Kim Rader
Kim Rader 3
Words in italic can be found in the glossary on page 31.
Special thanks to Alan Rader and the children’s librarians at The Monroeville Public Library. Special thanks to Dr. Bosler and the KUCD faculty at Kutztown University.
© 2022 Kim Rader
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For Audrey and Vivian.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
why are endangered species important?
Humans are responsible for causing almost all endangered species. People damage the places animals live by taking them over to use for other things, like farming or new buildings. People also cause climate change that warms up the environment and changes the places animals live.
When all of one type of an animal is at risk of dying (extinction) and there are not many left, they are called endangered species. Our planet loses more than 20 species of plants and animals every day. There are a lot of reasons animals might be endangered: damage to where they live ( habitat loss), hunting, pollution, or climate change.
is that some animals can be saved from extinction. Environmental organizations work hard to save our most vulnerable species. Some animals, like the panda and the bald eagle, are not endangered any more.
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Theconnected.goodnews
Endangered species are important to their ecosystems (where they live, who they live with, and what they eat). Saving one species could mean saving its home and all the other plants and animals that live there too, because they are all
The Hawksbill sea turtle is named for its pointed beak. They use their beak to keep coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy by eating sponges and sea anemones.
Female sea turtles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs, but male sea turtles never leave the water.
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Sea turtles have been around for over 100 million years! They can’t breathe underwater, but they can hold their breath for more than 4 hours. Sea turtles can live for more than 50 years and swim thousands of miles in their life.
Sea turtles are threatened because they get caught in fishing nets ( bycatch). They are also hunted because tortoiseshell is used to make jewelry and decorations and some people eat turtle meat and eggs (wildlife trade). Climate change, habitat loss, and pollution are also dangerous to sea turtles.
EndangeredCritically
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HawksbillSeaTurtle
Sea turtles also like to eat jellyfish. Sometimes they are tricked into eating plastic pollution in the ocean because it looks like jellyfish.
SharkWhale
Each whale shark has a pattern of spots and stripes that is unique, like a fingerprint.
The whale shark is not really a whale. It is the world’s largest fish! They can grow up to 40 feet long and live up to 150 years. They live in tropical oceans around the world.
Whale sharks are accidentally caught in fishing nets and people hunt them for their fins. They are also at risk from plastic pollution and climate change warming the water.
Whale sharks are called gentle giants and they can’t bite or chew. They eat plankton, small fish, and krill. Whale sharks are slow swimmers (3 miles per hour) but they travel thousands of miles to eat.
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Bycatch threatens penguins because they get caught in fishing nets when they are swimming. Dogs and cats that aren’t supposed to be on the islands ( introduced species) are dangerous too because the penguin chicks are too young to swim away to safety.
Climate change is a big threat to these penguins. The penguins need cold water to live because they eat fish that migrate away if the water gets too warm. Rising water levels from climate change can also flood their nests.
PenguinGalapagos
Penguins have flippers instead of wings, so they can’t fly but they are great swimmers. The Galápagos penguin is the only penguin that lives north of the equator. They live in caves in the Galápagos Islands.
They are tiny compared to other penguins and weigh about 5 pounds. They like to eat fish like anchovies and sardines.
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The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered seals in the world. They live in Hawaii and other nearby islands. They like to eat fish, squid, octopus, crab, shrimp, and lobster.
Hawaiian monk seals get caught in abandoned fishing gear. The seals are losing the places they rest and raise their pups because of climate change and rising sea levels. Pollution and ocean trash are dangerous to the seals too.
They can hold their breath for 20 minutes and can dive to more than 1,000 feet deep. Monk seals live by themselves and like to sleep on warm, sandy beaches. They can live for 30 years.
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Hawaiian Endangered Monk Seal
Sea otters get caught in fish and shellfish traps when they dive for food. Pollution and climate change are also dangerous for them.
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Their fur has to stay clean to keep them warm, so they are always cleaning it when they are not eating or sleeping. Oil spills are the biggest threat to sea otters because oil in their fur stops them from keeping warm. Otters have to eat a lot every day to stay warm — they eat clams, mussels, abalone, crabs, snails, starfish, and sea urchins.
