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Wildlife Study Guide

Key Point 1: Knowledge of Wild Birds, Mammals and Herps (Reptiles and Amphibians)

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify wildlife species  using mounted specimens, skins/pelts, pictures, skulls, silhouettes, decoys, wings (waterfowl), scat, tracks, animal sounds or other common signs.  Animal tracks may be original, pictures or molds made of the prints. Wildlife signs may be real or reproduced.
2. Use a key or field guide to identify wildlife species or signs. Wildlife species or signs may be presented in any form as described above.
3. Identify general food habits (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore), habitats (terrestrial, fossorial) and habits (diurnal, nocturnal) using skull morphology and/or teeth.

Resources:

1. This resource to be used as a reference: Herps of Arkansas (Arkansas Herpetological Societies)
2. Outdoor Action Guide to Animal Tracking, pages 1–6 (Princeton University)
3. Envirothon Skull Reference Resource (Pennsylvania Game Commission)

Suggested Activities:

1. Students create PowerPoint presentations of the animals describing key identification characteristics, habitat needs and habits. Assign particular species to each team member. Prepare quizzes using presentations.
2. Students create note cards of the animals with photos and descriptions of key identification characteristic, habitat needs and habits. Place note cards on a metal ring for easy access.

Key Point 2: Wildlife Ecology

Learning Objectives:

1. Know the meaning of “habitat” and be able to name the habitat requirements for wildlife and the factors that affect wildlife suitability.
2. Know and understand basic ecological concepts and terminology.
3. Understand the difference between an ecosystem, community and population. Be able to explain how communities interact with their non-living surroundings to form ecosystems.
4. Understand wildlife population dynamics such as birth, mortality, age structure, sex ratio and mating systems. Understand the impact of limiting and decimating factors of common wildlife species on wildlife management. 
5. Recognize that all living things must be well-adapted to their native environment in order to survive. Be able to identify, describe and explain the advantages of specific anatomical, physiological and/or behavioral adaptations of wildlife to their environment.
6. Know the meaning of the term “biodiversity” and understand why biodiversity is important to people and wildlife.
7. Understand the importance of the three levels of biodiversity: genetics, species and ecosystem/community, and understand the implications of biodiversity loss at each level.

Resources:

1. 4-H Wildlife Project: The Wildlife Ecologist (Pennsylvania)
2. Wildlife Terms: Working with Wildlife (North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service)
3. Envirothon’s Wildlife Glossary
4. Organization of Life: Species, Population, Communities and Ecosystems (physicalgeography.net)
5. An Introduction to Biodiversity Theory (Canadian Biodiversity Website)

Suggested Activities:

1. Draw a map of an area and identify sources of food, water and shelter available to wildlife. Select a wildlife species and assess whether the area on your map will provide suitable habitat for this species. If any part of the habitat is lacking, explain what you could do to improve the habitat for this species?
   
   
2. Explain the relationship between the Pyramid of Numbers and the Pyramid of Biomass. Relate this exercise to an actual habitat to help you understand how much land area is needed to support life at each level of the food chain. Lesson: Ecological Pyramids.
   
   
3. Create a detailed display to show examples of different types of food chains and illustrate the interdependence of organisms within a food web. Include terms such as tropic levels, predator, prey, scavengers, decomposers, omnivore, insectivore, herbivore, carnivore, producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer and tertiary consumer.
   
   
4. Explain the term “ecosystem” and give examples of different types of ecosystems. Describe a type of ecosystem and explain the importance of a keystone species. Draw food chains that include a specific keystone species and discuss what might happen if this species were removed from the food chain or if their populations diminished.
   
   
5. Select several wildlife species common to your area and list potential limiting and decimating factors for each. Visit a natural area, park, forest and/or farm and assess the area to determine which of the limiting and decimating factors on your list would actually impact your selected species. For example, water may be a potential limiting factor, but the area you visit may have an abundance of water. Therefore, water would not be a limiting factor on this area and would have no impact.
   
   
6. Explain why Arkansas is so diverse and what is being done to protect the biodiversity of wildlife. Include the following vocabulary to help you explain your answer: biodiversity, keystone species, native, endemic, habitat, biome and food web.
   
   
7. Compare and contrast the behavioral and physiological adaptations of specific animals that live in two different environments. Explain why these animals are well-adapted to survive in their particular environment and include wildlife biology terms to describe specific adaptations.
   
   
8. Web Lesson: Measuring Biodiversity across North America. As a result of completing an investigation into the biodiversity of North American mammals, students should develop an understanding of the concept of biodiversity, and learn ways to measure the diversity of organisms. In addition, students should become more familiar with the mammal communities and eco-regions in their residential areas and the biomes and eco-regions across North America.
   
   
9. Explain the four levels of biodiversity and give several reasons why biodiversity is important to wildlife and people. Select examples of species in your area that have become locally extinct and explain what causes loss of biodiversity. What can be done to gain biodiversity?

Key Point 3: Conservation and Management of Wildlife

Learning Objectives:

1. Know the preferred habitat types and specific habitat requirements of wildlife species.  Understand how this knowledge helps us to better protect both the land and the wildlife species that depend on it.
2. Understand the difference between biological and cultural carrying capacity, and be able to identify social and ecological considerations where human use of land conflicts with wildlife habitat needs.
3. Identify wildlife management practices and methods that are used to manage and improve wildlife habitat.
4. Understand the role of federal and state fish and wildlife agencies in the management, conservation, protection and enhancement of fish and wildlife and their habitats.

