Welcome to your future. As a member of the Ark Helpers Society, you will be assigned the difficult job of the preservation of one of Mother Nature's special children. Not happy with what has happened to some of her favorites, like the Dodo bird, the moa, the Tasmanian wolf and the Stellars seacow, Mother Nature would like for you to help save some of her threatened and endangered animals.

You will need to design an informational brochure of material describing the animal you have been assigned to protect. This brochure is something you would be able to hand out to people who visit your animal while touring our zoo's facilities. The brochure can be designed using either MS Word or Publisher 2000.

The brochure must include the following information about your animal. Be certain to print a checklist of materials so that you know if you have included everything that you need to include.

		Name of the animal - this should include both its common name and its scientific name. Remember that the scientific name is typically written in italics and inside parentheses. If you are reporting on the bald eagle, you would include (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in this part of the brochure.
		Picture of the animal - scour the internet looking for images of your animal. If possible, show both a male and female. A baby would be excellent as well although not necessary.
		Physical description of the animal - what is the range of weight for this animal (include weights for both sexes); size; color of fur or feathers; explanation of body layout or prominent features
		What does this animal eat? If it is a carnivore, what are its hunting habits? If it is an herbivore, are there specific plants that are eaten that may lead to difficulties meeting its special nutritional needs?
		How often does this animal reproduce? At what age does this animal reach reproductive maturity? What is its gestation period? How many young are typically produced?
		Are the young of this animal raised by one or both parents? What is the "typical" childhood of this animal like? How long does this animal live in the wild?
		What is this animal's family life like? Does this animal live as a loner or as part of a larger society of interdependent members? Are all members of a social group permitted to reproduce?
		Are there special adaptations the animal has had to evolve to survive in its natural habitat? Are there color changes associated with seasonal changes? Does the animal need to migrate due to weather and/or food and water sources? Does this animal have coloration patterns that make it difficult to see as a prey animal or a predator?
		Describe the natural habitat in which you would expect to find this animal. Is this habitat currently in danger by manmade or natural threats? How is this impacting the wild population of this animal?
		In what part of the world is it found? It might be a good idea to include a map of the continent(s) on which it is found with the areas where it is found colored in.
		What has led to this animal being included on an endangered or threatened animals list? Loss of habitat, poaching, environmental changes, etc.
		Resources. Be certain to include all of the websites, books and articles you may have used while preparing this brochure as part of your bibliography. See the works cited page on the high school website for information about compiling this material.

		Google.com
		Animal Info - rare, threatened and endangered mammals
		Endangered Animals Center
		Endangered, threatened and vulnerable species
		Marilee's Endangered Animals list
		National Parks Conservation Association Wildlife Protection
		Causes of Endangerment
		Animals of Africa in Danger
		World Wildlife Fund
		The Wild Ones
		SeaWorld Information Database
		eNature.com
		Smithsonian Mammal Species of the World
		Nature Serve

Click here for a checklist that you can use to make sure you've covered everything you need for your final project.

It is my hope that once you have learned what you can about the endangered or threatened animal you were assigned you will have a new found respect for and interest in this animal. With more people interested in conservation of these wild and precious gifts from nature, maybe we can make a difference in the world some day. It's nice to think the world is a better place just for having them alive in it.

Click here for a list of animals.