Things You Can Do To Protect Wildlife
It is often easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of species loss and habitat destruction. The problem is large and complex-it's common for individuals to feel powerless. Yet, everything we do is vitally important. We may only do a little bit in the grand scheme of things, but together our seemingly small actions add up to a lot.
1. Protect Wildlife Habitat
Perhaps the greatest threat that faces many species is the widespread destruction of habitat. Deforestation, farming, over-grazing and development all result in irreversible changes-soil compaction, erosion, desertification, and alteration of local climatic conditions. Such land use practices vastly alter or even eliminate wildlife habitat. In areas where rare species are present, habitat destruction can quickly force a species to extinction. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can be protected together and when communities are kept intact, less conservation intervention is required to ensure species survival. Parks, reserves, and other protected lands are too often the only habitats left untouched by habitat destruction.
2. Join a Conservation Organization
There is a wide range of conservation organizations working to protect endangered animals and habitats. Different organizations have different objectives-some work to protect a small plot of land or to protect whales, others focus on establishing good environmental policies in local government. If you have a specific area of interest, you can often find an organization that is working to protect the species or habitats you're most concerned about. By joining in, you can support well-organized, ongoing efforts to protect species and habitats. And if you want to participate in conservation field work, you can often get involved in specific programs within many conservation organizations that rely to a great extent on help from volunteers.
3. Reduce the Threat of Invasive Species
The spread of non-native species has greatly impacted native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources and habitat. They can even prey on native species directly, forcing native species towards extinction. Another way to reduce the threat of invasive species is to incorporate native plants in your garden and to welcome native animals into your yard.
4. Recycle and Reduce Energy and Goods Consumption
By recycling and (reusing as much as we can, we reduce our impact on the environment. Additionally, by reducing the energy we consume, we take a little of the burden off our natural resources (and our pocketbooks). You can also reduce your carbon footprint by first calculating your current carbon footprint and then reduce the amount of carbon you consume.
5. Minimize use of Herbicides and Pesticides
Herbicides and pesticides may keep yards looking nice but they are in fact hazardous pollutants that affect wildlife at many levels. Many herbicides and pesticides take a long time to degrade and build up in the soils or throughout the food chain. Some groups of animals such as amphibians are particularly vulnerable to these chemical pollutants and suffer greatly as a result of the high levels of herbicides and pesticides in their habitat.
6. Place Decals on Windows to Deter Bird Collisions
Daniel Klem Jr. of Muhlenberg College has estimated that as many as one billion birds in the United States die each year due to collisions with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing decals on the windows in your home and office. Other simple steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of collisions are to re-evaluate feeder placement, draw shades and curtains during brightest parts of day, install tinted window glass, and put screens on outside of windows.
7. Slow Down When Driving
Many native animals have to live in developed areas and this means they must navigate a landscape full of human hazards. One of the biggest obstacles to wildlife living in developed areas is that created by roads. Roads divide habitat and present a constant hazard to any animal attempting to cross from one side to the other. So when you're out and about, slow down and keep an eye out for wildlife.
8. Voice Your Concerns and Get Involved Locally
By letting local and national governments know that you're concerned about endangered species, you're increasing the likelihood that someone will do something about it.
By protecting animal communities from harm, not so much is necessary.
If you want to get involved in field work, many organisations accept .
The problem with herbicides and pesticides is that they do not quickly.
Thinking carefully about where you put your bird can reduce collisions.
Animals have to cross roads which often their living space.
People in are more likely to act if they know you are concerned.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Synonym match - summary says 'not so much ... is necessary' and passage explains less intervention is needed
Correct Answer: conservation intervention
Why this is correct: The passage explains that when animal communities are kept intact, less conservation intervention is needed. The summary paraphrases this as 'not so much ... is necessary'.
Passage Reference: By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can be protected together and when communities are kept intact, less conservation intervention is required to ensure species survival.
Common Mistake: Students may write protection or intervention alone. This is a partial truth trap because the passage uses the full phrase conservation intervention, and you must copy the exact words.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'less conservation intervention is required' = Summary: 'not so much ... is necessary'
Tips: Look for comparative phrases like 'less' in the passage. They often match summaries saying 'not so much'.
Key Vocabulary:
- intervention = action to help
- intact = whole
Question Focus: Synonym match - getting involved in field work
Correct Answer: volunteers
Passage Reference: you can often get involved in specific programs within many conservation organizations that rely to a great extent on help from volunteers. 3.
Why this is correct: The passage says conservation programs rely on help from volunteers. The summary paraphrases this as organisations accepting people for field work.
Common Mistake: Students may write people or helpers. This is a synonym trap. You must copy the exact word from the passage.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'rely to a great extent on help from volunteers' = Summary: 'accept ... for field work'
Tips: When there is no word box, always copy the exact word you see in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- volunteers = unpaid helpers
- field work = practical outdoor work
Question Focus: Synonym match - 'do not ... quickly'
Correct Answer: degrade
Passage Reference: Many herbicides and pesticides take a long time to degrade and build up in the soils or throughout the food chain.
Why this is correct: The passage states that herbicides and pesticides take a long time to degrade. The summary rewrites this as 'do not degrade quickly'.
Common Mistake: Students may write break down. This is a synonym trap because the passage word is degrade, and synonyms are not accepted.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'take a long time to degrade' = Summary: 'do not ... quickly'
Tips: Negative sentences often paraphrase time expressions like 'a long time' into 'not quickly'.
Key Vocabulary:
- degrade = break down slowly
- pollutants = harmful substances
Question Focus: Context detail - reducing bird collisions
Correct Answer: feeder
Passage Reference: Other simple steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of collisions are to re-evaluate feeder placement, draw shades and curtains during brightest parts of day,
Why this is correct: The passage explains that changing feeder placement can reduce bird collisions. The summary shortens this to 'where you put your bird feeder'.
Common Mistake: Students may write food or feeders placement. This is a grammar trap because the gap needs a single noun.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 're-evaluate feeder placement' = Summary: 'where you put your bird feeder'
Tips: In diagram or object references, choose the concrete noun named in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- feeder = place birds eat from
- collisions = crashes
Question Focus: Synonym match - effect of roads
Correct Answer: divide
Passage Reference: One of the biggest obstacles to wildlife living in developed areas is that created by roads. Roads divide habitat and present a constant hazard to any animal attempting to cross from one side to the other.
Why this is correct: The passage clearly states that roads divide habitat. The summary paraphrases habitat as 'their living space'.
Common Mistake: Students may write block or separate. This is a synonym trap because you must copy divide from the passage.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Roads divide habitat' = Summary: 'cross roads which often ... their living space'
Tips: When a summary uses a general phrase like 'living space', check for a precise verb in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- habitat = living space
- obstacle = problem
Question Focus: Synonym match - who is more likely to act
Correct Answer: government
Passage Reference: By letting local and national governments know that you're concerned about endangered species, you're increasing the likelihood that someone will do something about it
Why this is correct: The passage says that telling local and national governments increases the chance of action. The summary shortens this to 'People in government'.
Common Mistake: Students may write authorities or politicians. This is a synonym trap. Only government appears in the passage.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'local and national governments' = Summary: 'People in government'
Tips: Summaries often generalise groups of people. Copy the base noun you see in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- government = people who run a country
- concerned = worried
General Tips:
- FIB answers follow passage order. Once you find gap 1, scan forward for the next answers.
- Always check the word limit. More than two words is automatically wrong here.
- You must copy the exact word or words from the passage. Synonyms are not accepted.
- Use grammar clues. Articles, verbs, and prepositions around the gap tell you the word form.
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