The cultural landscape of national parks is an element of education (formal learning) and interpretation (informal learning) that has only recently been incorporated into programs designed to enlighten people’s understanding of what they are seeing. For many years there have been guides, maps and signage about natural features, flora and fauna. This is very important to those many visitors who wish to gain a better appreciation for what they are experiencing. It is exciting to see that the human heritage of these environments is also incorporated, especially considering the long connectedness of Aboriginal peoples to these wonderful places.

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For example, in Yanchep National Park in Western Australia there is a rich cultural landscape. The Nyungar people, who still live in the area, once hunted for fish, tortoises and birds at Wagardu Lake and believe that a waugal (rainbow serpent) lives there and ensures the springs that feed the lake continue to flow. The area was also important for meetings and rituals such as corroborees. Some rituals were carried out in the caves of Yanchep National Park. The caves and natural beauty of the area are a huge drawcard for the people of Perth and in the early 1900s a number of buildings were constructed nearby, including Gloucester Lodge and Yanchep Inn, used in World War II for a convalescent hospital and soldier accommodation respectively. These buildings are now listed under National Trust legislation.

Managers of Yanchep National Park have realised the rich cultural heritage of the area and have incorporated interpretation on a number of levels – guided tours through caves preferably by members of the Nyungar people, signage, written material and by offering a range of extension cultural activities. The management plan is an active one respecting the cultural values of the place and its continuity. This is because both Aboriginal culture (specifically through the Nyungar people in Yanchep) and European culture is dynamic and this is why oral presentations in National Parks are so important.

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Visit the Government National Parks website for your state or territory: www1.bushheritage.asn.au/ www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_parks/ Follow prompts to Yanchep National Park www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/ Follow prompts to Royal National Park

/ DISCUSSION POINTS •What is the purpose of having national parks? •Why is it difficult to create more national parks? •How can we go about reserving unique ecosystems in the future?

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National Parks government to firstly purchase the land, and secondly to manage protected areas. Many people now believe that the government should not have to deal with the total responsibility of acquiring and caring for natural areas. A number of conservation organisations have recently started to purchase land to be protected. One such organisation is the Australian Bush Heritage Fund, which now has over 345,000 hectares protected in reserves around Australia, containing over 107 threatened plant and animal species.

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The Royal National Park in Sydney is the world’s second oldest, proclaimed in 1879 (Yellowstone National Park in the United States of America is the oldest). Since then, many national parks, reserves and ‘world heritage areas’ have been added to the terrestrial and aquatic locations protected by the Australian Government. Because of increasing exploitation of the world’s natural resources, it has become important that environments of conservation value be protected. Most national parks are open to the public to enable people to enjoy natural places and wildlife. The cultural significance of many national parks is also recognised by protecting Aboriginal sacred sites.

Most other lands within Australia that are not under the protection of the government, within national parks and reserves, or preserved through conservation organisations, are privately owned. Over recent times, many landowners have also realised that by keeping some of their land reserved in its natural state, the overall health of their properties can be maintained.

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Throughout the world, about 1.6 miillion square kilometres (about 1% of the world’s land surface) is now reserved in some way. In comparison to other countries, Australia has a large number of national parks, however, there are still large tracks of significant, yet lesser known habitats that are not protected. For example, only 3% of Queensland is within national park areas, but the diversity of ecosystems in this state is unable to be captured just in those areas. Furthermore, there are hundreds of thousands of hectares of land still being cleared for cropping and development every year.

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For over 100 years, Australians have recognised the need to protect significant ecosystems via government management to benefit the environment, the fauna inhabitants and to provide enjoyment for Australians and all people today and in the future.

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One of the major reasons that there is not a larger area protected, is the cost to the

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FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

National Parks

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

•terrestrial __________________

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___________________________ ___________________________

•significant __________________

___________________________ ___________________________

•heritage ___________________ ___________________________

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proclaimed terrestrial protected cultural sacred aquatic cropping acquiring heritage significant

©•sacred Re adyEdPubl i cat i ons _____________________ ___________________________ •f o rr evi ew pur posesonl y• ___________________________

___________________________

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R _ _ _ _ (National Park) Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (National Park)

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C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ D) There are three names hidden in the puzzle which are protected areas. Can you find them? (Hint: Two of them can also be found in the text on page 43.) W____ W____

Read the text on page 43 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Write three names for places protected by the Australian government. B) Why are most national parks open to the public? C) What do national parks aim to protect?

