To Teachers Endangered species, both plants and animals, are important records of how people have treated their environment. If you and your students study the material written about each species, it quickly becomes apparent that the greatest threat to these plants and animals is habitat loss.
Habitat loss occurs in many forms.
Wetland drainage is a major threat to many species. Pollution, urban sprawl, acid rain, poor agricultural practices and aggressive non-native species also imperil many native plants and animals. All of these practices, by themselves or in combination, have had major impacts on living organisms. Biological, economic, social and ethical lesson can be learned from studying endangered and threatened species. Whether used as a science site, a reading lesson, social studies unit or as computer instruction, the major theme that runs through this site is the the need to make people aware of what mankind has done to our environment and what can be done to ensure a viable future.