Transcript Protecting endangered plant and animal species

Protecting
endangered
plant and animal species
The processes leading to the
natural loss of species:
1. natural death,
2. population pressure,
3. destruction of wildlife habitats
(e.g. tropical forests, coral reefs,
wetlands),
4. hunting for foods, sports or
medicines,
5. pollution.
Endangerment of Species
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more than 1,000 animal species are
endangered worldwide today.
Extinct:
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a species is extinct when there is no
reasonable doubt that the last individual
has died.
Critically endangered, endangered and
vulnerable:
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species which face high risk of extinction
in wild in the near future, with decreasing
risk level from critically endangered to
vulnerable.
Factors affecting Risk
Level of Endangerment
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Population size of the species,
Size of habitats,
Number of mature individuals,
Examples of Endangered
Species
The current rate of species
loss
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
African elephant,
Tiger,
Chinese white dolphin,
Giant panda.
Coral reef,
Tropical Rain Forest.
Causes of Endangerment
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Destruction of habitats
Pollution
 Deforestation
 Urbanization
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Disease and limited distribution
 Introduction of exotic species
 Over-exploitation and illegal
hunting
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Over-exploitation
In order to get timber for
paper, furniture and building
materials, a lot of trees are
cut down. This destroys the
woodland habitat.
Hunting
Hunting
Why do we need to save
endangered species?
[1]
Humans depend on ecosystems.
The nature provides us water
and air.
Why do we need to save
endangered species?
[2]
Ecosystem will become unstable
 Loss of valuable natural resources
 Loss of employment
 Species have rights to survive

The consequences of losing
species:
1. the danger to ecological stability,
2. the importance of genetic
diversity in allowing different
species to meet different
challenges and to fulfill different
functions within the biosphere,
3. the danger that the extinction
of one species can lead to the
decline in other species,
4. the loss of material from which
to create potentially useful hybrid
strains of plants and animals, or
to create new foods, medicines,
and fibres.
What should be done?
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Pollution control
Reduce the use / recycle natural
resources
Ban or restrict activities that cause
harm to the nature, e.g. hunting
Act of Endangered Species
The nature/scale of remedial
measures needed to reverse
current trends:
1. International efforts through
the activities of groups such
as World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF), Friends of
the Earth and Greenpeace.
2.
International agreements
arrived at partly as a
consequence
of
their
lobbying e.g. Convention
on International Trading of
Endangered Species (C. I.
T.
E.
S.)
and
the
agreements that restrict
whaling.
3. Hong Kong's role:
i. as a signatory to the treaty banning the
international trade in ivory,
ii. promoting the conservation of bird life
through the preservation of the Mai Po
marshes,
iii. controls to prevent the import of
endangered species,
iv. additional steps Hong Kong could
take in this areas.
4. China'a role:
a developing interest in areas
such as panda research, Pere
David Deer and the Guangdong
bird sanctuary.
5. Individual's role:
i. appreciating the importance of
well-informed people mobilizing
public
opinion
to
change
attitudes,
ii. working for public acceptance of
the need to spend public money
on worthwhile projects and
supporting such projects in
practical ways,
iii. countering the influence of
those who have a vested
interest in courses of action
which have a detrimental
effect on the environment,
iv. being discriminating in what one
buys so that wherever possible
one
avoids
products
whose
manufacture or sale contribute to
the destruction of the natural
environment,
v. exploring what these roles mean in
practice in the H. K. context,
vi.
dangers implicit in precipitate,
uninformed public pressure (e.g. in
1989 WWF report).
Discussion
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If dinosaurs were still alive in the world,
should we conserve them?
For endangered species that threaten our
life, should we conserve them? How to
judge, decide and make a balance?
“Human is selfish for exploiting the life of
so many species”, do you agree?
Discussion
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Keeping animals in zoo is one way to
protect and keep valuable species. What
are its advantages and disadvantages?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses
body parts of animals to cure illnesses.
How do you feel? What could be done?
If the protection of endangered species
will cause unemployment and hardship of
the people in the developing country, what
should be done?
Relevant Websites
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[1]
Endangered Species Program, U.S. Fish &
wildlife Service (http://endangered.fws.gov)
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora –
CITES (http://www.cites.org)
Endangered Species on EE-Link Endangered
Species (http://eelink.net/EndSpp)
A SeaWorld Education Department Resource
(http://www.seaworld.org)
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Endangered Species
(http://www.seaworld.org/endangered_species/escont.
html)
Relevant Websites
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Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department (http://www.afcd.gov.hk)
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[2]
Conservation
(http://www.afcd.gov.hk/con_new/chinese/homepage.
htm)
Example of endangered species that could be
used in Traditional Chinese Medicines
(http://www.afcd.gov.hk/web/chinese/conservat
ion/conserv/annex3.htm)
Examples of plant species included in the
Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered
Species) Ordinance
(http://www.afcd.gov.hk/web/chinese/conservat
ion/conserv/annex4.htm)