Protecting animals in decline (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) | Science

Starter quiz

Which of these animals live in the wild in the UK?
- elephant
- hedgehog ✓
- squirrel ✓
- lion
- dog
The place where a plant or animal lives is its ...
- 'habitat' ✓
Which of these things does an animal need to grow and survive?
- soil
- food ✓
- shelter ✓
- water ✓
- predators
How can environments change when the population of humans increases?
- There are more places for wildlife to live.
- There are more places for people to live and work. ✓
- There are more roads. ✓
- There are more animals living in the wild.
Deforestation is the removal of ______ from land which is then used for a non-forest purpose.
- 'trees ' ✓
Which of these things could a researcher use to help find how many animals are living in a habitat?
- a thermometer
- a drone with a camera ✓
- a forcemeter

Exit quiz

Animals are often ______ due to changes in the environment, including habitat loss.
- 'in decline' ✓
The populations of many animals, like hedgehogs, are ______ in the UK.
- rising
- staying the same
- declining ✓
Which of these things are causing a decline in some animals in the UK?
- water pollution ✓
- loss of habitat ✓
- urbanisation ✓
- wildlife corridors
Which of these UK animals are in decline or are endangered?
- American mink
- red squirrel ✓
- grey squirrel
- greater mouse-eared bat ✓
- natterjack toad ✓
Hedgehog numbers are rapidly declining in the UK. Why?
- increase in traffic and roads ✓
- decrease in traffic and roads
- loss of access to suitable habitats due to urbanisation ✓
- increase in access to suitable habitats due to urbanisation
Match the animal to a way we can help to protect it.
- hedgehog
  
  ⇔
  
  create holes in garden fences to increase their habitat access ✓
- red squirrel
  
  ⇔
  
  humanely trap and then move grey squirrels ✓
- natterjack toad
  
  ⇔
  
  build more shallow ponds and keep them free of pollution ✓
- greater mouse-eared bat
  
  ⇔
  
  provide bat boxes for them to roost in ✓

Worksheet

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Presentation

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Animals are often in decline due to changes in their environment, including habitat loss.
The numbers of many types of animals living in the UK are in decline.
Some animals in decline in the UK include, red squirrels, hedgehogs, natterjack toads and greater mouse-eared bats.
There are ways to protect animals in decline, including providing sources of food and places for them to shelter.

Common misconception

Children often believe that animals in decline are only found in faraway places like rain forests. They might not realise that the UK has its own species in decline, such as the red squirrel.

Through the use of the slides and doing further secondary research about their own local environment, children will become aware that there are animals in the UK that are in decline too.

Keywords

Habitat - The place where a plant or animal lives is called its habitat.
Decline - When something is in decline it gradually becomes less, worse, or lower.
Wildlife - Animals and plants that grow independently of people, usually in natural conditions, are called wildlife.
Protect - To protect something is to keep it safe from harm.