The document discusses several endangered animal species and the threats they face. Pollution, habitat loss, poaching, and human introduction of invasive species have reduced animal populations and caused some species to go extinct. Conservation efforts aim to protect threatened habitats, ban hunting and trade of endangered animals, and encourage sustainable practices. Examples discussed include tigers, koalas, giant catfish, gorillas and Amazon river dolphins.

1. Endangered Species Lucas Muntz, Toni Mora & Paul Gehrig

2. What's an endangered animal? A species is called endangered when there are so few of its kind left that it could disappear from the planet altogether and become 'extinct.' . Extinct means an animal hasn't been seen in the wild for 50 years. In total 762 plant and animal species are now recorded as extinct.

3. Why are they dying out? Pollution, chopping down rainforests and building all affect animal habitats which means they have nowhere to live and nothing to eat. Another big problem is humans introducing new plants and animals on to small islands. This can result in older species being wiped out. Buying and selling some exotic animals for their skins like crocodiles is illegal in many places but people still do it. Elephants are killed for their ivory tusks which are used for jewellery and medicine in some countries.

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6. The Mekong giant catfish is one of the world's largest freshwater fish. It's up to three meters long. Numbers have dropped by 80 percent in just 13 years because of humans. If that carries on it will soon disappear. A hundred years ago there were 100,000 tigers in the wild, now there are less than 7,000. Three types of tiger, the Bali, Caspian and Javan tiger, have already become extinct. The South China tiger is struggling to survive. There used to be millions of koalas in Australia. Now there are less than 100,000. Examples

7. What's being done? In 1985 many countries joined together to ban whaling because some types were on the verge of extinction, but Japan and Norway still catch them for food. Iceland has now started whaling again after 14 years. Organisations like the World Wildlife Fund and Born Free, campaign to save animals which are under threat. Some governments have passed laws to stop certain animals from being hunted.

8. Gorilla 1. Species distribution. -The species of gorilla is divided into three subspecies. The western lowland gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla which is restricted to the six extinct volcanoes of the Virunga Range on the Uganda border. 2. Reasons for endangerment. -Reasons for the gorillas' being endangered include habitat loss due to agriculture and poaching for their hands, heads, and meat.

9. Amazon river dolphin 1. Species distribution. -The Amazon river dolphin is found in the world's largest river ecosystem, in the vast Amazon. 2. Reasons for endangerment. -Though some deliberate hunting of dolphins exists, the greatest direct threat to dolphins is accidental drowning in gill nets. Of equal importance are the indirect threats to their food supply, including overfishing, agricultural polluting and hydroelectric dam building. Hydroelectric dams reduce the number of fish species and isolate populations of dolphins.