How many people live in your house? Did you know you have billions of roommates? It's true! We share the home we call earth with billions of other living creatures that make up the animal kingdom. Some are like you, humans. Most are very different, like birds, reptiles, fish and insects. Each has a very special job in keeping this planet healthy.
Humans' Best Friends
What are some of your
favorite animals? There are thousands of different kinds that come from
places all over the world. There are wild animals, like lions, elephants,
wolves and kangaroos. There are farm animals, including cows, pigs, goats,
chickens and sheep. We certainly can't forget companion animals--our pets! Do you have a pet that lives with you? Many of us share our lives with dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, reptiles, fish, birds and many other creatures. Can you think of other companion animals?
Do you know some of the important roles that these animals play?
If you have a pet, then you already know that taking care of an animal is a big responsibility. You make sure that your animal has food and water, and a clean safe place to live. If it gets sick or hurt, you try to help it feel better. Do you have a pet that enjoys play or exercise? Perhaps you like to hold it or watch it closely. Each pet has different needs. Your pet depends on you!
The Biggest Jigsaw in the World
Nature is made
up of a perfect plan where each living creature plays its own important
role. Each of these roles fit together to help the whole planet. It's like
a huge jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces need to be in place, in order for the
earth puzzle to be complete. 
Have you ever put
together a jigsaw puzzle? If you have, you know that you need all the pieces
to make it whole. What happens when even one piece is missing?That's right. The jigsaw isn't complete. The same thing happens in nature. When one living creature disappears or becomes extinct, nature moves out of balance in some way.
Missing Pieces
It doesn't matter if you are a tiny flea or an enormous elephant, a ninety-year-old adult or a ten-year-old child, we all depend on each other. No living thing is independent. We are all an unique and special part of the web of life on planet earth.
On our planet, some living creatures are extinct. Their entire species is gone. That means not even one of that kind of animal exists anymore.
| DID YOU KNOW?
A species is considered extinct if it hasn't been seen in nature for
the last 50 years. |
Sometimes extinction is part of the natural evolution or growth of the planet.
For instance, dinosaurs are extinct and it's a pretty good thing!But many times extinction isn't the result of natural causes. More often, extinction occurs because animals' habitats or homes are taken away. It can also be the result of hunting, pollution, or other actions that throw nature out of balance.
Threatened Pieces
Earlier this century, we began to realize that people were effecting the
delicate balance of all life on earth. We started to see the impact that
disappearing species had on the environment. We noticed signs that showed
a species was heading toward extinction. We named these types of animals
endangered species. There are endangered species in each of the main categories of animals.
The good news is that all of these species and other endangered species still have a chance...with our help!!
But What Can I Do?
There are many ways to help endangered species. Here are a few:
- Don't buy products that are made from endangered species or their
habitats. For instance, buying exotic woods from the rainforest supports
the businesses that are destroying the rainforest. That means that many
animals' homes are being hurt.
- Write the United States government or other countries' governments and tell them that you support endangered
animal protection.
- Help organizations that work to protect animals' rights and endangered
animals.
- Spread the word about the importance of protecting endangered species
and their habitats.
Rough Waters
Animals
don't have to be on the endangered list in order to be at risk. When their
homes or habitats are damaged, animals can be threatened. One example of
this is the ocean. Marine mammals, birds and fish live in and near the sea.The sea provides these animals with their homes and their food. While the oceans are big, they are not endless. They can be polluted with trash, sewage, chemicals, and oil. When they are, these important water ecosystems can suffer greatly.
| DID YOU KNOW? When trash is thrown into a lake or river or left on a beach to be washed into ocean, it is dangerous to marine animals and other wildlife that live within the environment. |
Oil Be Seeing You
Oil
is a form of fossil fuel that has many uses. If you would like to learn more about fossil fuels, visit Geo's EcoInfo! It's at www.ecopals.com!
Though
it is an important natural resource, oil can also be a major pollutant if
it isn't handled carefully. Oil tankers (big ships that carry unrefined
or crude oil) can sometimes spill oil. | DID YOU KNOW? Eleven million gallons of oil is used every 22 minutes in the United States! |
Oil tanker spills are only one way that oil pollutes the waters of the world. Water can also be polluted through human carelessness, natural disasters, accidents and illegal dumping of oil. Whatever the cause, the ecosystem is harmed by these actions.
