EARTH DAY

To celebrate Earth Day, the students of IES Villalba Hervás did a series of activities related to the environment and its preservation.

First, some groups created power-point presentations about the different animals in danger of extinctions both in the Canary Islands and in Spain.

Endangered species in The Canary Islands

Endangered species

• Giant Canary Lizard • Alimoche• Canarian Houbara• Blue Chaffinch

Blue Chaffinch

Blue chaffinch is an endemic Canarian species. It is also considered along with The Drago, a symbol of the island of Tenerife.

Giant Canary LizardGiant Canary Lizards are endangered although their population is increasing or remains stable in all the islands except in La Palma

Alimoche

This is the smallest European vulture (about 150 centimeters)

Canarian HoubaraThe Houbara, with its 1,70 centimetres wingspan, is the largest bird that nests in the Canaries.

Endangered species in Spain

National Endagered Species

Iberian LynxLocation:

Andalucia, Montes of Toledo and Portugal.

Imperial Eagle

Location:

Centre of the Iberian Peninsula.

There are only 300 couples.

Grizzly Bear

Location:

The forest of the Iberian Peninsula.

There are only 80 bears in Spain.

Another power-point presentation dealt with the negative influence of humans in different natural habitats

human BEINGS as a problem for animals

Light pollution

• Seabirds: The light emitted from gas flares of oil rigs attract birds that spin in circles around the flame to death.

migrations of birds: Many birds migrate at night and die DUE TO collisions between themSELVES, AGAINST objects or buildings. THEY Become disoriented because many birds are

guided by the light emitted by stars.

• Turtles

After laying eggs on the beaches, many of them take the wrong path, attracted by the lights of the cities and there die trampled

insects With insects occurs what is called "flight to light", this can produce three different effects: 1.-Captivity: When the insect collides directly with the light source or revolves around it to death . 2. - Vacuum Effect: Insects attracted leave their habitat lighting . 3. - Barrier effect: Artificial light does not allow long distance movements of insects.

• songbirds:

Birds sing late into thenight, disoriented by the high light pollution.

• Humans:

• the light change our circadian rhythm, we also need darkness, as it can affect our quality of life, our relationships and our eating habits...

Deforestation

• About half of the world original forests had been destroyed by 2011

• The principal areas affected are: South America(Amazonas) and Southern Asia

Some students worked in the school gardens planting both vegetables and flowers. Besides, some dragon trees were planted in the school gardens as well.

School vegetable garden

Planting dragon trees

With these activities we would like to show our concern for the environment. We believe that these actions can act as a symbol of the necessity to both preserve and look after our planet.