discovery box animals in danger

World History Science Animals
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Cheetahs
Wolves
Gorillas
Bees
Coral
Sharks
Koalas
and more…
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
Animals
i
danger
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Recommended Award.
2
Contents
Contents
Managing publisher: Christine Auberger. Editorial Manager: Elena Iribarren. Editor in Chief: Simona Sideri. Art Director: Pat Carter. Text and research: Liz Shepherd.
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What are the threats?
 Deforestation page 6
 Huntingandfishing
page 8
 Invasiveanimals
page 10
 Climatechange
page 12
Which animals are the most endangered?
 InAfrica page 16
 InEurope
page 24
 InAmerica
page 32
 InAsia
page 38
 InOceania
page 44
We live on a beautiful planet
But all over the world, animals are in danger.

If they disappear, the diversity of life on our planet will
be seriously damaged. D
iscoveryBox and WWF tell you
what’s going on and introduce you to people

who are taking action to save our wildlife.
C
ompetition

Fantastic WWF

prizes to be won!
page 4




3
T
$$
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UU
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DiscoveryBox is printed on chlorine-free paper from
managed forests.
Hip and Hop
Right, Hip,
it’s time for us
to leave!
What are we doing to protect animals?
 Constantcare page 50

 Returntothewild
page 52
 Moneyfromtourism
page 53
 Safetyinnaturereserves
page 54
WWF fighting to protect
endangered species
page 56
Action around the world
page 58
+
Games pages 14 and 48
Quiz and useful internet sites
illustrations: G. Marié.
Er… I’m not
sure where
this bit goes…
Competition
WWF is one of the world’s largest and
most respected independent conservation
organisations, with almost 5 million
supporters and a global network active in
over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is
to stop the degradation of the earth’s
natural environment and to build a
future in which humans live in harmony
with nature, by conserving the world’s
biological diversity, ensuring that the use of
renewable natural resources is sustainable,

and promoting the reduction of pollution and
wasteful consumption.
Today, one of the most endangered species
is the wild tiger. In the past 100 years, wild
tiger numbers have plummeted by around
95%, to as few as 3,200. WWF’s map
highlights the increasing threats faced by
the species, including habitat loss, illegal
trade and climate change. To view or
download the map, please visit: www.
worldwildlife.org/tigertroublespots.
You can help protect the future of the world’s
largest big cat by adopting one.
Terms and Conditions: Entry into this competition implies acceptance of these rules and conditions. Open to all readers, other than employees of Bayard
Presse and others professionally associated with the magazine and their immediate families. The prizes are as stated and will be awarded to the ten “Best
entries” on the draw date. Winners will be notified within 28 days of the competition. The prizes are subject to availability. In the unlikely event of stated
prizes being unavailable, Bayard Presse reserves the right to substitute the prize for one of equal value. No cash alternative is available. No correspondence
will be entered into. One entry per competition per household. In entering this competition the entrant is agreeing to receive e-mails from Bayard Presse
and carefully selected partners. This promotion may be conducted over several different magazines simultaneously. Winners’ names may be published in
a future issue of the magazine. Promoter: Bayard Presse, UK Ltd, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill St, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 9EF, UK.
Visit wwf.org.uk to learn more about WWF and
see how you can help to protect our beautiful planet.
10 fantastic

WWF prizes

to be won!
1st prize: a WWF tiger adoption pack
(includes a cuddly toy tiger + updates about
your tiger 3 times a year + other surprises);

9 runner-up prizes: an adorable
WWF plush toy
in partnership with
4
What to do:
Draw a picture of a tiger and send it by 30
th
August
by e-mail to:
or by post to: Bayard, 1st floor, 2 King Street, Peterborough,
PE1 1LT, UK.
The 10 best entries will receive a fabulous prize!
Don’t forget to write your name and address and the name
of your magazine.
5
What
are the
threats?
Deforestation
Hunting and fishing
Invasive animals
Climate change
Since life began on Earth, species
have appeared and disappeared.

That’s normal. But today more than

1,300 animal species and 9,000
plant species are threatened with
rapid extinction. What’s going on?

