Extension activities

Things for students to think about and/or discuss

1. Ask the students to decide what their first reactions are to the reintroduction of the following species:

• wild boar
• wolves
• bears
• lynx
• short-haired bumblebee.

2. Ask them how their views about each would change if they knew, through scientific investigation, that the reintroduction would:

• improve agriculture
• increase biodiversity
• threaten a native species
• provide opportunities for sport
• control a native species
• provide tourism opportunities
• threaten the safety of humans or pets
• provide food for humans or other animals
• change the environment.

3. How do they think these things could be determined?        

4. Ask the students to find out which species are in danger of disappearing from the UK within the next 50 years. Would they rather see the reintroduction of a recently extinct species, or of one that has been gone from this country for centuries? Ask them to explain their reasoning.