The largest project to get rid of animals the world has ever seen is about to start. It's happening on the small island of South Georgia, in the Atlantic ocean, and the aim is to wipe out millions of rats.
The
rodents first arrived in South Georgia over 200 years ago, on sealing
and whaling ships. They've become a big pest and are pushing some of
the island's bird species to the brink of extinction.
A
test to spread poison pellets across part of the island in 2011 seems
to have been successful. The team will now spend months targeting
other areas with the poison pellets. The team have to use helicopters
to spread the pellets because there's so much ground to cover.
Wiping
out rats has been tried on other islands around the world, including
off New Zealand and Australia - but nothing on the scale that's being
tried out in South Georgia.
Rare
birds
The
island is home to many species of bird, some of which are found
nowhere else in the world, like the South Georgia pipit and the South
Georgia pintail.
The
increase in rats has been a disaster for the birds as the rodents
feed on chicks and eggs.
The
hope is that getting rid of the rats will mean 100 million pairs of
seabirds will come back to the island once more.
Match
the words below to their definitions
brink
/ disaster / pellets / project / rodents / species
carefully
planned piece of work that has a particular purpose
animals
with long, sharp teeth, such as mice or rabbits
at
the edge of something bad
small,
hard balls of metal, food or other material
something
that causes a lot of harm or damage
groups
of plants or animals which share similar characteristics, such as
dogs or cats
True
or false?
1.
The rats are a menace to the local bird population.
2.
The team is trying to catch the rats and send them to Australia.
3.
Some of the bird species on South Georgia are unique.
4.
The team is shooting rats from helicopters.
5.
Rats are native to South Georgia.
6.
It is hoped the rats will return to the island.
7.
Rats eat eggs and chicks.
8.
No one has tried poison so far on South Georgia.
What's
the missing word?
1.
The team will now spend months_________________other areas.
2.
The team have to use_____________to spread the pellets.
3.
The______________in rats has been a disaster for the birds.
4.
It's_______________on the small island of South Georgia.
KEY
project
carefully planned piece of work that has a particular purpose
rodents
animals with long, sharp teeth, such as mice or rabbits
brink
at the edge of something bad
pellets
small, hard balls of metal, food or other material
disaster
something that causes a lot of harm or damage
species
groups of plants or animals which share similar characteristics,
such as dogs or cats
True
or false?
1.
True
2.
False
3.
True
4.
False
5.
False
6.
False
7.
True
8.
True
What's
the missing word?
1.
targeting
2.
helicopters
3.
increase
4.
happening
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