Endangered & Extinct Species
Understand why some animal species become endangered or go extinct — habitat destruction, hunting/poaching, pollution, climate change, and invasive species — and know examples like the giant panda, mountain gorilla, Amur leopard, and the now-extinct dodo and thylacine, using the IUCN Red List as the system scientists use to track threatened species
Typical age: 9–11 years
“If your child sees a news story about an endangered animal, can they explain what 'endangered' means and describe at least three reasons why some animals are at risk of disappearing forever?”
0 / 4 mastered
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Needs first
- Climate Change Basics
Climate change is a major cause of species endangerment
- Rainforest Animals
Rainforest destruction is a major cause of endangerment
- Structural AdaptationsREQUIRED
Understanding adaptation helps explain why environmental change threatens species
- Animals EverywhereREQUIRED
Endangered species requires understanding that animals live in diverse environments
- Changing Environments
Endangered species concept builds on curriculum idea that environments can change
Unlocks next
- The Biodiversity CrisisREQUIRED
Quantifying biodiversity crisis and extinction rates depends on endangered species and IUCN Red List
- Invasive Species
Invasive species are one cause of endangerment
- Biodiversity
Biodiversity loss connects to species endangerment
- Protecting Endangered AnimalsREQUIRED
Conservation requires understanding why species become endangered