Science Diet Project: Protecting Vulnerable Wildlife for the Future

Project Overview and Team Introduction

• Project Name: Protecting Vulnerable Wildlife for the Future.

• Course/Context: Science Diet Project.

• Team Members:

  • Ralo

  • Danse

  • Yutaro

  • Sikhi

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• The project is centered around the implementation and support of two specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

  • $SDG\,14$: Life Below Water: Focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources.

  • $SDG\,15$: Life on Land: Focusing on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.

• Core Philosophy: Life on land and below water are identified as essential goals for preserving current wildlife. This wildlife is described as the product of "countless miracle evolution." The team emphasizes that once a species becomes extinct, it is gone forever, necessitating proactive intervention.

Habitats and Vulnerable Species Overview

The team identifies four specific habitats and the vulnerable or endangered species residing within them that their inventions target:

• Bamboo Forest: Habitat for Giant Pandas.

• Spruce Forest: Habitat for Reindeer.

• The Arctic: Habitat for Polar Bears.

• Wetlands: Habitat for Axolotls.

Giant Pandas (Bamboo Forest)

• Conservation Status: Classified as vulnerable.

• Current Trend: There has been observed population growth, yet the species remains at risk.

• Primary Threats:

  • Habitat Loss: Encroachment and destruction of the bamboo forests.

  • Climate Change: A significant long-term threat to their specific ecological niche.

Reindeer (Spruce Forest)

• Conservation Status: Classified as vulnerable.

• Primary Threats:

  • Climate Change: Leads to the formation of "ice thrush" (ice crusts) which prevents Reindeer from accessing their primary food source.

  • Poachers: Illegal hunting activities threaten population stability.

  • Starvation: Occurs specifically during winter months when food accessibility is low.

• Proposed Interventions:

  • Monitoring and Defense: Implementation of camera speakers designed to fend off threats (predators or poachers).

  • Supplemental Feeding: Actively placing down lichen at their food sources during winter periods to ensure survival and prevent starvation.

Polar Bears (The Arctic)

• Conservation Status: Classified as vulnerable.

• Population Statistics: The current population estimate is approximately $26,000$.

• Primary Threats:

  • Global Warming: Specifically causes a reduction in the sea ice that is sustainable and necessary for Polar Bear survival.

  • Survival Constraints: Mention of a critical window of $30\,\text{days}$ of survival related to their environment.

• Proposed Interventions:

  • Drone Surveillance: Using drones to detect Polar Bears that are in danger.

  • Rescue Operations: Utilizing information from drones to conduct directed rescue missions.

Axolotls (Wetlands)

• Conservation Status: Classified as endangered (more critical than vulnerable).

• Primary Threats:

  • Water Pollution: Contamination of their wetland habitats.

  • pH Fluctuations: Axolotls are described as extremely sensitive to changes in pH values.

• Proposed Interventions:

  • Water Filtration Systems: Deploying specialized filtration systems to manage and maintain the water quality necessary for their survival.