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PERIOD 2 ABSTRACTS |
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Asian Elephants
By:
Andrew Hwang, Kern Haug, and John Zamani
The Asian
elephant, also known as elephas indicus, or the Asian elephant, is about 10
feet tall. It is slightly smaller than its relative, the African Elephant.
On average, the male Asian elephant (called a bull) weighs 7,000-11000
pounds. Its large feet support its weight by distributing The main reason it is endangered is because it is hunted for it’s ivory tusks. The elephant is the only mammal, except for the walrus, that has ivory tusks, which can measure up to five feet in length. The elephant uses these tusks for digging food, clearing debris, and to carry logs that weigh up to 1 ton.
The Asian elephant is an
herbivore and favors bamboo, berries, mangoes, bananas, shrubs, tree
foliage, wood, apples, wild rice, and coconuts. Since their bodies only make
use of half of the food they consume, the elephant must eat between 330 and
350 pounds of food each day. The elephants usually prefer to live in thick
forests with an abundant supply of food and a large amount of shade. They
also like mud to help them cool off during hot summer days.
By:Enrique
Martinez and Juan Maldonado
BY: Chad Jay, Brian Buckley, Nick Silver
As long as countries in a industrialized world keep importing oil to use in a large part of their energy needs, oil spills will keep occurring and damaging the marine ecosystem and all wild life. Double hulled tankers and better training for crew workers would be a huge aid in reducing oil spills, and ever evolving methods of clean up could reduce the terrible impact but the only sure way to stop oil spills would be to eliminate the need to transport oil by ships.
The
Gorilla By Eric Landau and Lincoln Greene
Gorillas are large, gentle and
intelligent creatures that live in different areas in Africa. They are
strong and powerful, but also shy and peaceful as well. They usually live in
groups of three to thirty, which are always dominated by a silverback male.
A gorilla’s lifespan is between thirty to fifty years if he or she is not
hunted by humans. In addition, there are three different subspecies of
gorilla, each with slight differences from one another. These species are
the western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla), the eastern lowland gorilla
(gorilla graueri), and the mountain gorilla(gorilla berengei). There are between 15,000-40,000 free-living gorillas in Africa at the present moment. However, this number is quickly decreasing with humans constantly threatening the gorillas’ existence. One of the main problems for gorillas is human hunting. For years humans have hunted down gorillas for sport, their-body parts, food, as pests, for folk medicine, and for numerous other reasons. Not only do the threats for the gorillas come from hunting, however, they also come from the destruction of their habitat. Although the exact habitat a gorilla is living in depends on its subspecies, most gorillas live in dense tropical forest. The need for farmland, lumber, and expansion in Africa has led to the destruction of a great deal of this forest habitat. Without their territory, gorillas will be either wiped out completely or remain only living in captivity. The gorilla’s future looks grim, but with the help of many conservation groups dedicated to keeping gorillas living in the wild without human trouble, gorillas may still have a fighting chance. One can only hope that these magnificent creatures will be with us in the future.
Harpy Eagle: A Fight for Survival
By
Brandon
Myers,Bryce Du and
Alex French
For
years the Harpy Eagle has been one of the most feared predators on the
planet. It is rarely seen and devours many animals around its habitat. Due
to deforestation, nest destruction, and much hunting, the Harpy Eagle is
rapidly declining in number. The Harpy Eagle, can be found in tropical
forests in Central and South America. Measuring over thirty-nine inches in
height and has a total wingspan of up to seven feet. The backside of the
Harpy Eagle is covered with black feathers and the front is covered with
white as combined with the black ring around the Harpy Eagle¹s neck,
results in a ruthless look which matches its characteristics perfectly. The
Harpy Eagles size, strength, sight, and agility make any animal, whether on
land or in the skies, a target. In the wild, the Harpy Eagle eats
almost any animal no matter the size. Using its great strength and size, the
Harpy Eagle easily drags its victim to the top of the nearest tree for a
delicious meal. It is usually hunted for its beautiful feathers, its sharp
beak, and its large talons (claws). These items are considered
valuable and are used for shamanistic ceremonies, or unfortunately, sold to
rich tourists for a large amount of money. Unfortunately, the Harpy
Eagle may never be able to reach its maximum population again.