The Big Spill
Have
you ever made salad dressing and discovered that oil and water don't mix?
Oil is lighter than water and will float to the top. When oil is spilled
in the ocean, it floats. The oil spreads quickly and creates an oil slick.
As the oil becomes thinner it forms an oil sheen. Maybe you've noticed rainbows
or silvery spots on the asphalt on hot summer days. Those oil sheens are
caused by oil spills. During the first 24 - 48 hours, thirty to forty percent
of the spilled oil will change into vapor. The vapor releases very toxic chemicals called light hydrocarbons which pollute the air. The light hydrocarbons present in oil are the same ingredients used in making gasoline and jet fuel. They are highly flammable. That's one reason why oil spills are very dangerous because they can easily catch on fire.
Oil and Feathers Don't Mix Either
Did
you know that birds have their own wet suit? It's actually more like built-in
waterproofing. This special kind of insulation helps them float on top of
the water! It is made up of layers of feathers and connecting strands called
barbs which protect the bird from the cold and help it stay dry. When a
bird's feathers are coated with oil, the bird loses its waterproofing. Then,
it is at risk of being exposed to cold temperatures. In addition, birds
often get sick from breathing and swallowing the oil. 
Sea
birds that dive, like auks, diving ducks, common loons, and grebes, are
at high risk when oil is spilled. This is because they spend much of their
time on the water. But birds aren't the only creatures at risk. Oil breaks down the insulation in the fur of marine mammals, like otters and seals. Like sea birds, they can be overexposed to the harsh elements of the sea. Oil also clogs dolphins' blowholes and fish gills and they can no longer breathe.
Help to the Rescue!
The United Nations' treaty of 1983, The Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, created MARPOL (Marine Pollution). MARPOL helped reduce the amount of oil spilled at sea by tankers during the 1980's. Next, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 passed. Because of this act, oil-producing companies have put millions of dollars into oil spill prevention and fast methods of response should a spill happen.
Experts do not always agree on how a spill should be cleaned. However, they seem to agree that weather and the spill's location are the most important factors. Other factors include:
- the type of oil spilled;
- how far away from shore the oil has spilled;
- whether or not people live in the area;
- and what kinds of birds' and animals' habitats are present.
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How We Can Help
| DID YOU KNOW? Big spill accidents cause about 37 million gallons of oil to be released into the oceans each year. Over 300 million gallons of oil are dumped into the ocean because of improper or illegal disposal. |
Most oil pollution is not caused by tanker spills. It is caused by people and companies who dump their oil improperly. That's why oil should not be poured into the sewer or tossed into a garbage can. Whether car oil is changed at home or at a service station, it should be disposed of properly. Contact your local recycling center and ask where oil can be taken to be recycled or reused. Invite your parents, local businesses and friends to join you in helping keep the lands, seas and wildlife healthy.
Another way you can help is by conserving oil. Here are some suggestions:
- Walk, skate or bike instead of taking a car. This will cut down on
the need for gasoline which is made from oil.
- Turn off lights, computers, printers, and other appliances when not
in use. This will cut down on electricity which takes oil to generate.
- Recycle, reuse, and reduce your use of plastics and other items that contain oil.
What's the Buzz?
Did you know that some bugs are endangered? Most people think that there are too many insects. In fact, insects are the largest animal group, with billions of members. Contrary to popular opinion, they play a very important part in the cycle of nature. Here is a collection of some very interesting bugs and what they do.
Beetles are the pigs
of the insect world. They are always eating, or looking for something to
eat. Some beetles eat meat, but most eat plants. Some beetles, like the
ladybug, carrion and scarab, help farmers by eating pests that feed on flowers,
vegetables, or other crops.
Cicadas are real noise-makers.
You can hear them as far as a 1/4 mile away. But seeing them is a different
story! Cicadas are very shy and will try their best to stay out of sight.
They make their distinctive whirring sound by vibrating membranes on the
underside of their stomach.
