Preventing Extinction

Question 1

What does ‘extinct’ mean?

Answer 1

That there are no organisms of a species alive anywhere in the world.

Question 2

What is the main cause of extinction?

Answer 2

Human activity - taking food, water and space.

Question 3

What do humans compete with other animals for?

Answer 3

Food
Water
Space

Question 4

What do we call an organism at risk of extinction?

Answer 4

An endangered species

Question 5

Give and example of an endangered species.

Answer 5

Giant panda

Question 6

Name the 3 methods of preventing extinction

Answer 6

Conservation
Captive breeding
Seed banks

Question 7

How does conservation protect endangered organisms?

Answer 7

Protect the habitat, so they have space to live and reproduce
Prevents disruption to their food chain

Question 8

How does captive breeding protect endangered organisms?

Answer 8

Helps to increase the population size.

Organisms are gradually re-introduced into their natural habitat.

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of captive breeding.

Answer 9

Reduced gene pool as only a few organisms are left to breed from.
Organisms bred in captivity may not be able to survive in the wild.

Question 10

How do seed banks protect endangered organisms?

Answer 10

Seeds from many species are stored so that new plants may be grown in the future if numbers are ever low.