Christophe Courteau/Bios
In Borneo, an island in Asia, bulldozers flatten
huge areas of rainforest. The precious wood is
sold in Japan and Europe. Forests are replaced by
plantations of crops, such as soya and palm oil.
These fast-growing plants soon use up all
the richness in the ground.
Nigel Dickinson - Hélène Camoin/WWF
6
Deforestation
Most animals have adapted so that they can live in
one specific place, such as the forest, the sea or the
mountains… When forests are destroyed, the species
that used to live there can’t survive.
7
Forest riches
Humans don’t destroy forests for fun!
The forests contain all kinds of riches:
animals, plants, as well as raw materials
in the ground. We use the wood to
make furniture and we burn it to
keep warm and to cook. We also cut
down trees so we can extract precious
materials from the soil, such as gold,
silver or copper. People need forest land
to grow crops.
Huge loss
When a forest is burned or cut down,
animals aren’t always able to escape.
They may sometimes disappear

without us knowing. We don’t yet
know about all the plant and animal
species that live in the rainforests.
When forests are cleared, there’s
nothing to stop the rain and wind
thinning the soil. Soon no plants
can grow there.
Solutions to deforestation
• Forest management schemes are being set up. Logging (cutting
down trees) is allowed, but under strict rules so that the forest isn’t
destroyed. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo helps you
identify wood products that come from well-managed forests.
• Areas of forest that are fragile can be protected. New reserves and national
parks are being set up in many countries.
• People can be educated about this issue. Local people can be helped to make
the best use of their forests. Multi-national companies can be encouraged to
stop bad practices. Consumers can be taught to only buy wood products from
well-managed forests.
37 football pitches
every minute!
That’s the rate at which our rainforests

are being destroyed.
3

animals threatened by
the disappearance of

the rainforest:
•Jaguars, big cats of the Amazon rainforest

•Orang-utans, great apes of Borneo
•Aye-ayes, lemurs of Madagascar
Hunting and fishing
When wild animals are captured or killed,
their species can become endangered.
For this reason, trade in wild animals is
illegal. However, poachers still capture
or kill some animals as they can make
a lot of money from trafficking.
More and more hunting
Humans have always hunted and
fished to eat. But today, there are more
and more humans and our hunting
techniques are very efficient. Greater
numbers of animals are now captured
– and not just for their meat. Hunters
kill bears for the thrill. Monkeys, birds
and all kinds of reptiles are sold as pets.
Tigers are killed for their fur.
Fewer and fewer fish
Fishing has become a huge industry.
Radar is used to detect shoals of fish
and nets can go very deep down.
Today three-quarters of fish species,
including cod and anchovies, are over-
fished. They’re caught before they have
reproduced. At this rate, in thirty years’
time, there will be no wild fish left in
the oceans.
£7

million
This is the estimated annual value of

the illegal trade in wild animals.
8
Vielmo Sabine/Argus/bios - Michel Gunther/Bios
Rhinoceros horns are made into a powder
and sold as medicine in Asia. Since 1977,
trade in African rhino horn has been illegal.
But there’s a big demand so poachers still kill
them and steal their horns.

Jane Goodall’s work
Jane Goodall is an American primatologist (someone who
studies primates: monkeys and apes). She has devoted
her whole life to studying chimpanzees in Africa.
She observed that they eat meat and know
how to use tools. Thirty years ago she created
a foundation to save chimps. Since then,
several sanctuaries have been set up in
Africa to look after young, orphaned
chimps. They’re nursed back to
health and taught to live in the wild.
Find out more at: www.janegoodall.org
3
animals threatened
by poaching:
•Tigers for their fur
•Elephants for their tusks
•Sharks for their fins

Red-eared terrapins have been sold in pet
shops for a long time. They’re usually small
when people buy them. But when they
grow larger they can become a nuisance.
So their owners sometimes leave them in
ponds where they become a threat to local
European pond terrapins.
Invasive animals
Some animals travel from one continent to another as
secret passengers on boats or planes. Others are released
by humans far from the place where they usually live.
If they survive, they can threaten local species.
3
invasive animals:
•Red-eared terrapins in Europe
•Siberian chipmunks in Europe
•African sacred ibis in Europe
Frederic Feve/Bios - Galathée Films /Mathieu Simonet
10
Released into the wild
Humans have always taken animals
and plants with them when they travel.
But in the last fifty years there have
been more and more journeys between
continents so many more species
have moved around. Also, some exotic
animals raised in captivity or kept as
pets have escaped from their cages
or have been released into the wild in
countries where they don’t usually live.