D) Do you think enough land is protected? Yes / No. Why?

E) How could landowners maintain the ‘overall health of their property’ by keeping some of their land reserved in its natural state? P A G E 4 4 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

National Parks 1

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D) See diagram below.

B) Check dictionary meanings.

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A) See diagram below.

Royal

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A) National parks, reserves, world heritage areas.

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B) Most national parks are open to the public to enable people to enjoy natural places and wildlife. C) National parks aim to protect significant ecosystems and habitats , including sacred sites, and also serve to prevent the exploitation of natural resources in these locations. D) Answers will vary. E) The overall health of properties is enhanced by a naturally occurring diversity of living things creating an environmental balance. This reduces the possibility, for example, of a species increasing to plague proportions, becoming threatened or becoming extinct.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Zoos & Wildlife Sanctuaries

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Conservation, like any other discipline, requires various means of communication to be successful. In national parks, zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, quite often communicating the issues comes in the form of interpretation and, to a lesser degree, more formal education. A person who is an interpreter is usually someone employed to translate from one language to another. Environmental interpretation is similar in that it involved translation, but from the technical language of natural science into terms readily understood by people who are not disciplined in a scientific field. Often school children attend classes at zoos and sanctuaries that are presented by zoologists, wildlife officers and the like. This type of instruction, although often in a lighter and more interesting setting than the typical classroom, is formal in that the audience (i.e. the school children) is a captive one. They have to remain listening to the presentation whether they want to or not, plus their teacher will be sure to check they are attentive. Interpretation differs because the material being presented can be taken or left. The audience is voluntary, comes in all ages, educational backgrounds and cultures, and does not necessarily have to pay attention. This is where interpretation becomes more challenging. If the conservation/natural history messages are to be communicated, interpretation needs to be more entertaining and enjoyable.

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This sort of education (interpretation) in zoos and sanctuaries is very important because zoos provide people with an opportunity to experience animals in close quarters, that otherwise they would rarely, if ever, see. Likewise, people visiting zoos provide staff with the opportunity to informally educate. Research has shown that once people have had a personal experience with a particular animal species, their enthusiasm to help conserve that species is heightened. Interpretation plays a key role in expanding what they are experiencing with explanations of such things as the animals’ biology, population dynamics, habitat, ecology, history, human interactions, threats and conservation strategies.

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www.durrellwildlife.org/ (Jersey Zoo) www.arazpa.org.au/ (Guide to Zoos & Sanctuaries Aust & New Zealand)

/ DISCUSSION POINTS •What was special about Gerald Durrell? •How might a visit to the zoo be different today to what it would have been 50 years ago?

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Student Information Page

Zoos & Wildlife Sanctuaries r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

A major part of any conservation is interpretation and education. If people are not aware that a problem exists, how can they know to solve the problem? When we visit national parks around Australia, there are many interpretational activities and signs that give us a better appreciation of our experience of wilderness and wildlife.

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In 1956, a man named Gerald Durrell founded a zoo with a difference. At Jersey Zoo in the United Kingdom, he commenced breeding endangered animals to save them from extinction. A total of 75 species (mainly birds and mammals) disappeared between 1900 and the 1960s and the extinction rate has increased dramatically since then. However, it has only been relatively recently that the need for conserving animals and natural environments has become widely acknowledged. It is sad to think that we have lost many species to extinction in the past fifty years that may have been saved if more people had the future in mind as much as Gerald Durrell.

© ReadyEdP u b l i c a t i o n s For example, we are fortunate that many zoos and wildlife sanctuaries •f orr evi ew pur po se son l y• offer Many zoos have now followed Jersey Zoo’s education about both endemic (creatures

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found only in that continent) and exotic (creatures not native to a continent) wildlife. In the past, the focus of zoos was more to entertain the public, and little consideration was given to animals with respect to their enclosures and mental well-being. Today, exhibits aim to mimic the animals’ natural environment and keepers undertake enrichment programs to stimulate mental activity similar to what the animals would encounter in the wild.