Water
Pollution
Kirsten
Maxwell, Rachel Newell and Alicia Leto Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems. It occurs when substances, such as humans or other animal wastes, toxic or poisonous chemicals, metals, and oils contaminate water. Pollution can affect oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, and even rain. All polluted water may look clean or dirty, but still contain bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or other materials—some causing illness or death. All impurities in water must be removed before it can be used safely. Water pollution occurs when people put so much waste into a water system that its natural cleansing process cannot function properly. Although many people are aware that water pollution is a truly serious issue they choose to sit back, and not do anything about it. However, I do not agree. Today, with helping hands, everyone should work for a better cause, and together defeat water pollution.
By: Ben Ness & Josh Gott A warfare that is known throughout military personal in a big way is Biological Warfare. Biological Warfare is the military tactic that is extremely harmful. It is the use of toxins, or other chemical diseases spread through this scheme. This tactic can kill millions of people efficiently if used at the right place at the right time. Biological Agents are used for this tactic. They are usually used, as spy’s to poison other enemies’ food or medicine supply. It is also spread through weapons of mass destruction of explosive bombs. This use of military battle has been used for hundreds of years. In has been used since the 1500s. Mostly known today though are the elements it possesses. These are Anthrax, which is a deadly disease to your lungs, skin and liver. Also another disease is Smallpox, which is a disease affecting your skin with sores and high fivers. They both luckily have a vaccine for their treatments. Throughout the world, Biological Warfare is used. These places include mostly in parts of the Middle East and some parts of South America and Asia. Biological Warfare is a brutal tactic that kills many people, civilians and military personal. It is not to be taken likely and can effect a country that is targeted very badly. Toxins and chemicals used can wipe out civilizations of animals and plants to. During the spread of these they can effect plant and animal population, oxygen supply, water supply and could inhabit an ecosystem for plants and animals unable to survive. Biological Warfare is a tactic that not only effects people, but animals and plants too. It is a vicious scheme to attack living things in order to achieve what is necessary. In conclusion this is the project and information of Biological Warfare.
Polar Bears By: Stefanie Meehan & Kamden Jackson The polar bear, also known to scientist as Ursus Martimus, is the largest carnivore on land. They are about twice the size of a tiger, range from a White to a light cream color and have a rectangular head with a long snout. They mainly feed on seals, but occasionally will feed on large fish, dead whales or walruses. They are also usually found near the North Pole, northern Canada, Alaska, Norway, and Arctic islands. During the winter is mainly when the female Polar bears give birth to their cubs. They make dens for themselves so they can stay warm in and to give birth in. Females have 1-3 cubs each and nurture them for about two years. Unfortunately 6-10 cubs die in their first year primarily because of starvation, predation, or accidents. Mainly all the reasons why polar bears are becoming endangered is because of human activities. The three main causes of the decrease in polar bears are global warming, pollution, and poaching. And all of these could be avoided if people just took that extra second to pick up a piece of trash, or anything. Doing your hair in the morning can even effect the bears. Using aerosol cans or a blow dryer make the ozone layer shrink which leads to global warming, which then causes the polar ice caps to melt. If these ice caps melt than the polar bears will lose their homes and they wont be able to survive because the water and their homes would become to warm. In some countries the hunting of polar bears is legal but only to natives. This does decrease the poaching of the bears but it still doesn’t help to keep them alive. The Rainforest
By: Zak and Lizzie
The Rainforest is a forest of tall trees and dense growth. It is usually
warm year round and it gets a ton of rain. On average the rainforest gets at
least 80 inches or 6.6 feet of rain! Thanks to all the warm weather and rain
the rainforest is abundant in plant life. The rainforest is known for having
more species of plants than anywhere else on the globe. It has nearly 179
species of plant per 2.5 acres. That’s a lot of plants. Yet, despite all
the plants the rainforest is quite accessible. The trees are so tall and so
thick that they block out sunlight and thus preventing ground plants from
growing. So, you can walk right under a beautiful canopy with out having to
climb through plants. However, I wouldn’t suggest taking a stroll in the
rainforest. Beside the risk of getting lost there are also many dangerous
animals in the rainforest. There are jaguars, spiders and other harmful
insects. Yet, along with the harmful animals there are many beautiful and
nice animals too. From monkeys to birds the rainforest is one of the biggest
animal habitat in the world. The rainforest is one of the most awesome
places on our globe and needs to be preserved. Many people are trying to
destroy the rainforest for farming, building space, or for the many
resources it offers. We need to stop deforestation and help conserve. Thank
you!
