Projects on Endangered Animals

Coral Reefs

• You could organize and complete a project on the death and decay of coral reefs. You could create maps outlining coral reef populations through the year, showing where their numbers are decreasing fastest. The project should center not only on the fact that coral reefs are endangered, but also on the causes of their dwindling numbers. A final facet of your project should include current work to repair damaged reefs and ways that individuals can help.

Levels of Endangerment

• Species aren't just endangered or not endangered: A range of classifications can apply to species depending on their populations. Your project can focus on the different population classifications--extinct, endangered or threatened--by listing the types of animals in each category, how a species is classified and how a species moves from one to another. You can focus, too, on the effects of a species moving from, say, endangered to extinct or from endangered to threatened.

Local Species

• For a more specific project, you could focus on species in your region that are endangered or threatened. For example, if you live in Utah, you could focus your project on the black-footed ferret or the bald eagle. You can focus on what, specifically, in your area is leading to the species' dwindling numbers, from smog to construction to hunting, and on how members in the community can help repopulate the species.

Zoos

• For an interesting perspective on endangered species, you could look at the effect that zoos have on the animals. You could create an argument either for or against the presence of endangered animals, such as the giant panda or the African rhinoceros, living and being raised in zoos. You could argue, for example, that such conditions are beneficial because they create a safe environment for populations to grow. On the other hand, you could argue that zoos create artificial population growth that cannot be sustained in the wild.