Sea otters are one of the smallest marine mammals. They live their entire life in the water. Their fur is the densest on earth and it keeps them warm in cold water.
They are known for carrying a favorite rock with them to open shells to eat. They also hold paws with each other while sleeping to keep from drifting apart.
Sea Otter
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The vaquita is the world’s smallest and rarest porpoise. The vaquita has dark markings around its eyes and lips that make it look like a smiling panda.
Climate change and more people in the ocean also threaten dolphins and porpoises.
Vaquita get caught in illegal fishing nets and can’t reach the surface to breath. All dolphins and porpoises are in danger from these fishing nets called gillnets.
Vaquita
There are fewer than 20 vaquita left. This little porpoise only lives in one place in the whole world — the northern Gulf of California in Mexico, a protected habitat for the vaquita. They like to eat small fish, squid, octopus, and shrimp.
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EndangeredCritically 17
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Polar bears need sea ice to travel, hunt, rest, and raise their cubs. They are in danger from climate change because a warmer climate means melting sea ice. With less sea ice, polar bears spend more time on land and may meet people, which is dangerous for both people and polar bears.
The polar bear is the largest bear in the world and has paws as big as dinner plates.
BearPolar
They are super swimmers and can swim as fast as 25 miles per hour. They like to eat seals.
Polar bears spend most of their lives in the Arctic Ocean. Their thick fat and fur keep them warm in the cold air and water.
Pollution, oil spills, and shipping are also threats to polar bears.
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Giant manta rays can weigh over 5,000 pounds and grow up to 30 feet. They have the biggest brain of any fish. They can live over 40 years. They grow slowly and only give birth to one pup every two or three years.
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The rays also need coral reefs for feeding, breeding, and cleaning. They could lose their coral reef habitats because of climate change.
This huge animal may seem scary but they are harmless. They are filter feeders and eat lots of Theplankton.mainthreat to the giant manta ray is fishing, both being accidentally caught ( bycatch) and overfishing because people want to buy their gill plates (wildlife trade).
MantaGiant Ray
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These “sea cows” like to eat seagrass in shallow coastal waters. They are more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals! They can grow up to 800 pounds and live for 70 years.
Dugongs are cousins of manatees. They look a lot like manatees but have a tail shaped more like a dolphin’s fluke. Manatees can live in freshwater, but dugongs only live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans around Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Dugongs are threatened by seagrass habitat loss because of pollution. They can also be accidentally caught in fishing nets. Dugongs have been hunted for their meat and oil too.
Dugong
Blue Whale
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The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth. They can grow to more than 100 feet long and can weigh as much as 200 tons!
Whales are mammals and breathe air even though they live in the water. Blue whales have baleen instead of teeth to strain their food out of the water. They can eat 6 tons of krill in one day.
Noise from ships and oil drilling can damage whale’s hearing, keep them from “talking” with each other, or scare them away from places they like to eat or breed. Some countries still allow whale hunting!
Bycatch, being accidentally tangled in fishing gear, is the biggest threat to whales. Whales are also at risk from climate change, habitat loss, pollution, and being hit by ships.
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There are three kinds of bluefin tuna: Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern (the most endangered). Bluefin tuna weigh over 1,000 pounds and grow up to 10 feet long. They can dive as deep as 3,000 feet and live to be 40 years old. They are fast swimmers and strong hunters.
Bluefin tuna are at risk from overfishing and illegal fishing. People like to eat bluefin tuna for sushi. One bluefin tuna sold for 3 million dollars!
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Bluefin Tuna
Bluefin tuna have to eat a lot to grow so big and swim so fast. They eat smaller fish, squid, eels, and crustaceans. They are at the top of their food chain — an important role for keeping their ecosystem balanced.
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AlbatrossTristan
The albatross is one of the most endangered birds in the world. The biggest threat to the albatross is longline fishing — they get hooked on the fishing lines when they dive for fish to eat.