Good at adapting
When animals are released into a new
environment, they survive only if the
climate and food suit them. If they do
survive, they may reproduce. Often
their numbers will increase rapidly
because they have no natural predators.
Environments are usually balanced, so
the number of animals is controlled.
If a new species is introduced it can
upset this balance.
Protecting native species
Not all species that are introduced to an environment are invasive.
Some new species can fit into an environment without affecting or
competing with local species.
To protect native species from invaders, various organizations in different
countries are taking action. In the United States, for example, there’s
a campaign encouraging people not to carry fire wood from one place to
another. Since forest insects survive inside wood where you can’t see them,
they can be transported long distances by accident.
10 out of 100
species can adapt to a new environment.
On average, one species among those 10

will reproduce and become invasive.
11
Polar bears hunt and eat seals on sea
ice. The ice is melting earlier every year
because of global warming, so they don’t
have enough time to hunt and build up

the reserves of fat they need to survive
the cold.
Climate change
Global warming means that animals will have to deal with
higher temperatures and longer periods of drought all
over the world. It will become more difficult for them
to find food. Many species won’t survive.
3
threats linked to
global warming:
•Submersion of Pacific islands
•Melting ice at polar ice caps
•Desertification in dry areas
12
Klein-Hubert/Bios - Bertrand Guay/AFP

0.6°C
This is the increase in the Earth’s
average temperature in the last

100 years. It could increase by a further

2 to 5°C between now and 2100.
Greenhouse effect
Since humans have been using coal,
oil and gas as energy sources, factories
and vehicles have been releasing large
amounts of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere. This gas forms a layer in
the skies above us that stops the Earth’s

heat escaping into space. So gradually,
the Earth’s temperature is increasing,
like in a greenhouse.
Disruption
Global warming is causing glaciers in
mountains and at the poles to melt.
The oceans are heating up and sea
levels are rising. Some islands and
coastlines will soon be underwater.
Also, seasons are becoming less reliable
and more extreme. That’s why we have
seen such bad floods and storms as well
as droughts in recent years.
Fighting global warming
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement on fighting climate change.
It became law on 16 February 2005. 187 states have now signed and ratified
the Protocol, excluding the United States, which is one of the biggest polluters
and producers of greenhouse gases.
The Protocol commits countries to reducing greenhouse gases and sets
targets for the maximum amount of CO2 that rich countries (which create
most pollution) are allowed to produce. Most scientists agree that the Kyoto
Protocol isn’t the complete answer. But it’s a good start.
Find out more at: www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate
13
A male giraffe can be
up to 6m tall.
Answers on page 59.
14
1. Find 7 differences between these two pictures of the savannah.
Then work out what the photographer is saying…

2. This reporter has forgotten
the names of the monkeys
he photographed. Help him
to remember using
the letters on the films.
Games
15
Which
animals
are the most
endangered?
Animals in Africa
Animals in Europe
Animals in America
Animals in Asia
Animals in Oceania
On all continents and in the oceans,

all kinds of animals are endangered,

from the biggest – such as elephants
– to the smallest – such as coral.
Michel Gunther/Bios
A F R I c A
16
Cheetahs may look proud and bold
but they’re actually quite shy.
D
iscoveryBox interviews a cheetah
expert.

Where do cheetahs live?
In the past cheetahs lived in Africa and in Asia,
as far east as India. Today there are still a
large number in wildlife reserves in eastern
and southern Africa. But they have almost
disappeared in the north and west. In Asia,
there are just a few left in Iran.
Cheetahs
LOOK OUT!
There are
fewer than
10,000
cheetahs in
the world.
!
Denis-Huot/Hoa Qui, Shah/jacana
110km/h
This is the cheetah’s
top speed when hunting.
17
Female cheetahs raise
their cubs alone.
They have 3 to 8 cubs

at one time.
Are cheetahs aggressive?
Not at all. They’re shy.
They’re scared of people
and run away from other
predators, such as leopards

and lions. As they’re not
aggressive, they’re the only
wild felines (cats) that can be tamed. But they
have never been domesticated because they
don’t reproduce easily in captivity.
Are cheetahs protected?
Hunting them is forbidden in all countries in
Africa. But their beautiful spotted coats are
illegally traded. They’re used to make prayer
mats, for example. Cheetahs are also
often poisoned by bait
put down by farmers to
protect their herds.
Long tail
Their tail measures 65 to 85cm.
Cheetahs hold their tail up
when they run to help them
turn.
Supple back
Cheetahs curl and uncurl
their spine as they run to
extend their legs. This helps
them go faster.
Long legs
Cheetahs’ legs are about 70cm
long. They’re proportionately
longer than other felines’ legs.
Cheetahs
Have you ever been near
a cheetah?