Spider
Monkey
By:
Crystal Lundberg Barinia Uribe The Spider Monkey is an endangered species. They are endangered because of being hunted and killed for food. They are also endangered because of their home, the rainforest, being destroyed. Spider Monkeys live in southern Mexico and Central and South America. Their diet consists of mainly fruits and nuts. They have a lifespan of 33 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. Their tail is the strongest part if their body. They use it to swing from tree to tree. Spider Monkeys travel in small bands. They have routes they use when traveling through the forest. Their fur is brown or black and they have white rings around their eyes.
The Giant Panda By: Priyanka Ghosh and Jacqueline Gantes
The
giant panda is a large, black and white bear-like mammal. Mainly people have
seen giant pandas in an exhibit at the zoo. However, the giant panda’s
natural habitat is the dense coniferous and bamboo forests in China. Pandas
eat a variety of vegetarian foods, mainly bamboo. Very rarely will a panda
ever eat meat or fish. The giant panda spends 10 to 16 hours a day feeding
and must consume at least 20 to 30 pounds of food a day to survive. Pandas
are very solitary animals and avoid contact with their own species or other
species. The only time pandas meet with each other is during breeding
season. Sadly, giant pandas are an endangered species, there are only about
1,000 pandas left all over the world. The panda’s only natural enemy is
the leopard who attacks baby pandas that are away from its kin.
Nevertheless, man is the panda’s largest and most dangerous enemy.
Panda’s habitats are being encroached and destroyed every year more and
more. This poses a great threat to the pandas living in those habitats.
Also, the panda’s fur sells for extremely high prices on the black market.
They are also unintentionally hurt in traps that are set for deer and other
animals. Since pandas have a low reproductive capacity, it makes them more
venerable and less able of rebounding from its low numbers. If something is
not done to help these gentle and kind creatures, they will be extinct by
the next century!
The Destruction of the Coral Reefs By Jane Austin and Jacqueline Benitez The most beautiful and diverse ecosystem is threatened by human development. Coral reefs have over one million species with only 10% of them yet discovered. People from all around the world visit the coral reefs to snorkel, dive, or fish. However, destructive fishing practices, global warming, agriculture, mining, logging, and sewage are problems the coral reefs have had to deal with. Blast fishing is one destructive process where fishermen toss a bomb into the water and catch the dead fish float to the top. The bomb breaks off corals besides the obvious depletion of the fish population. Global warming raises the temperature of the water, killing the photosynthetic algae in the coral and turning the coral white. Coral is an animal that supports all life on the reef. Mining, logging, and agriculture send sediments into the clear waters on the coral reef and block out the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. Sewage adds nutrients to the water, causing tremendous algae blooms which choke out the coral. Some scientists say the coral reefs will disappear in 20 years. Just like in a tropical rainforest, there are possible cures for diseases in a coral reef. Without barrier reefs our coastline would become flooded, tourism would slow, and small villages around the world that depend upon its vast amount of fish would starve. However, there is hope for recovery as long as everyone does their part to save the coral reefs.
Overpopulation By: Chelsey Liwag, Mackenzie Grant and Tyler Gilbert
Overpopulation is not usually recognized as an environmental issue like garbage, food shortages or air pollution. However, with increasing population, it is a proven fact that, overpopulation is the root from which all environmental issues branch out. With too many people in the United States and the rest of the world, overpopulation will cause problems simply through evolution and growth. Automobiles, factories and city development, all lead to pollution. Overpopulation leads to food shortages and a shortage of resources such as electricity and water. Garbage is no exception and has become a huge issue. It is said that we are running out of places and space to dispose of our garbage and, it is growing into a serious problem. Too many people will lead to too much pollution, too much growth, too much trash and even extinction. Overpopulation is causing these problems; but how can it be controlled? |
