(共11张PPT)
Unit 5 MACQUARIE ISLAND：
from Chaos to Conservation
Beauty of MACQUARIE ISLAND
Pacific Ocean
bare rock
green grass
contrast
dramatically
Nor would they fail to imagine how its native inhabitants including royal penguines, king penguines, and elephant seals existed in perfect harmony with their natural habitat for thousands of years.
No visitor would think it surprising that the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
MACQUARIE ISLAND
What happened to it
Tragic Story on the Island
Draw a mindmap to show:
what did they do and
what results were caused
unknowingly
to control
food
took over the island, eating birds’ eggs and attacking baby birds
developed an appetite for birds
multiplied quickly and began eating the native vegetation and digging holes
exploding
1810
1891
Intervention of humans
Actions
Results
1 in 1970s
2
3
an official nature reserve
a virus was released
onto the island
traps and dogs were
used in the 1980s
remained out of control
decreased from 130,000 to 10,000
turned attention back to birds, killing up to 60,000 each year
the last cat was caught
developed an immunity to the virus and exploded again
started to increase
BUT
BUT
Think & Share:
Why did the conservation end up as a failure
This incident made it clear that the rat, mouse and rabbit problem needed solving
once and for all.
Postscript:
In 2014, Macquarie Island was declared pest-free and the Island’s ecology is finally on the road to recovery.
In 2016, the permanent scientific research station was closed down.
Work in groups of four. As experts involved in the Conservation Programme, please discuss how to maintain the perfect and natural condition of Macquarie Island
Suggestion Time
a delicate world
Further Thinking:
How to protect our world in our daily life
Assignment:
1. Post your suggestions about protecting Macquarie Island on http://whc.unesco.org/macquarie island
2. Search for more information about Macquarie Island.
