America, Africa and Asia. These are some of the world's oldest habitats. Or they were. But the problem doesn't stop there.

The second reason is the environment itself. It is becoming smaller. Every year man cuts down more trees, builds more roads and uses more land for farming. This leaves fewer jungles4, fields and forests for wildlife. In fact scientists believe that thirty British animals, fish, birds may become extinct by the beginning of the 21st century.

Today, many more species are in danger not only because man destroys and pollutes their habitat, but because man hunts them. Man has always been a hunter. He still is. But many modern hunters don't just kill for food - they kill for profit. That is why so many rare and protected animals are still dying. Hunters like these are called poachers. In 1981 there were 15,000 black rhinos5 in Africa. Today, because of illegal hunting, that number is 4,500.

There is only one way to save wild animals and wild habitat — conservation. If it doesn't happen, many wild animals will soon have just one habitat - the Zoo.

Ex.1. Read and translate the text. Agree or disagree to the headline.

Text E. Species protection

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, came into force on 1 July 1975 and now has 95 member countries. The signatories agree to ban commercial trade in endangered species, which are listed under Appendix I of the treaty. Among those listed are all apes, lemurs, the giant panda, many South American monkeys, great whales, cheetah, leopards, tiger, Asian elephant, all rhinoceroses, many birds of prey, cranes, pheasants and parrots, all sea turtles, some crocodiles and lizards, giant salamanders, orchids and cacti.

Trade in both endangered and threatened species is controlled by issuing permits. However, in some countries inadequate enforcement of CITES is noted. As a result, a number of species continue to decline. The reason for some countries nonenforcement of CITES is simple negligence. Other countries, such as Japan, turn a blind eye to the illegal trade.

The Greenpeace committee describes a number of ways of bypassing CITES: backdating permits, smuggling animal’s baggage, hiding them inside cages of other species that do not need permits, etc.

The Commission, which would be responsible for implementing CITES in all member states, is necessary.

Some of the larger mammals are being literally hunted to death because of high prices for certain species and products from them. For example, the increase in ivory value was followed by a wave of elephant poaching in East Africa, where several

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populations were drastically reduced. The Asian elephant is classified as a most endangered species. Stabilization depends on an efficient system of keeping poachers away. There have been examples where a species has been rescued from the brink of destruction. One of them is setting up tiger reserves in India which resulted in doubling the number of tigers since the start of the project. Another example is the saving of the American bison.

However, the establishment of an animal reserve depends on an adequate standard of living among the humans who surround the reserve. True, in the short term it is possible to protect an area with rifles and game wardens: but if the reserve is to survive, it must be because the local population supports the idea, not because they are frightened of being shot.

In this sense the question of nature reserves remains a problem in the Third World countries. A nature reserve has questionable long-term prospects if it is surrounded by people whose only potential source of food or wealth lies in the protected area, and if there is a demand for skins and other animal products in the developed countries (in other words, while they find those who are ready to buy these products

Ex.1. Read, translate and learn the key-expressions and words from the text:

To come into force on; to agree to ban commercial trade; to be listed under; endangered and threatened species; to be controlled by; permits; as a result; to decline; the reason for; to be simple negligence; to turn a blind eye to the illegal trade; to hide; to be responsible for; to be necessary; to be followed by; to be classified as; to depend on; to keep poachers away; adequate standard of living among the humans; in the short term; to protect an area with; in this sense; to be frightened of being shot; the question of nature reserves; to remain a problem in; long-term prospects; a demand for skins and other animal products; potential source of food or wealth.

Ex.2 Ask as many questions as possible to the Commission which would be responsible for species protection agenda at an International conference. The first item is “The animals, living on the Russian territory”.

Text F. A Life Well Lived. (One more method of animal protection)

Canadian scientists recently visited one of the world's most unusual wildlife preserves. The 400-hectare Audubon Institute Center for Research of Endangered Species, located on the banks of the Mississippi River just outside New Orleans, is home to some of the world's rarest creatures. In recent years, the Institute has pioneered a number of methods for propagating species that are declining in the wild and do not breed well in captivity. Leading the research is Institute Director, Dr. Betsy Dresser. "We feel like we are in the wildlife emergency room, Dresser says.

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