What can you do to help decrease habitat destruction?

• Help support protected areas such as national parks.

• Plant trees and other native plants on your property and other public lands.

• Construct new ponds (more habitat) which have fences to exclude cattle and other animals that can destroy natural habitats.

• Put up signs that warn people of certain animals that are trying to cross in the area

• Create undercrossing areas for animals to go underneath the road rather than crossing above and risk getting injured or killed by cars.

• Get outside and enjoy nature with your friends and family. Research has shown that children who are exposed to wild areas appreciate and value these areas as adults.

What to do to help promote sustainable hunting practices?

• Don’t buy products or eat meat made from animals that were taken out of the wild illegally or in an unsustainable manner

• When possible buy animals as pets that are bred in captivity to decrease pressure on wild populations. You might pay more for your new pet, but you will most likely get a healthier animal and save money on medical bills for your animal in the future.

• In areas where it is needed, promote the replacement of hunting with more sustainable ecotourism to ensure everyone has an incentive to protect it

• Promote the management of hunting of animals (such as alligators in some areas of the United States) that can be hunted sustainably.

  • If a species cannot be hunted sustainably it should not be hunted as the species will only provide economic gain for a select few followed by the extinction of that animal and the loss of economic benefit to future generations.

What to do to help control the spread of exotic species?

• Never let your pets go. Big reptiles such as large snakes, and crocodilians cannot survive in cooler regions such as Washington State, but other animals that are accustomed to the cold can survive.

• Avoid letting pets such as cats go outside unsupervised.

• Do what you can to promote the survival of native species near your home and in other areas throughout the world.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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