Polar Bear Facts and Books to Read on the Computer for Free
Reading Exercise: Endangered Species
intermediate
Did you lot know that the Arctic is warming faster than any other place in the world? Find out what this means for our polar bears in this reading practice. You tin can notice the pregnant of the words in bold by checking the vocabulary list below, and you lot can check your understanding past doing the Endangered Species Comprehension Quiz.
Polar Acquit Makes the List
In jump 2008, the polar acquit was placed on the endangered species list. According to the USA's Endangered Species Act, an endangered species is an animal, constitute or any other kind of wildlife that is likely to confront extinction in its natural habitat. Polar bears had already been categorized equally a "threatened" species which the ESA defines every bit one that is probable to become "endangered" in the foreseeable future.
The polar bear is the first animal that has been classified every bit endangered due primarily to global warming. Global warming is a form of climate modify caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that become trapped in the atmosphere. Oil and gas heaters, engines using oil or petrol (or gasoline) and coal-powered electricity plants all require fossil fuels that lead to global warming. Renewable energy sources or renewables that don't cause global warming include solar, current of air and hydro-electricity power. These alternative forms of ability, likewise as the science of climatic change, accept been strongly attacked by many of the globe'due south biggest companies in order to protect the huge profits they make from fossil fuels. They do this even though they're fully aware of how much fossil fuels are damaging our planet and endangering many of the species we share it with.
The polar bear'due south habitat is more vulnerable to global warming than many other species. Polar bears live mainly on the sea ice in the Chill. This is where they hunt for fish and build upward fat reserves. When the water ice melts many polar bears move to land and live off their stored fat. In the Arctic, global warming is causing the ice to melt slightly earlier and course slightly afterward. This results in a shorter feeding season for the polar conduct. Some run a risk their lives to find water ice. If they have to swim too far they will drown from burnout and hunger. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that over 25% of Arctic sea ice has disappeared in the past 30 years.
Information technology is not only the polar deport that is at risk in the Arctic. Every species of plant, fauna, and insect in that location is threatened by global warming. Nevertheless, groups of concerned scientists and environmentalists such as the World Wildlife Fund frequently report large carnivores in order to assess the health of an ecosystem. The Chill food chain relies on the polar comport. In improver, donations are more than commonly offered for the protection of large animals such equally bears or elephants. People in full general are less interested in conservation efforts that protect modest wild animals, such every bit plants or insects. All the same, past using donor money to protect the habitats of larger animals through reforestation and similar programs, entire ecosystems with many threatened or endangered species tin can be saved.
Information technology is important that animals such as the polar comport make it onto the endangered species listing. Once they are on the list at that place are laws that protect these animals from being hunted for food or sport. Agencies likewise receive money and tools to protect the habitat and recover the species. The goal of removing the animal from the list is often achievable. Since the Endangered Species Deed was introduced in the U.s.a. in 1973, many species accept been taken off the list due to increased populations. In fact, it is rare for a species to go extinct after they make the listing. Sadly, many species practise go extinct while waiting for consideration.
Vocabulary
| Discussion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| conservation endeavor noun | measures to protect and restore the natural world |
| ecosystem noun | the complex organization of relationships between living things and their surroundings |
| endangered species noun | animals or plants in danger of condign extinct in the nigh futurity |
| environmentalist noun | a person who cares about the natural world and makes efforts to protect it or raise sensation of environmental problems |
| extinction noun | the loss of a species of fauna, bird, constitute, etc for all time |
| food chain noun | a group of organisms in which each feeds off the i beneath it in the chain |
| fossil fuel noun | a fuel formed from the fossils of plants or animals that died millions of years ago. These fuels include oil and coal, the burning of which is a major crusade of global warming. |
| global warming (also climate change) noun | the gradual increase of air and sea temperatures caused by rising greenhouse gas levels |
| greenhouse gas substantive | a gas in the atmosphere that prevents oestrus from escaping into infinite |
| habitat noun | the area where a species naturally lives, eats, and reproduces |
| recover verb | to assist a sure species repopulate an area |
| reforestation noun | the planting of new trees in a place where a forest has been badly damaged or destroyed |
| renewables noun | forms of energy that tin exist replaced naturally, such as hydro-electricity, solar energy and air current power |
| risk verb | engage in a unsafe act |
| vulnerable adjective | likely to face injury or danger |
| wildlife noun | plants and animals living in a natural environment |
Source: https://www.englishclub.com/reading/environment/endangered-species.htm
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