Yes, when I visited a care centre in
Namibia in southern Africa. If farmers
trap cheetahs they take them to the
centre. Vets look after them and then
release them in areas where there are
no herds of cattle.
18
A F R I c A
Ethiopian wolves are very
rare. They’re the size of big
dogs and they only live in
Ethiopia in East Africa.
Harsh weather conditions
Ethiopian wolves live on the high
plateaux (flat areas of land high up
in the mountains) of Ethiopia at
an altitude of more than 3,000m.
Here, they face strong winds and
night-time temperatures of
-15°C. Around 300 of the
remaining 500 wolves
in Ethiopia live in Bale
National Park and 50 in
Simen National Park.
The others are spread out in about
ten groups and never meet.
Health threats
Ethiopian wolves sometimes come
across sheep dogs on high pasture
lands. The dogs aren’t vaccinated.

They can transmit the rabies virus
or canine distemper to the wolves.
Epidemics then break out among
the wolf population.
Ethiopian wolves
LOOK OUT!
There are only
500
left in the
whole of
Ethiopia.
!
Michel Gunther/Bios
Ethiopia
These wolves
are the largest
members of
the dog family
in Africa.
19
Pointed muzzle
Ethiopian wolves have long jaws.
Their teeth are smaller and more
spaced out than those of other
members of the dog family.
Threat to food
The Ethiopian wolf’s favourite prey is a large
rodent called a mole rat that lives only in
Ethiopia. During periods of drought, herds
of cows are brought up

onto the high plains.
As they graze, the
cows destroy the
mole rats’ tunnels.
This means that
Ethiopian wolves
can’t find their
favourite prey in
these areas any
more.
Threat to reproduction
When young, female Ethiopian wolves leave
their pack, they often come across sheep
dogs. They mate with them and give birth to
cubs that are half-wolf, half-dog. Scientists
are worried that soon there will be no true
Ethiopian wolves left.
Red coat
Their fur is short but
thick with white patches on
the cheeks and inside legs.
Long legs
These wolves are the size of
a big dog. Their long legs
make them look more like
a coyote than a dog.
Bushy tail
It’s white at
the base and has
a black tuft at

the end.
20
A F R I c A
LOOK OUT!
There are only
around
700
mountain
gorillas living
in Africa.
!
Mountain gorillas live in
the rainforest in Central
Africa. They may look scary
but they’re gentle, peaceful
animals. Their survival is
seriously endangered.
Read on to find out why.
.
Super-fragile babies
Female gorillas give birth to
only one baby every four years.
A new-born gorilla weighs 2kg.
Its mother suckles it for two years.
It’s very fragile. The mother holds
her baby close to shelter it from
the rain but if it gets a chill, it could
die of pneumonia.
Dangerous friendship
Scientists and nature enthusiasts

are fascinated by gorillas. Tourists
pay money to go and see them.
The money from tourism
encourages African countries to
protect gorillas. But sometimes,
tourists can give the big apes
viruses, such as the flu!
Mountain gorillas
big photo : A. et M. Shah/jacana, small photo: Plumptre/OSF/BIOS
Gorillas are the
biggest and most
powerful of the apes.
21
Silverback
Adult males are
called this, because
of the silver hairs on
their back.
Shrinking territory
Mountain gorillas live in
protected national parks
in Rwanda, Uganda and
the Democratic Republic
of Congo. The human
population is growing fast in those countries
and people need to grow crops for food.
Part of one park in Rwanda has already been
turned into farm land.
Violent human
beings

Poachers still hunt gorillas
although it’s illegal. They
sell the meat – called
‘bush meat’ – in African
markets.
Fighting for minerals
In the Democratic Republic of Congo there’s
a rare mineral called coltan. It’s used to
make mobile phones, computers and games
consoles. People fight over this mineral. More
than 3 million people have been killed since
1998 in the fighting. Thousands of gorillas
have also been killed in military fire or by
mines.
Sharp teeth
They use these
to bite through
the hard fibres
in the plants
they eat.
Bent fingers
Gorillas walk by
leaning on their fingers.
Only gorillas and
chimpanzees walk
like this.
Big tummy
Gorillas need to eat
huge amounts as
they’re vegetarians

and plants aren’t very
nourishing.
Large pelvis
It helps gorillas to
stand up, although
they move around
mostly on all fours.
22
Tusks as valuable as gold
At the beginning of the 20
th
century
there were around 4 million
elephants in Africa. In 1960, there
were still 2 million. Then, hundreds
of thousands were slaughtered
because their ivory tusks had
become very valuable. Ivory
was used to make jewellery and
ornaments.
Elephants
LOOK OUT!
There are
600,000
elephants in
Africa and
they could
be extinct by
2025.
!