Eating plastic trash ( marine debris) in the ocean and introduced species like cats and mice hurt albatross too. Oil spills, habitat loss, and climate change also threaten these birds.
The albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird and can soar for hours without flapping their wings. They spend most of their life in flight, landing only to eat and breed. Scientists think they even fly while they are sleeping!
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Albatross mate for life and can live for over 50 years. They like to eat fish, squid, and octopus.
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Donate or raise money for endangered species.
Plastic is found almost everywhere on our planet. More than 8.3 BILLION tons of plastic exist and only 9% of plastic gets recycled. You can help by using less plastic. Use reusable bags and containers instead of plastic.
It can be hard for baby sea turtles to find the water once they hatch. When you leave the beach, take everything you brought with you and knock down your sandcastles to clear the way for them. Turn off lights near beaches so the baby turtles don’t get confused and go the wrong direction.
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Watch your trash and don’t litter. Litter at the beach can get washed into the water. Animals can get can hurt by the trash or mistake it for food.
Talk to your parents and friends about saving endangered animals, protecting our oceans, and why it is important to you.
What can kids do to help?
Never buy souvenirs made from endangered animals like tortoiseshell, coral, or ivory.
Ask your family to participate in a coastal clean-up event.
Drive less. Try carpooling or taking public transportation to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.
Send a message to your Members of Congress and ask them to pass climate and clean energy bills.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away to conserve natural resources.
less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater eventually end up in the ocean.
Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change.
Only buy seafood with the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) logo. This means it was produced using responsible fishing methods.
what can adults do to help?
Volunteer for cleanups. You can get involved in protecting your Conservewatershed.water.The
Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
Donate to organizations that have a positive impact on our natural world.
Use long-lasting light bulbs to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions — and turn lights off when you leave the room.
Don’t send chemicals into our waterways. Choose non-toxic chemicals for your home.
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6 of the 8 bear species in the world are listed as endangered or vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN.
Nearly all of the seven species of sea turtles are endangered or vulnerable. Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Loggerhead sea turtles are vulnerable. Green sea turtles are endangered.
Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are critically endangered.
About 94 percent of the earth’s wildlife is found in the ocean.
14 of 89 cetacean species are listed as endangered or critically endangered including 5 whale species, 2 porpoise species, and 7 dolphin species.
The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the earth’s surface.
15 of the world’s 22 species of albatross are vulnerable or endangered.
Oceans absorb most of the environmental warming and carbon pollution.
Penguins are one of the most threatened seabirds in the world.
Did You Know?
More than 70 percent of the earth’s oxygen is produced by the ocean.
All species of dugongs and manatees are considered to be vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN.
9 seal and 5 sea lion species are listed as endangered or vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN Red List.
Nearly half of the great whale species are endangered or vulnerable.
The marine utter and the giant otter are also endangered otter species along with the sea otter.
Half of the 18 species of penguins are endangered or vulnerable to extinction.
More than 300 species of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. These marine fishes are one of the most threatened groups on the planet.
Poaching is illegal hunting of animals. Poaching is usually due to wildlife trade.
Extinction is when all of a certain animal or plant dies. Some extinction is natural — around 5 species per year. But people are causing about 12–24 animals or plants to go extinct every day.
Cetacean is the name for the group of animals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Garbage Patches are large areas of the ocean where marine debris collects; they are formed by the ocean currents, like a big whirlpool, which pulls the trash to the center. There are five large garbage patches — the most famous is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between Hawaii and California.
Wildlife Trade is taking and selling plants and animals and products made from them (both legally and illegally). People sell things like wild animal skins and furs, medicinal plants and animals, tortoiseshell, shark fins, elephant tusks (ivory), rhinoceros horns, pangolin scales, exotic pets, exotic foods. Wildlife trade is the second biggest threat to species survival after habitat destruction. 958 species are at risk because of wildlife trade.
Climate Change is the long-term shift in temperatures and weather patterns. Since the 1800s, humans have been the main cause of climate change, mainly due to burning fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels makes greenhouse gases that act like a blanket wrapped around the earth, trapping in the heat,
Overfishing is taking too many fish out of the water.
