by Jodie Velarde, Schools Programme Assistant 

(photo taken by Jodie)

Wildlife is all around us. Across the globe, scientists have identified 8.7 million species of animals and almost 400,000 plant species too.

We may not always notice the wildlife around us, especially in big cities like London, but wildlife is what keeps humans alive. From pollinators, like birds and insects, spreading seeds around to help us grow food, to trees absorbing harmful gasses in the air.  

Unfortunately, much wildlife is suffering in the great biodiversity crisis we are facing now. Species are going extinct faster than ever before, and populations are continuing to decline. This is due to lots of reasons with climate change, habitat destruction and overexploitation being just a few.

As the climate is warming at an alarming rate, sea levels are rising, ice is melting, the timings of seasons are changing, and ultimately, species are dying. 

What’s good though, is that people are starting to listen. There are hundreds of  informative documentaries online - such as Our Planet and My Octopus Teacher - which allow humans to see the extent of the beauty and value of nature, from their own living rooms.

However, this is not enough – we must act. 

Luckily, if we act now, we can have the chance to recover the populations of many much-loved wildlife species, for generations in the future.

Nature is astonishingly adaptable. If humans put the right steps in place to protect animals and their habitats, we will overcome this biodiversity crisis.  

On Transform Our World, we have lots of educational and engaging resources for educators to use to support learning about the current biodiversity crisis.

If you’re passionate about animal protection, take a look at our resources on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, protecting the Local Habitats of Animals and taking action on overall Nature Protection.  

If you are outraged by deforestation and the devastating effects of it, understand more about Tree Power, as well as the global issues surrounding Giki Palm Oil. 

If you are inspired by life underwater, try having a think about how you can project our Coral Reefs in the face of climate change, reduce Plastic Pollution and how we can Protect The Oceans as a whole.  

Explore Transform Our World to view our full range of resources on climate change and biodiversity.