Transcript Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species

By: Elizabeth S. Butler
Pd. 3
An Endangered Species is a species of
animal that is on the brink of extinction.
The endangered animal is usually close to
extinction because of human’s actions, but
sometimes because of natural causes. (Ex.
Pollution, Hunting, Biocides, etc.)
The most common reasons for endangerment
almost always include destruction from
humans. Some of them include pollution,
disease, habitat destruction, over
exploration, human disturbances, hunting,
and some biocides. All of these do cause
harm to humans as well.
There are many ways to prevent
endangerment. If we all helped support our
environment a lot more, there would be less
endangered species. We could also place our
endangered species in a more secure area,
according to their habitats. We could even
prevent complete habitat destruction by
creating a new habitat when we destroy one
we could do this by planting more trees and
even moving all of the animals to the new
habitat.
The eastern puma is and endangered
species in Pennsylvania. It is endangered
because some people used to hunt them
and their natural habitat is being
destroyed by humans. There is an
estimated 270 Eastern Puma’s left in
Pennsylvania.
The Grey Wolf is an endangered species,
not just in Pennsylvania, but all over the
world. The only reason it is endangered is
because of human populations extending
into their natural habitats.
The Indiana Bat is and endangered
species that lives in the eastern states in
the United States. It is endangered
because of human disturbance during
their hibernation, this is their most
vulnerable time because they hibernate
in large groups.
The swamp pink grows in a sunny
environment, usually bogs or swampy
meadows. These beautiful plants are
endangered because of loss of habitat,
collection by humans, and they are being
eaten by some types of deer.
The Sweet Flag is an endangered species
in Pennsylvania and its surrounding states
up into Canada. The sweet flag is
endangered because of habitat
destruction and human disturbance. This
beautiful plant is found in natural
wetlands.
The mountain bugbane is found from
Pennsylvania to Georgia and Illinois. It
grows in dense hardwood forests. This
plant is endangered because of collection
because it appears a lot like its neighbor,
the black bugbane, which is quite
expensive.
An invasive species is an organism that is
moved from its native habitat to a new,
unknown place, in which it affects negatively
by either killing or harming the other species
living in that area. They disrupt the basic
routine of the new habitat by impacting one
or more of the species.
Most invasive species were brought into the USA
by immigration into our country.
 Some invasive species were brought to America
purposefully, through imports in food in as early
as the 1800s.
 Other invasive species were brought to America
unknowingly through disease of infections on
livestock or food.
 Some invasive species migrate naturally from
place to place, over time.
 Other invasive species were already here, in the
USA.

 They
harm and/or kill plants.
 They harm and/or kill animals.
 Invasive species alter the ecosystem around
them.
 Invasive species may even cause some plants
or animals to become endangered.
 They also reduce habitat wildlife and cause
harm to humans, indirectly.
Salt Cedar- Tamarix spp: Absorbs large amounts
of water and creates large deposits of salt.
 Nutria-Myocastyor coypus: Damages vegetation
and destroys habitats and wetlands.
 Emerald Ash Borer-Agrilus planipennis: A woodboring beetle that greatly affects and harms ash
trees.
 Hemlock Woolly Adelgid- Adelges tsugae:
Destroys Eastern Hemlock Trees.
 Zebra Mussel- Dreissena polymorpha: Potentially
damaging clam spread by water transport.

Reintroduced-Deliberately released
species, from captivity, into a habitat that
the said species used to inhabitat, but has
moved on because of various reasons.
The North American River Otter is a
reintroduced Species in Pennsylvania.
Extirpated- A species that has become
completely extinct in an area, but that
species may exist somewhere else either in
special care or still in their natural habitats.