Endangered Species in Your State

Name: _________________________________       Date: _____________

There are hundreds of endangered species in the United States. Some of these species are struggling in your very own state. In this activity, you'll "adopt" one of these species and learn more about it. Start at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Information page. Read the introduction.

1. What's the difference between an "endangered" and a "threatened" species?
   
   
   
   
2. Scroll down the page to These species are listed in the U.S. Click the links to each type of vertebrate shown. Write the number of threatened and endangered species of each type.
   1. Mammals:
      
      
   2. Birds:
      
      
   3. Reptiles:
      
      
   4. Amphibians:
      
      
   5. Fish:
      
      
   
   
3. Look at the data in your table. Which type of vertebrate has the greatest number of endangered and threatened species in the U.S.? What does this suggest about the condition of its habitat?
   
   
   
   
4. Click the link to the state endangered species lists. Which state has the most endangered and threatened species? How many species? How many species are listed in your state?
   
   
   
5. Click the link for your state. Pick an animal you'd like to "adopt" then get your teacher's approval. Which animal did you choose?
   • Common name:
     
     
   • Scientific name:
     
     
   
   
6. Click the animal's scientific name to see its profile. Record its information:
   • Status (endangered or threatened):
     
     
   • Range (green areas on map):
     
     
   • Year listed:
     
     
   • Year recovery plan written:
     
     
   
   
7. Is the recovery plan for your adopted species working? Scroll down the profile page of your species and click the NatureServe Explorer Species Reports link. Click Conservation Status. Summarize what you learned, including information on the main reasons the animal is endangered or threatened.
   
   
   
   
8. Share your results with your classmates. Which species still face challenges to their survival? What are the main threats to wildlife in your state? For ideas on ways your class can help endangered species, visit Endangered Species.com.