Cockroaches have been
around since the dinosaurs. These nocturnal bugs hide themselves during
the day and come out to look for food at night. Cockroaches can flatten
themselves so small that they can slip through small cracks in the floor
and walls, or hide themselves in small spaces within corrugated cardboard
boxes. Though roaches aren't well-liked when they choose to live inside
people's homes, they are still fascinating creatures. Can you guess how
many nerve endings are in just one of their antennae? 40,000! They use them
to touch, taste and smell.
These beautiful dragonflies
have been around since the days of the dinosaurs. Their rainbow-colored
wings might look fragile, but they're built to fly as fast as 35 miles per
hour. That's as fast as a car! Their speed makes them one of the fastest
insects in nature.
Fireflies are also
called "lightning bugs." They are Mother Nature's light bulbs.
Unlike a regular bulb, these brilliant beetles produce "cold"
light. That means their light doesn't give off heat. They produce the light
in their abdomen. The blinking light is actually a mating call to attract
other fireflies.
Fleas can jump up to
150 times their own length--vertically or horizontally. You'd have to jump
over the Empire State Building to do the same! These bloodsuckers are very
hardy, too. They can be frozen for up to a year and go without food for
months without dying!
Flies are amazing acrobats. They can fly upside down and twist and turn to avoid enemies. Have you ever wondered why flies buzz? Their wings make the buzz by beating 200 times per second!
Grasshoppers hatch
in the spring. It takes about two months for them to grow into adults. During
that time, grasshoppers will molt five to six times before getting their
wings. Can you guess how a grasshopper breathes? Here's a hint.....not through
a nose! A grasshopper has a row of breathing pores, ten small holes that
line the side of its body.
Hornets are very social creatures. Hundreds, even thousands, live together in a single nest. Hornets are one of nature's papermakers. They build their homes out of paper that they make themselves. Imagine living with 100 other family members in a paper house!
Ladybugs, also called ladybird beetles, are big helpers in the garden. These red-spotted beetles love to eat aphids, a bug that eats plants. Organic gardeners often use ladybugs to get rid of pests instead of using harmful pesticides.
Spiders may seem scary,
but they are our friends. If spiders weren't around, the earth would be
crawling with insects! Spiders eat as many pounds of bugs as the total weight
of every person on the planet! That's a lot of food! Spiders use webs, traps,
fangs, claws, and poison to catch their prey.
Walking sticks protect
themselves through camouflage. In other words, they blend in with their
environment. These "twigs with legs" pretend to be small pieces
of wood. They do such a good job that most people and animals don't even
know that they are there!Related Books and Websites
If you'd like to track down more about animals, endangered species, insects and oil pollution, pounce into these books and websites:
Books:
Brazaitis, Peter and Myrna Watanabe. The Fight For Survival, (New York: Michael Freedman Publishing Group, 1994).
Holmes, Anita. I Can Save The Earth: A Kid's Handbook for Keeping the Earth Healthy and Green, (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993).
Lovett, Sarah. Extremely Weird Insects, (Santa Fe: John Muir Publications,1993).
Seabury, Debra L. Earth Smart!, (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994).
Websites:
Search bugs or insects on The Knowledge Adventure's Encyclopedia
http://www.letsfindout.com
Check out the Oil Spill Intelligence Report (Oil Spill Basics: A Primer for Students - Oil Spill Intelligence Report, Arlington, MA, U.S.A.)and test your knowledge on oil facts!
http://www.cutter.com/osir/primer.htm
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office of Response and Restoration has loads of info on the Exxon Valdez spill and more!
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/kids/spills.html
Stop by the GeoCities Rainforest site for info on oil pollution:
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/
Vines/3606/issues/oilpollution.html
Or, for GeoCities info on endangered species:
http://www.geocities.com/Rainforest/
Vines/1460/index.html
Be sure to visit the official Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Site. They have a lot of information and want to share it with you!
http://www.oilspill.state.ak.us/
Environment Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Services are really great. Be sure to check out the Oil, Water and Chocolate Mousse site.
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/oilpl/oil.html
Or, http://www.ec.gc.ca/chocolate/en/
The Greening Earth Society has a cool website called 1,000 Links about Fossil Fuels. Check it out!
http://www.bydesign.com/fossilfuels/links/index.html
The American Petroleum Institute's website will give you great information on oil spill prevention and response.
http://www.api.org/oilspills/