Ecotourism a danger to wildlife

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Ecotourism is booming and tour operators say this helps nature. Every year, millions of people visit natural areas to look at animals in the wild. However, a new report says this ecotourism damages nature more than it helps it. Researchers believe tourists stop animals behaving naturally in their natural habitat. Recently in Costa Rica, turtles had problems laying their eggs because of the many tourists who were on the beach to watch them.

The report says that ecotourism is making animals bolder. Animals who often see humans will become tamer. They become less cautious about other animals. This puts them at risk of being attacked by their natural predators, so more of them will be killed. The report also said it was essential to understand more about how different species respond to humans, and how this might put them at risk.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/17403/20151011/eco-tourism-unexpected-threat-nature.htm
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/ecotourism-harms-wildlife-because-it-domesticates-animals-says-research-a6688396.html
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/10/ecotourism-now-endangering-wildlife-8-billion-peop/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	Ecotourism is	a.	than it helps it
2.	tour	b.	of people
3.	millions	c.	their eggs
4.	visit natural	d.	naturally
5.	ecotourism damages nature more	e.	booming
6.	tourists stop animals behaving	f.	areas
7.	natural	g.	operators
8.	turtles had problems laying	h.	habitat

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	ecotourism is making	a.	cautious
2.	Animals who often see humans will	b.	risk
3.	They become less	c.	more
4.	This puts them at risk	d.	animals bolder
5.	natural	e.	to humans
6.	it was essential to understand	f.	become tamer
7.	how different species respond	g.	predators
8.	this might put them at	h.	of being attacked

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Ecotourism (1) ___________________ and tour operators say this helps nature. Every year, millions of people visit (2) ___________________ to look at animals in the wild. However, a new (3) ___________________ ecotourism damages nature (4) __________________ helps it. Researchers believe tourists stop animals behaving naturally in their natural habitat. Recently in Costa Rica, turtles had problems (5) ___________________ because of the many tourists (6) ___________________ beach to watch them.

The report says that ecotourism (7) ___________________ bolder. Animals who often see humans will become tamer. They become (8) ___________________ about other animals. This puts (9) ___________________ of being attacked by their (10) ___________________, so more of them will be killed. The report also said it was essential to understand (11) ___________________ different species respond to humans, and how this might (12) __________________.

ECOTOURISM SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about ecotourism in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about ecotourism for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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