ANIMALS IN DANGER
by our 4th grade students
As part of a project for their English lesson, the 4th grade students of our school have found information and written about animals in danger. Here is some of their work:
PANDA
by Vaggelitsa Papadimoula & Christina Houliara
Pandas live in China. It looks like a bear. It eats bamboo. It has babies, usually one. It has babies once a year. They aren’t many pandas because people hunt them. We can help save the pandas not disappear if we don’t let people kill them.
THE WOLF
by Anastasia and Mary Androniadou
The wolf lives in North America, in Asia and in the Middle East. However, the constant hunting has reduced the number of wolves living in these areas. How do wolves look like? The wolf is the ancestor of the dogs. This means that dogs came from it. However, its neck is thicker than the dogs’, so it is more difficult to move. Its skull is bigger in connection with its body and it has 42 teeth and 2 very big teeth, too. During the winter, its fur is grey, but during the summer the fur turns into yellow. Breeding: Wolf is a monogamous species and finds another wolf for a lifetime. The breeding period starts from February to April. The female wolf has 4-5 babies every year. Food: They eat elks, wild pigs, wild goats, sheep, cows, rabbits and grass. Dangers: The wolves are in a big danger. Poisoned food, hunting, destroying forests are the most serious dangers wolves face. So, to sum up, all of us should help to save the wolves left. Arcturos is an organization which helps animals that are in big danger. So, visit the site www.arcturos.gr for more information on how to help.
CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER
by Tina Pappa
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest in the world, reaching a length of 180 cm, but, nowadays it is rarely to reach that size. It has a large head, small eyes and very poor eyesight. Its skin is dark and wrinkly. It lives in the rocky mountain streams and lakes in China and feeds on insects, frogs and fish. The female lays 500 eggs in an underwater breeding cavity, which is guarded by the male until the eggs hatch after 50-60 days. The Chinese salamander ways 15,25 -30 kg and is 1,15 cm in length. The Chinese salamander is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution and over-collecting, as it is considered a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been listed as of the top-10 “focal species” in 2008 by the Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered Project.
PANDA
by Maria Mylona
Panda is a big wolf. It lives in China. Its weight is 86-125 kilos. It has colour white and black. It is 1,20-1,90 metres long. It eats bamboo. All pandas are very beautiful. Today, there are only 1600 pandas. The WWF protects them.
THE BROWN BEAR
by Kostas Boudis
The brown bears have got a lot of teeth, two legs, two arms, big eyes; they are fat and have sharp claws. They live in the mountains Pindos and Rodopi. They eat ants, fish, small animals and fruits. They are in danger because people hunt them.
THE TIGER
by Ioanna Vanikioti
The tiger lives in the jungle. It looks like a big cat. The tiger gives birth to babies. It has five to six babies every year. The tiger eats wolves, wild goats, iguanas, tortoises and lizards. Today there are not many tigers. They live in Africa and there are only 100.000 on the planet. We can help them by not buying things made of their fur. We must love animals and not kill them.
THE BROWN BEAR
by Panos Koletas
The brown bear is the biggest flesh-eating animal of European forests. Its height is two metres when it stands on its two back feet. Its weight is more than 300 kilos. Its fur is brown and thick. Actually, it’s an animal that eats everything: meat, fruits, roots, honey. The brown bear is an animal that lives in loneliness, except for the summer, which is the period for reproduction. It has one or two babies per year. We have to protect the brown bear and help it to live free.
MONACHUS MONACHUS
by Costas Mamalis
The Mediterranean Monk seal “Monachus – monachus” is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The Greek waters now host 250 seals at the North Aegean, Sporades, Crete, etc. Their face looks like a little dog, without ears, and there are whiskers under their nose. The size of an adult seal is about 2,5 metres and the weight of a seal is between 260 and 340 pounds. The monk seal can live more than 20 years free in nature. The breeding season is mainly during the months of May-November and it gives birth only to one seal. Seals feed with fish of various kinds, octopuses, etc. The natural enemies of the monk seal are the whales, sharks and orcas. The human are the greatest enemy of all animals.
THE BROWN BEAR
by John Agorastos
The brown bear appeared 35 million years ago. From the 19th century, their population is decreasing dramatically due to hunting. In France, Italy and Spain the total number doesn’t exceed 200. In Greece, there are around 150 in the mountains of Pindos and Rhodope. The brown bear eats wild fruits, roots and mushrooms. It also likes honey. It is naturally aggressive. It can climb trees and stand on its two rear legs. In winter, it falls into slumber for 4-5 months. The female gives birth to one or two small bears, which are naked and blind. Today, the hunting of the brown bear is forbidden by law.
