Species at Risk Project

Hey Gr.9s! Here is the last ecology project to work on.

You can start by looking up a Canadian species that is at risk of disappearing forever.

Here is the project details:

Extinction is Forever!

Endangered Species Presentation

When a species becomes extinct, it disappears and can never re-appear.  Before becoming extinct, the species is usually identified as being at risk in one of the following categories, from most at risk to less at risk: extirpated, endangered, threatened, and special concern.

As habitats change and disappear, many species face the risk of extinction, unless we act to protect them.  Your assignment is to prepare a presentation to describe one “at risk” species.  Your presentation should attempt to persuade the reader to take steps to help preserve the animal and prevent its extinction.  Sign-up for a species with your teacher so that no one does the same species.

Your poster or power-point should include the following regarding your species:

• Picture, sketch, or drawing                           0        1        2        3        4        5

• Food chain including the organism                  0        1        2        3        4        5

• Specific locations where it’s found                                             0        1        2

• On the back of the page, define:                                               0        1        2

extirpated, endangered & threatened (& say which one your species is)

Definitions found in the website glossary: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/about/glossary/default_e.cfm

• List any problems that led it to be at risk                        0        1        2        3

(what went wrong & what can we do to help it …?)

• Presentation to class                           0        1        2        3        4        6        8

Here is what you need to present to the class:

o    Show a picture or drawing

o    Say if it is extirpated, endangered, or threatened and give that one definition

o    Say where it is found, what it eats, and what eats it

o    Say if it is a producer or consumer and what order consumer it is

o    Say what we can do to help it!

TOTAL                                                                       /25

Bonus options:

• Find out its current population;
• What efforts are being done to help it;
• What can we do to help it?
• Write a letter to a government official stating your concerns and asking what the government is doing to help this species (maybe we’ll even send it to see what they say!)