Goals: To define, evaluate, and develop/refine a solution for reducing the environmental impacts of human activities on biodiversity.
Biodiversity and Conservation
Part 1: Using the following websites, select an endangered or critically threatened species that resides in the United States.
USA Today – Most Endangered Species
US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species List
Threatened/Endangered Species Listed by State
Top 10 Species Endangered by Humans in the United States 24 of the Most Endangered Animals in the United States
Once you have selected, your species of study, be prepared to have your selection approved by your teacher by explaining the rationale for your choice.
Part 2: After receiving approval to proceed, you will begin to research your chosen species. Thorough research should allow you to answer the following questions regarding the species. The responses to these questions should help to reveal important information that will assist you in developing your conservation plan. In providing your responses to each question, you must be certain to list the source of the information used to provide the answer (Website Name and URL, Textbook Information, etc.). Consider your source selection carefully.
Questions:
1. What is the common name for the species? The scientific name?
2. What is the difference between a threatened and an endangered species? Is your selected
species threatened or endangered?
3. Where is this species found within the United States? Describe the habitat in which it thrives.
4. What is the average life span of the species? Please note that life spans may differ for males
and females of the same species. If this is true of your species, be sure to include the life spans
for each.
5. List at least three interesting facts about your selected species.
6. What are the current population estimates for this species? Survival trends?
7. Why is this species threatened or endangered? List the factors that have contributed to the
species being placed on the Endangered List.
8. Why is it important to save this species? What potential environmental damage might be
incurred if the species were to become extinct?
9. What are the impediments to conservation efforts?
The Conservation Planning Process (A Simplified Approach)
Phase 1:
• Identify Problems
• Determine Objective
• Analyze Data
Phase 2:
• Identify Opportunities/Formulate Possible Solutions – Various Strategies/Alternatives
• Evaluate Strategies
• Make Plan Decision
Phase 3:
• Implement Plan
• Evaluate Plan
Part 3: You are a member of the Save the Endangered Species Alliance, a non-profit group dedicated to creating conservation plans that mitigate (make less severe) adverse (unfavorable) impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Your goal is to remove threatened or endangered species from the Endangered Species list. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary for your selected population to rebound in size.
A conservation plan will, therefore, need to be developed by the non-profit to rehabilitate and ultimately save/protect the species. Based on your current knowledge of your selected species, design a Phase 1 and Phase 2 Conservation Proposal that addresses the following questions as you address the steps outlined for each phase above:
1. Why is a conservation plan necessary for this species?
2. Based on your research, what are the two primary dangers to this species? Describe in detail.
3. How will your non-profit monitor and minimize these dangers? This should be a multifaceted
approach.
4. What is one other alternate solution for saving this species? Why did your group not select this
solution?
5. What are some impediments to this conservation effort?
6. What are some additional supports that your group would need from the federal government to
make this conservation plan successful? Explain.
Part 4: Submit your proposal for consideration. The proposal should be typed, double-spaced in 12- point Times New Roman font. A Works Cited page must be included with your proposal. Please note that you will also share your proposal with your peers. As such, you should prepare a short PowerPoint for presentation in class. The PowerPoint should contain no more than 8 slides as outlined below:
1. Title of Presentation and Names of Group Members
2. Selected Species and Species Information
3. Why Conservation for Species is Necessary
4. Primary Dangers to Species
5. How Dangers will be Monitored
6. One Alternative Solution
7. Impediments to Conservation
8. Additional Supports
9. Works Cited