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example by integrating important breeding programs for threatened species and providing places for zoologists to carry out scientific studies. Information about the breeding programs, threatened species and scientific work being done at zoos, is usually incorporated into their interpretation program, which highlights the plight of many species, hopefully resulting in more people taking an active role in conservation.

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Zoos offer an opportunity to meet and learn about wildlife and in doing so encourage people to become more concerned about our natural world and aware that we all need to take an active role in conservation if we are to save species from extinction.

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Zoos & Wildlife Sanctuaries

A) Find each new word in the puzzle. B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S

•interpretation ______________ ___________________________

breeding

___________________________ •endemic ___________________

plight sanctuaries endemic exotic enclosures exhibits enrichment stimulate

___________________________ ___________________________

•exotic _____________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

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interpretation

_____________________ ©•plight R e adyEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ ___________________________ •f o rr evi ew pur posesonl y•

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D______

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C) Use three words from the word list above to write a sensible sentence. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ D) There are four words hidden in the puzzle. They are the names of the man and the zoo which began breeding endangered animals to save them from extinction. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 47.)

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Read the text on page 47 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) Why was Jersey Zoo a ‘zoo with a difference’?

B) How many species became extinct between 1900 and 1960? Have more or fewer species become extinct since 1960? C) Name two positive functions of zoos today.

E) How have animal enclosures changed in recent years. Why was change necessary? P A G E 4 8 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Zoos & Wildlife Sanctuaries 1

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D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

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A) Jersey Zoo was the first zoo to begin breeding endangered animals to save them from extinction.

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B) 75 species; Many more.

C) Any of the following answers: 1) integrated breeding programs; 2) provide places for zoologists to carry our scientific studies; 3) encourage people to take an active role in conservation; 4) educate the public, giving them a better appreciation of wilderness and wildlife. D) Where once zoos existed primarily for the entertainment of people, with little respect for their enclosures and animals’ mental well-being, today the exhibits aim to mimic animals’ natural environment and keepers undertake enrichment programs to stimulate mental activity similar to what the animals may encounter in the wild. Answers will vary; for the effective and humane conservation of wildlife.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Help For Wildlife

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Since European settlement in Australia and still today, the biggest threat to our wildlife is habitat loss. There is very little terrestrial area left that can truly be called ‘wilderness’. Most of our national parks and reserves were once logged and many places were actually cleared. What we see now is usually secondary succession (or re-growth). Habitat loss not only includes forests and rainforests, but all the different ecosystems such as wetlands, grasslands, mangroves, deserts and so on.

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Human activities interfere with the normal lives of our wildlife. Some species have been able to somewhat adapt to living in urban environments, but many others have simply become locally extinct in those areas. As previously mentioned, environmental protection and sustainability is not just the concern and obligation of governments. It is a responsibility that needs to extend to everyone in the community to be successful. In respect to saving wildlife there are excellent organisations with dedicated people working hard both in paid and voluntary capacities. Some groups work towards lobbying the government to change legislation in accordance with the needs of wildlife and the desires of the public. This sort of work requires the distribution of information that will influence public attitudes by making them aware of the issues and problems. Other groups conduct vital research needed for a variety of different reasons, from providing supporting scientific arguments for why and how we should change current land management practices, to what veterinary treatment is required to assist sick or injured wildlife species.

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habitats through the removal of feral pests, weeds and the planting of local native species. As human populations around Australia continue to increase, so do the number of animals injured and orphaned by the threatening processes related to living in urban environments. Over recent years many wonderful organisations have been established to help these animals recuperate for re-release. Thousands of Australians welcome these creatures into their homes at all hours of the day and night, care for them, tend to all their needs, usually grow very fond of them and eventually make that heart-wrenching but wonderfully rewarding release to freedom.

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Whatever skills we may have, everyone has the capacity and responsibility to help save our precious natural world.

