Part IV More about the topic: Birds—A Source of Wealth

A. Listen to what Mr. LeBaron says about the information concerning birds. Complete the outline.

Outline

I. Total number of known species—about 9,300

II. Habitat

  A. larger numbers living in the warmer climates

e.g. more than 300 different species counted in Panama

  B. Far fewer species native to colder climates

III. Value

A.     importance to the environment

   1. indicator of the quality of environment

   2. sensitive to habitat alteration

  B. esthetic value

   1. getting pleasure out of looking at birds and listening to birds

   2. mental quality of life degraded without birds

IV. Birds’s population

  A. some species---declining

  B. many types-- increasing

B. Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the material.

Tapescript:

Mr. LeBaron says there are about 9,300 different known species of birds. Larger numbers of them live in the warmer climates. For example, more than 300 different species have been counted in Panama, while far fewer species are native to colder climates. Aside from their esthetic value, Mr. LeBaron says birds are important to the environment because they can signal changes in it.

“Birds are one of the best indicators that we have of the quality of the environment within the given area. Whether it is a relatively local area, or even primarily on the worldwide bases, they are one of the first things to be altered. They are quite sensitive to a habitat alteration or to other threats. And often times when birds are disappearing out of the area, it just means there is a degradation of the quality of the habitat within that area which will adversely affect everything in there including humans.”

National Audubon Society editor Jeffrey LeBaron calls the world’s bird populations a source of wealth that humans must protect.

“People get so much pleasure out of looking at birds and listening to birds. And if they start disappearing just the er, the quality of life, um, may be not physically, but the mental quality of life can ve degraded quickly.”

Jeffrey LeBaron says that while the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas bird counts show a decline in some species, many types of birds are actually increasing their populations.

Part V Do you know…?

Listen to some facts about endangered species. Pay special attention to the numbers.

Tapescript:

﹒Scientists have cataloged more than one and one-half million of the species that exist on Earth today. By some recent estimates, at least 20 times that many species inhabit the planet.

﹒Up to 100 species become extinct every day. Scientists estimate that the total number of species lost each year may climb to 40,000 by the year 2,000, a rate far exceeding any in the last 65 million years.

﹒Around the world more than 3,500 protected areas exist in the form of parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. These areas cover a total of about 2 million square miles (5 million square km, or 3% of our total land area).

﹒Today, more than 200 animal species in the United States are classified as endangered. More than 1, 000 animal species are endangered worldwide.

﹒Little-noticed aquatic animals are in big trouble. In North America, a third of our fish species, two-thirds of our crayfish species and nearly three-quarters of the musssel species are in trouble.