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How have humans caused extinction in the past? - Summary
Human activities have affected wildlife and ecosystems throughout history. In this KS2 explainer from The Regenerators, pupils discover some of the ways people have contributed to species decline and extinction, from hunting and habitat loss to introducing non-native species and diseases. The video also explores how conservation can help protect species in the future.
In this video, students will learn:
- How human activities can contribute to extinction.
- How habitat loss affects plants and animals.
- How introduced species can impact native wildlife.
- How climate change can threaten species.
- How conservation projects can help protect endangered species and ecosystems.
Classroom video - Living things
How have humans caused extinction?
Our explainers are engaging, collage-style animations which explain many of the issues and themes around sustainability.
This video is a fun, concise answer to the question: How have humans caused extinction in the past? It is the perfect springboard for classroom discussions.
Narrator: Bears are great, aren't they? I think they are, all big and hairy. just imagine a bear hanging out in your local park. Okay that sounds pretty dangerous. But the brown bear was a top predator in the UK following the last ice age.
But now, there are no bears left here because humans hunted them. It's though the last bears disappeared, or became extinct from the UK around 1000 years ago. Around the time of the Norman Conquest. There are many ways humans have caused extinctions, and it's often for a combination of reasons that species go extinct.
Habitat loss has been a big cause of extinction. This happens when we transform the natural landscape and use it for our own purposes, like for buildings or farming. In more recent history, humans have started travelling around the planet with ease.
But, if we take wildlife with us, it can be a problem for the native wildlife. For example, when Europeans introduced cats and foxes to Australia, it's thought to have led to the extinction of the Crescent Nailtail Wallaby in the 1950s.
We take other things with us too, like diseases. In Hawaii humans introduced Mosquitos which carried diseases, which infected many species. These included birds, such as the Kakawahie, thought to be extinct since the 1960s.
Climate change could be another reason. With a more unstable climate, plants and animals aren't able to adapt quickly enough.
The good news is that species that are at risk of extinction can recover and we can help them through conservation projects and by protecting habitats and eco-systems.
Quick facts about extinction
- Brown bears once lived in the UK but became extinct here after being hunted by humans.
- Habitat loss can happen when natural environments are converted into land for farming or buildings.
- Introducing non-native species can affect native wildlife.
- Diseases introduced by humans can threaten wildlife populations.
- Conservation projects can help species recover from population decline.
Let's discuss: Which human activity do you think has the biggest impact on wildlife, and what could be done to reduce that impact?
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