/ WEBSITES

www.wires.org.au/index.html (NSW Wildlife Rescue) www.kanyanawildlife.org.au/ (Perth Wildlife Rescue) www.connectqld.org.au/koala (Moggill Koala Hospital)

/ DISCUSSION POINTS • How do the threatening situations wildlife face in the wild differ from those they are exposed to as a result of human activity? • What makes Australia’s fauna unique? • Why do you think wildlife care is almost always voluntary? P A G E 5 0 SAVE THE PLANET

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FOCUS ON READING

Student Information Page

Help For Wildlife many of our animals are endemic (not found anywhere else in the world). Also, we have mostly marsupial m a m m a l s . Sometimes a female marsupial can be hit and killed on a road, but because many species carry their young in a pouch, the young sometimes survives the accident. A person finding an orphan can contact the Government Parks and Wildlife body in their state who will find a carer to raise, and ultimately release, the animal back to the wild.

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Animals and plants have instinctive and learned behaviours that help them cope with a range of natural predators and threatening situations. Increasingly, however, they are being exposed to numerous threatening processes that are the direct result of human activites. In many instances, the habitat range and consequently the population of species has declined, sometimes so dramatically that they have become extinct.

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The task of raising orphans and caring for sick and injured wildlife is a difficult, timeconsuming and often heart-breaking experience. However, releasing a healthy animal, that would have otherwise perished, back into the wild is extremely worthwhile and rewarding. Wildlife care is almost always volunteer work and is another way that many concerned Australians are involved in conservation.

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Some threatened species are being assisted through special programs. However, even our most common of species are being affected by humans, and it is the opinion of many people that we should endeavour to help all wildlife that fall into peril. Around Australia there are now many organisations and individuals who care for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. Australia’s fauna is quite unique. We have a large variety of birds and reptiles and

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Student Information Page

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Help For Wildlife A) Find each new word in the puzzle.

B) Write meanings for these words. Use a dictionary to help you.

New Words List

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•instinct ____________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

behaviours

•opinion ____________________

exposed

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assisted

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opinion

•peril ______________________

peril

orphan unique

___________________________ ___________________________

•perish _____________________

perish

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instinctive

©___________________________ ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons ___________________________ C) Use three fromr the word list above write ao sensible •words f or ev i e w ptou r p sesentence. sonl y• volunteer

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

v_____y

_ _ d_ _ ic

m__s____l

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D) There are four words hidden in the puzzle which describe some ways in which Australian fauna is considered unique. Can you find them? (Hint: They can also be found in the text on page 51.) m _ _ _ _ _s

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Read the text on page 51 to help you understand and answer these questions. Write your answers on the back of this page or in your exercise book.

A) How does wildlife cope with natural predators and threatening situations?

B) What is the opinion of many people about helping sick, injured and orphaned wildlife? What is your opinion? C) What is meant by the word ‘endemic’?

D) How can you help an orphaned animal if you find one?

E) Why do you think it might often be a heart-breaking experience raising an orphaned animal? F) List some of the personal qualities you would need to be a voluntary wildlife carer. P A G E 5 2 SAVE THE PLANET

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ANSWERS

Help For Wildlife 1

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D) See diagram below.

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A) See diagram below.

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A) Wildlife have instinctive and learned behaviours that help them cope with a range of natural predators and threatening situations.

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B) It is the opinion of many people that we should endeavour to help all wildlife that fall into peril. Answers will vary.

C) ‘Endemic’ refers to animals not found anywhere else in the world. D) You can help an orphaned animal you may find by contacting the Government Parks and Wildlife body in your state who will find a carer to raise and ultimately release the animal back to the wild. E) Answers will vary. F) Answers will vary.

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REFERENCES ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS Bruntland Commission Report, 1987, available online at home.att.net/~slomansonb/ Bruntland.html

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, available online at www.iczn.org/iczn/index.jsp

implementingthenowastestrategy.html

Plastic Bay information from Planet Ark, available online at www.planetark.com/index.cfm

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Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA.

www.deh.gov.au/esd/national/nsesd/strategy/

Suzuki, D. & Dressel, H. 1999, Naked Ape to Superspecies, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW.