They’re
the biggest
land animals.
Disappearing forests
Some elephants live deep in the
rainforests of Africa. They like to
live in hiding and they need a lot
of space. But in the last fifty years,
half of Africa’s rainforest has been
destroyed so that plantations and
crops can be grown. Elephants are
victims of this destruction.
Forbidden ivory
In an attempt to save elephants, international trade in
ivory and other elephant products was made illegal
20 years ago. But elephants are still under threat. Even
if most African countries are against the ivory trade,
some continue to sell ivory. Around 38,000 elephants
are still killed every year. That’s 104 every day!
200kg
This is the weight of
an elephant’s trunk.
Rouse/NHPA-Cosmos
A F R I c A
23
What are lemurs?
Lemurs are primates, like humans
and monkeys. The smallest are the
size of a mouse and the biggest are
the size of a fox. Their thick, woolly

fur makes them look bigger.
Their feet are like hands
with four fingers and
a thumb opposite them.
Lemurs use their hands to
climb from tree to
tree. They rarely
go down to
the ground.
Why do they only live in
Madagascar?
Lemurs are descended from animals
that arrived in Madagascar –
an island off the coast of Africa –
35 million years ago. They probably
came from Africa and crossed the
sea, clinging to floating branches.
In Madagascar they are isolated and
have no predators. There are no wild
cats on the island. Also, lemurs have
no competition as there are
no monkeys.
Why are they endangered?
Lemurs need trees for food and
shelter. When forests are destroyed,
they can’t survive. People
in Madagascar need
to grow crops. They
regularly burn down
the forest to clear the

land for farming. Today,
most lemurs live in
reserves where they have
some protection.
Lemurs
LOOK OUT!
There are
around 30
lemur species
in Madagascar
but there’s a
risk that all
of them will
disappear.
!
Catherine Jouan, Jeanne Rius
This is a black-
and-white
ruffed lemur.
A F R I c A
They have nails,
not claws.
Madagascar
OUT OF
DANGER!
The number of
lynx in western
Europe is
7,000.
Their numbers

are increasing.
!
E U R O P E
24
Eurasian lynx
Eurasian lynx used to live
in mountain forests across
Europe and Asia. But today,
there are few in western
Europe. There are still some
in central Asia. Most are
in northern Europe
and Russia.

They’re
the largest
felines
(cats) in
Europe.
Shy animals
Lynx live alone and are difficult to
observe. The spotted markings on
their fur help to camouflage them.
They sleep almost all day and are
most active at dawn and
dusk when they come
out to hunt. Eurasian lynx
eat deer and rodents. In
Spain and Portugal there’s
another even rarer lynx

species called
the Iberian lynx.
They hunt rabbits
and some birds.
Staffan Widstrand
25
Retractable claws
Lynx walk on their
toes. They keep
their claws pulled
in as they walk.
Careful eater
Lynx catch and eat about 100 animals per year.
So they don’t hunt every day. When they have
eaten enough meat, they hide the rest under
leaves, earth or snow. They return over the
next few nights to finish the remains.
They leave only the skeleton, skin, stomach
and intestines.
Forest worker
Lynx have an
important role
as predators
(hunters) in
the forests.
They generally
hunt sick
animals or those
animals that are most numerous. In this
way they help keep down the numbers of

herbivores (plant-eaters) and rodents (such
as mice, shrews etc) in the forest.
Victims of poaching
Lynx are a protected species. But they’re still
regularly killed by poachers’ traps, passing cars
and trains. They have been reintroduced to
many parts of Europe including Switzerland,
Italy and France and are now not in danger.
Furry pads
Lynx have tufts of
fur between their
toes to stop them
sinking into the
snow.
Spotted fur
Lynx have grey or
reddish fur, depending
on the season.
Short tail
This is less than
25cm long. The tip
is always black.
20kg
is their average
weight.