Ramp Up your English

RUE Episode 71 Wildlife Helpers

Welcome to the Episode 71 page where you’ll learn about wildlife helpers and more guidance in writing a report about the animal of your choice.

Wildlife Savers
The common Guillemot is not endangered, as its name implies. Nonetheless, wildlife with the “common” in their names may no longer be common. They may need wildlife helpers to make them truly common again.

Watching Episode 71

Thanks to Archive.org, you can watch this program as free video on demand. Not only that, you’re free to download this and all episodes of Ramping Up your English. To see Episode 71 ad-free, click here.

Watching Episode 71 in segments

Most episodes of Ramping Up your English run about a half hour. If you want to see shorter segments, you’ll find those below – each from 6 to 12 minutes long.

See Segment One by clicking here.

Watch Segment 2

Segment 3

Arctic Tern – This bird holds the world record for the length of their seasonal migration. I was lucky to see some in Alaska.

Episode 71 Summary

In this review, we looked at the terms that are used for the level of endangerment. We started with the most severe, in case the subject of your research is extinct. This sad designation is for animals that are no longer living on Earth, like all the dinosaurs – and those that only survive in captivity. We call those “instinct in the wild.”

As promised on the show, here’s a list of the terms we use for the degrees of endangerment.

Extinct or Extinct in the wild (Used world-wide and in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of the United States. ESA=Endangered Species Act (of the U.s. Congress).

Critically Endangered (World-wide).

Endangered (World-wide and ESA).

Vulnerable (World-wide)

Threatened (ESA)

Near Threatened (World-wide)

Stable (Not an official category)

Common (Not an official designation)

Is making a comeback (Not official)

Is Recovering (Not official)

De-listed (ESA)

Episode 71 Summary Cont’d

After this review, the focus shifted to sea gulls and the efforts being undertaken to help wildlife avoid endangerment. Seagulls even inspired a book by Richard Bach, a movie, and a soundtrack by Neil Diamond and Lee Haywood. The book and movie are entitled Jonathan Livingston Seagull. We had a brief look at one of my favorite birds, the tufted puffin.

Many organizations that are doing important conservation work give calendars to members – calendars that feature the wildlife that are being helped through their efforts. These include the National Wildlife Federation and the Nature Conservancy. Both groups keep members informed through magazines that share challenges and successes in helping wildlife – often through protection of habitat.

We also featured three local groups in Southern Oregon that support wildlife – those being the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Klamath Bird Observatory, and Wildlife Images Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center. We also looked at a cheetah recovery program from Wildlife Safari. These groups are just a few of those dedicated to helping wildlife.

Language Objectives

Use connecting words to compose a sentence demonstrating a cause/effect relationship (between conservation status and causes of endangerment).

Use present tense and present progressive tense verbs to state the activities of conservation groups and agencies protecting wildlife.

Academic Content Objectives

Science: Explain the cause/effect relationship between agents of endangerment and an animal’s conservation status. Explain how actions by conservation groups and agencies mitigate the downward pressures on animal populations.

Social Studies: Give examples of people solving problems through collective action. Identify actions by conservation groups that protect or enhance the survival chances of endangered species. List some actions by conservation groups and government agencies that have had positive impacts on the populations of endangered species. Identify the role of citizens in helping to protect endangered species. Distinguish between the actions of conservation groups and government actions to protect and enhance endangered species.

Southern Oregon Land Conservancy

The above Video can be viewed ad-free and downloaded by clicking here.

Klamath Bird Observatory

The above video can be viewed ad-free and downloaded by clicking here.

Wildlife Images

The above video can be viewed ad-free and downloaded by clicking here.

Original Videos Used in Episode 71

Adventures in Education – Wildlife Images

Adventures in Education – Southern Oregon Land Conservancy

Adventures in Education – Klamath Bird Observatory Part 1, Part 2

Learning Materials

Here are some of the materials we used in this production. Click on a slide to enlarge it. Use your back arrow to return to this page.

Wildlife Savers
Extinction is forever. Dinosaurs are examples of extinct species.
The Ivory-billed woodpecker is listed as Critically Endangered. None have been seen in many years.
Wildlife Helpers
The spotted owl is listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Their protection has slowed the harvest of old=growth timber in the Pacific Northwest.
The State of Oregon this year listed the marbled murrelet as an endanger species due to habitat loss. Later in 2018, the state changed its mind, removing them from the list.
Efforts are underway to protect Sage Grouse populations so they don’t get listed as endangered. Much of their habitat has been opened to mineral exploration and extraction – which is expected to have a negative effect on their status.
Content-based ESL
An English learner proudly displays the report he wrote about an animal
Animals Animals
An English learner proudly displays the animal she researched
Wildlife Savers
These are some levels of endangerment. Only some are used under the Endangered Species Act passed by the U.S. Congress
Dinosaurs were common once, but now they’re extinct.

Next Episode

We take a closer look at birds in our next episode.  Click here to go to the Episode 72 page.