How Can We Monitor the Wildlife Trade?
Scientific Reports
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Biology
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Provided by Science Journal for Kids
What it is
- This article explains how scientists analyzed two wildlife trade databases — the United States LEMIS database and the global CITES database — to better understand the scale of the legal and illegal wildlife trade and its threat to biodiversity.
- The article describes the gaps and inconsistencies in trade data and the researchers' suggestions for collecting, standardizing, and sharing data to make the wildlife trade more sustainable.
Teaching tips
Prerequisites:
- Ensure students are familiar with the concept of endangered species.
- Consider defining the term biodiversity.
Preparation:
- The Teacher's key requires an account to access.
Classroom Implementation:
- Use this article in a life science or environmental science unit on biodiversity, ecosystems, and human impacts.
- Have students interpret the bar graph and pictograph figures to practice reading scientific data displays.
Differentiation:
- Use the audio version for auditory learners or to support students with low reading stamina.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
- English Language Arts:
- Use this as an anchor text for scientific and informative writing.
- Leverage the article's included glossary for vocabulary work.
Climate Change Connections:
- Stress the importance of biodiversity and highlight how certain species will be more threatened as climate change progresses.
From the scientist review
This resource is an adaptation of a peer-reviewed article originally published in PNAS that investigates the international wildlife trade. Key points in the text are highlighted, and a comprehensive glossary is included. The article does not explicitly mention climate change, but sustainability and biodiversity are key themes. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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