NATURAL RESOURCES Attiwill, P. & Wilson, B. 2003, Ecology - An Australian Perspective, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

POLLUTION

Aplin, G. 1998, Australians and their Environment, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Bowen, J. 1993, ‘The Great Barrier Reef: towards conservation and management’, as cited in Dovers, S. (ed.) 1994, Australian Environmental History - Essays and Cases, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

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National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD), 1992, available online at

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No Waste by 2010 Strategy - Canberra, available online at www.nowaste.act.gov.au/strategy/

Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA.

Our Sea, Our Future - Major Findings of the State of the Marine Environment Report For Australia, 1995, GBRMPA, Townsville.

© ReadyEdPubl i cat i ons Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, World Wide Fund fors Nature, ‘The Implications of •f or r ev i ew u r p o s e o n l y • Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, p Climate Change on the Great Barrier Reef’ 2004,

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Starr, C. 2000, Biology Concepts and Applications, Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning, South Melbourne.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

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www.wwf.org.au/

BIODIVERSITY

Attiwill, P. & Wilson, B. 2003, Ecology - An Australian Perspective, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

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Aplin, G. 1998, Australians and their Environment, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA. Perth Fuel Cell Bus Trial, available online at www.dpi.wa.gov.au/fuelcells/

RECYCLING Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA.

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available online at

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USA.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand, ‘Measuring the spread of the Candidate Possum Biocontrol Vector Parastrongyloides tichosuri’. Available online at:

www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/publications/ research/biological-management-of-possums/ biological-management-of-possums-13.htm

Starr, C. 2000, Biology Concepts and Applications, Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning, South Melbourne. Strahan, R. 1995, The Mammals of Australia, Reed New Holland, Sydney. Suzuki, D. & Dressel, H. 1999, Naked Ape to

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Superspecies, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW. The Encyclopaedia of Animals, 1993, Fog City Press, San Francisco.

Practice, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne. World Wide Fund for Nature, available online at www.wwf.org.au/

THREATENED SPECIES Aplin, G. 1998, Australians and their Environment, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Bush Heritage Fund, available online at

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Australian Koala Foundation, available online at www.savethekoala.com/koalasdanger.html

Cane Toad Factsheet - Australian Museum, available online at www.austmus.gov.au/ factsheets/canetoad.htm

Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA. Recovery Outline for Gastric Brooding Frog, 1997, available online at www.deh.gov.au/ biodiversity/threatened/action/frogs/27.html

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List, available online at www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/

www1.bushheritage.asn.au/

Ham, S. 1992, Environmental Interpretation - A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Small Budgets, Fulcrum Publishing Golden, Colorado. Pearson, M. & Sullivan, S. 1995, Looking after Heritage Places - The Basics of Heritage Planning for Managers, Landowners and Administrators’, Melbourne University Press, Carlton.

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NATIONAL PARKS

Thompson, C. (ed.) 1997, Discovering Yanchep National Park, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth, W.A.

Worboys, G, Lockwood, M. & De Lacy, T. 2001, Protected Area Management Principles and Practice, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

© R e a d y E d P u b l i c a t i o n s Walraven, E. 1999, Care of Australian Wildlife, New Holland Publishers (Aust) Pty. Ltd., Sydney. •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLLS Bilby Conservation, available online at

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www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ publications/bilby.html

Quoll Seekers Network, available online at

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ZOOS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, available online at www.durrellwildlife.org/

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Ham, S. 1992, Environmental Interpretation - A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Small Budgets, Fulcrum Publishing Golden, Colorado.

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Ride, W.D.L. 1970, A Guide to the Native Mammals of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Strahan, R. 1995, The Mammals of Australia, Reed New Holland, Sydney.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, available online at www.koala.net

Perth Zoo Conservation Information - Breeding Programs, available online at www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/

CONSERVATION Miller, G.T. 2002, Living in the Environment, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA. Worboys, G, Lockwood, M. & De Lacy, T. 2001, Protected Area Management Principles and

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HELP FOR WILDLIFE Bowden, J. 1999, Living with the Environment in the Pine Rivers Shire, Fergies, Brisbane. Walraven, E. 1999, Care of Australian Wildlife, New Holland Publishers (Aust) Pty. Ltd., Sydney. P A G E 5 5 SAVE THE PLANET

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