We have never seen a dodo. The last of these large birds that couldn’t fly died many years ago. Now it is extinct. A lot more endangered species – fish, reptiles, insects, birds and mammals may disappear. The reason is man who kills animals and destroys their habitats.

It is not just animals that are in danger. So are plants. Every day we use paper and cardboard. We use different kinds of wood in furniture and in other ways. Every year over 100000 sq.km. of forests on Earth can be destroyed. This includes rainforests in South America, Africa and Asia. The huge forests help to control the world’s weather and to produce much of the oxygen in the air. There are many illnesses which we still can not cure. It may be that the medicines we need will be discovered in wild plants, in savannas, in deserts or in rainforests.

If we won’t our lives to be healthy and interesting, a lot of other creatures and plants need growing space too.