Sustainability

Question 1

What does conservation involve?

Answer 1

Conservation involves trying to preserve the variety of plants and animals and their habitats that they live in.

Question 2

People think that conservation is important because it can:

Answer 2

• Protect our food supply.
• Prevent any damage to food chains, which can be hard to predict.
• Protect plants and animals that might be useful for medical uses.
• Protect organisms and habitats that people enjoy to visit and study.

Question 3

When are species at risk?

Answer 3

Species are at risk if the number of individuals or habitats falls below critical levels.

Question 4

When trying to conserve species the important factors to bear in mind include:

Answer 4

• The size of the population (if the population is below critical level there is unlikely to be enough genetic variation in the population to enable it to survive).
• The number of suitable habitats that are available for the organism to live in.
• How much competition there is from other species.

Question 5

Why have whales been hunted for so long?

Answer 5

Whales have been hunted for hundreds of years for their body parts, which are used in many products. Live whales are also important to the tourist trade.

Question 6

Use of spermaceti.

Answer 6

Used in high-grade machine oil.

Question 7

Use of Sinews.

Answer 7

Used in tennis rackets.

Question 8

Use of Skin.

Answer 8

Used in belts, shoes, handbags and luggage.

Question 9

Use of Teeth.

Answer 9

Used in buttons, piano keys and jewellery.

Question 10

Use of Ambergris.

Answer 10

From the intestines, used in perfume.

Question 11

Use of Liver.

Answer 11

Used in oil.

Question 12

Use of Bone

Answer 12

Used in fetilisers and animal feeds.

Question 13

Use of whalemeat.

Answer 13

Used in pet food and human food.

Question 14

Use of Whale oil.

Answer 14

Sperm whale oil taken from bone and skin used in high-grade alcohol, shoe cream, lipstick, ointment, crayons, candles, fertilisers, soap and animal feed.

Question 15

Why are some whales kept?

Answer 15

Some whales are kept in captivity for research for captive breeding programmes or just for our entertainment. However, many people object when whales lose their freedom.

Question 16

What has been difficult to do?

Answer 16

It has been difficult to set up and police international agreement on whaling and some countries want to lift the ban on whaling.

Question 17

Why do scientists want to kill whales?

Answer 17

Scientists believe there is a need to kill some whales to help find out more about how whales can survive at extreme depths. However, they could study the whales without killing them. Migratian patterns and whale communications can only be investigated if the animals is alive.

Question 18

What is sustainable development?

Answer 18

Sustainable development means taking enough resources from the environment for current needs, while leaving enough for the future and preventing permanent damage.

Question 19

Examples of Sustainable development.

Answer 19

• Fishing quotas are set, so that there are enough fish left to breed.
• Woods are replanted to keep up the supply of trees.

Question 20

As the world population increases it is crucial to carry out sustainable development because:

Answer 20

• Fossil fuels will run out. As there is an increase in deman for energy, we must find alternative fuels, such as wood.
• We need to supply increasing amounts of food for growing populations without destroying large areas of natural habitats.
• Large amounts of waste products must be disposed of so as to prevent or minimise pollution.
• If all of this is achieved it should help to save endangered species.