CONTENTS 4 ON THE EDGE 6 BACTRIAN CAMEL 8 BLACK RHINOCEROS 10 CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER 12 DEVIL’S HOLE PUPFISH 14 GIANT IBIS 16 HAIRY-NOSED WOMBAT 18 KAKAPO 20 LEATHERBACK TURTLE 22 MOUNTAIN CHICKEN 24 TIGER 26 WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA 28 VAQUITA 30 GLOSSARY 31 MAP FURTHER INFORMATION 32 INDEX
ON THE EDGE Scientists estimate that every year tens of thousands of species of animals are becoming extinct or are in serious danger of dying out Their habitats are being cleared to make more space for humans to live and farm in They are being hunted and captured often illegally for meat body parts and for the pet trade This is putting biodiversity at serious risk UNHEALTHY BALANCE Biodiversity means the amazing variety of plants and animals on planet Earth It is the result of millions of years of evolution A loss of biodiversity has a wide-reaching domino effect In nature living things are linked together Different species rely on each other for their survival and to maintain a balanced ecosystem If one species dies out it affects many other plants and animals too Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth home to thousands of types of sea animals 4
IMPORTANT INSECTS Many species of bees are threatened with extinction because of the growing use of pesticides Plants need bees or other animals to pollinate their flowers so that they can produce seeds and new plants If the bees die out so will many plants including those we rely on for our own food A conservationist working to reintroduce an orphaned western lowland gorilla back into the wild IUCN CLASSIFICATION Animals at risk are given an IUCN classification This is a rating set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN based on the animal’s risk of extinction The most endangered species are placed on the IUCN’s Red List which helps to draw attention to them and to guide the actions of conservationists 5