The Coral Triangle is a marine area located in the western Pacific Ocean around Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. This area is known for its large number of corals (nearly 600 species of reef building corals). The area supports 6 of 7 sea turtle species, more than 2,000 reef fish, and large populations of tuna.
Destructive Fishing means using fishing methods that threaten animals and damage the seafloor: cyanide poisoning, dynamite fishing (blasting can destroy 200 square feet of coral at a time), fish fences (traps fish with changing tides).
Marine Debris is trash in the ocean like plastics, metals, rubber, paper, fabrics, abandoned fishing gear and boats. Trash, litter, and pollution end up in the oceans. The most common are plastic: cigarette butts, plastic bags, food wrappers, and fishing gear. Some are so small they can’t be seen by the human eye — they are called microplastics.
Glossary
Habitat Loss is when the place that an animal lives is destroyed. People destroy animal habitats when they take them over to use them for something else like farming. Habitats are also destroyed by climate change when rising sea levels cover up areas where animals used to live.
Bycatch is when animals are accidentally caught in fishing nets (gillnets) or on longline fishing hooks. Discarded fishing lines and gear are dangerous too. Animals that need to come to the surface to breathe like turtles, whales, and dolphins get caught in the nets or lines and drown.
Introduced Species are animals that would not normally live in a place; these animals are introduced to a place from the actions of people, like mice being introduced to an island from the boats of sailors.
Responsible Fishing means preventing overfishing and illegal fishing, reducing bycatch with turtle-friendly nets, using fishing hooks that turtles can’t swallow.
Ghost Nets are abandoned fishing nets that can wrap around animals and entangle them.
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Keystone Species is an animal that directly and significantly impacts their environment. The most important animal in their habitat. Other species depend on them for survival.
Ecosystem is a community of living animals and plants along with the environment where they live.
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Surfrider Foundation : cleans up the world’s beaches and advocates for plastic reduction, ocean protection, beach access, coastal preservation, and clean water. surfrider.org
The Nature Conservancy : one of the oldest conservation organizations in the world, protects ecologically important lands and waters. nature.org
Straws , a film by Linda Booker: a documentary that will make you rethink single-use plastics. strawsfilm.com
The Ocean Conservancy: a leading advocacy group working for the protection of marine habitats. Known for their International Coastal Cleanup program. oceanconservancy.org
The Marine Mammal Center : non-profit organization that advances global ocean conservation through rescue and rehabilitation, scientific research, and education. marinemammalcenter.org
Oceana : an international advocacy organization focused on ocean conservation. oceana.org
Blue Marine Foundation : works to protect the ocean’s diversity by developing sustainable fishing practices and increasing protected marine areas. bluemarinefoundation.com
Parent Resources
BirdLife International : a global partnership for sustainable protection of the world’s birds, their habitats, and global biodiversity. birdlife.org
Earth Force: a non-profit that works to engage young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities. earthforce.org
Sea Life Trust : advocates for marine protected areas, global clean-ups, and removal of plastic pollution. sealifetrust.org
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) : the world’s leading conservation organization. worldwildlife.org
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species : The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the extinction risk of animal and plant species. iucnredlist.org
Marine Conservation Institute: maintains the world’s most comprehensive online marine protected area database. Known for their Blue Parks Initiative. marine-conservations.org
PADI Aware Foundation : non-profit organization that drives local action for global ocean conservation using citizen science, public policy, and community grants. padi.com/aware
NEEF: The National Environmental Education Foundation is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning. neefusa.org
The Otter Project : part of the California Coastkeeper Alliance, this non-profit organization protects watersheds and coastal oceans to promote the recovery of the sea otter. theotterproject.org
Discovering Galápagos: an educational resource built by the Galápagos conservation community as a way to deepen the understanding of the natural world and the conservation challenges we face. discoveringgalapagos.org.uk
Coral Reef Alliance: a non-profit organization with a mission to save the world’s coral reefs. coral.org
