Introduction

Congratulations! Your team has just been chosen as research scientists for the International Wildlife Conservation Association. They need you to research animals from various biomes around the world. Due to changes in biomes, some of these animals may be in danger of becoming extinct at some point, and the IWCA would like to relocate some of each species to zoos in North America.

The Task

Your job will be to research these animals and their biomes, determine which ones may be in danger, and recommend areas in North America that selected numbers of each animal could be sent to. To accomplish this your team will need to do the following:

• Become experts on these animals and the biomes in which they live.
• Create a data base of the information you find.
• Write a proposal to the IWCA with your recommendations for relocation that will include a rationale for your choices.

The Process

1.Your team will decide who will fill the roles of: 1-Data Retriever, 2-Records Secretary, 3-Computer Analyst.

• Data Retriever - this person will access the specified Internet sites to gather the information needed in this project.
• Records Secretary- this person will keep records of all data found in the group journal, and write the final draft of the group's recommendations to the IACA.
• Computer Analyst- this person will create the database electronically.

2.Your team will decide which group of animals you will conduct your research on and sign the selection sheet posted in the science center. Do not choose a group that another team has already signed for.

• Group 1--Polar Bear, Nile Crocodile, Grant's Gazelle
• Group 2--Panda Bear, Gila Monster, Swift Fox
• Group 3--Giant Panda, Collared Peccary, Wood Duck
• Group 4--Spectacled Bear, Arctic Fox, Giraffe
• Group 5--Black Bear, Siberian Tiger, Hummingbird
• Group 6--Himalayan Bear, African Crocodile, Bald Eagle
• Group 7--Mexican Gray Wolf, Hippopotamus, Vampire Bat
• Group 8--Wart hog, Arabian Oryx, Toucan
• Group 9--Bison, Burmese Python, Fennec Fox
• Group 10--Snow Leopard, Red Fox, Oribi
• Group 11--Elephant, Bighorn Sheep, Raccoon

3. Determine how you will organize information in your journal. You will use this to record all information , as well as a log of your daily activities and any questions your group may have as you move through this project.

4. Conduct the research at the chosen sites, some of which have links to other sites that will offer more information, but remember to stay focused on your task. Don't get sidetracked!

5. Your team will need to collect the following data to accomplish the task:

• Habitat
• Range
• Biome
• Activity
• Social System
• Diet
• Lifespan
• Status

6. Create a data base of the above data.

7. Write a proposal to the IWCA explaining the recommendations of your team for each animal, and give reasons for your choices.

Resources

Internet-

• How animals are classified
• Biome descriptions

Silver Burdett Ginn Science Discovery Works student textbook

• Map - pages D48, D49
• Biome descriptions - pages D50, D51,

Journal

Pencils

Congratulations, you have used the Internet to learn about biomes and some of the animals that live within those biomes. As you learned which animals were endangered or possibly threatened, you compared the biomes of those animals to similar areas in North America where a few of those animals could be relocated to avoid their possible extinction. If you find that this has been a subject that interests you, you may want to do the extension below.

Extension

Select a zoo near you and find out what they have been doing to help save threatened or endangered species and possibly reintroducing them into the wild.

Evaluation

Evaluate the quality of your work by asking yourself the following questions and answering them in your journal.

• Is your journal complete with the necessry notes and log of daily activities?
• Were you able to complete the data base in an organized manner?
• Does your letter to IWCA clearly explain why your animals should be located to a zoo in the area chosen?