Resources:

1. 4-H Wildlife Project: The Wildlife Ecologist (Pennsylvania)
2. North American Migration Flyways (Nutty Birder, birdnature.com)
3. Wildlife Species (habitat needs) (National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program)
4. Wildlife Management Practices (National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program)
5. Wildlife Habitat Management for Arkansas Landowners (U of A Cooperative Extension Service)
6. Managing Forests for Fish and Wildlife (Natural Resources Conservation Service)
7. Trapping and Furbearer Management in North American Wildlife Conservation (Northeast Furbearer Resources Technical Committee et al.)
8. Federal Wildlife Law of the 20th Century  (Michigan State University College of Law)

 Suggested Activities:

1. Determine which common wildlife species in your area depend on open land, woodland and wetland habitat for their survival. Identify the various types of habitat within open lands, woodlands, and wetlands, and explain the importance of these specific habitats to common wildlife species within your area.
2. Explain why human use of land is the major reason for habitat loss. Provide examples of habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation and explain how wildlife species survival is threatened by habitat loss in your area.
3. Research and analyze controversial issues in order to understand the relationship between wildlife, economics and society. A lesson plan is available at The Social and Economic Impact of Wildlife and Natural Resource Management Lesson Plan (Penn State School of Forest Resources).
4. Make a list of wildlife management practices and strategies that will restore or improve habitat for each of the following land uses: cropland, grassland, woodland, wetland, pond/lake and urban setting (backyards, greenways, urban parks). Include specific wildlife species that will benefit from each wildlife practice or strategy.
5. Make a list of wildlife agencies (federal or state government) and organizations (e.g., Audubon Arkansas, The Nature Conservancy) within your state. Determine how each protects and manages the wildlife resources of your area, and describe activities and programs that are undertaken to protect and manage wildlife and their habitats.
6. Explain regulated trapping procedures and discuss the issues that are involved in trapping furbearing animals. Research and explain the dilemma of biological carrying capacity vs. cultural carrying capacity in your discussion.
7. Explain how wildlife managers are using Satellite Remote Sensing, GPS and GIS in conservation and wildlife management. Give an example explaining the benefits of using this technology.

Key Point 4:  Issues Involving Wildlife and Society

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how non-native (exotic), invasive species threaten our environment and the biodiversity of many wildlife species. Understand that non-native (exotic), invasive plants impact wildlife habitat and thus have a tremendous impact on native wildlife.
   
   
2. Learn about the complexities of decision-making in land use decisions that affect wildlife, and understand that wildlife resources are under constant pressure caused by human population growth, environmental degradation and habitat reduction.
   
   
3. Know that wildlife species are subject to diseases resulting from exposure to microbes, parasites, toxins and other biological and physical agents.
   
   
4. Understand the terminology and factors that affect threatened and endangered wildlife species. Know the meaning of extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened, candidate species and reintroduction.
   
   
5. Identify the characteristics that many extinct and endangered species posses, and be able to identify many wildlife species that are endangered and threatened.
   
   
6. Understand the role of the Endangered Species Act in helping conserve endangered and threatened species. Know the organizations and agencies responsible for listing and protecting endangered species on federal and state levels.

Resources:

1. Threats to Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)
2. America’s Least Wanted: Alien Species Invasions of U.S. Ecosystems , pages 1–8 (NatureServe)
3. Introduced Species: The Threat to Biodiversity and What Can Be Done (American Institute of Biological Sciences)
4. Habitat Loss (National Wildlife Federation)
5. USGS National Wildlife Health Center: Diseases of Wildlife in the United States (first paragraph)
6. Wildlife Diseases and Pandemics (NCEL)
7. Vanishing Species – What is Threatening Species? (Endangered Species Handbook, Animal Welfare Institute)
8. Threatened and Endangered Species (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration)

Suggested Activities:

1. Give specific examples of non-native (exotic), invasive species in your area and describe how they have altered habitats, threatened ecosystems and impacted wildlife. Explain what is being done to increase awareness and facilitate effective prevention and management of non-native (exotic) invasive species.
   
   
2. Explain the three major kinds of habitat loss. Give examples of how human activity is the biggest threat to wildlife habitat and also discuss how people can have a positive impact on wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
   
   
3. Name and describe two examples of diseases that are critically impacting wildlife and explain why controlling emerging wildlife diseases have become a high-priority concern in Arkansas or the United States. Explain the life cycles of these diseases and how they can be transmitted to humans.
   
   
4. Identify and describe factors that threaten and endanger wildlife species in your area. Explain what actions are being taken by various agencies and interest groups to improve the chance of survival for specific threatened and endangered species. Also, determine what practical measures private citizens can take to assist in the recovery of threatened and endangered species.
   
   
5. Select several endangered species and create a display to describe the characteristics that have made these species more vulnerable. Discuss state and federal efforts being taken to protect these species.

• Sample Tests

Back to Wildlife

For additional information about the Envirothon Program in Arkansas, contact:         

Delia Haak, Ed.D Arkansas Envirothon Coordinator
ArkansasEnvirothonCoodinator@gmail.com
479-238-4671

Debbie Moreland, Arkansas Association Conservation District Director
debbiepinreal@aol.com
501-425-2891