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Biodiversity

Biodiversity is a big word with a lot of syllables.

It’s all about nature and describes the variety of life on Earth. It includes all species of plants and animals, in fact everything that is alive on our planet.

Bio means life and diversity means variety. In other words, a variety of life!

�ճ�����’s so much variety out there in the world. Labradors, Alsatians and Jack Russells are all dogs - but they all look different. This is because their genes are different.

Scientists like to categorize living things into different species. For example, cashew nuts and humpback whales are different species.

There are also different ecosystems. An ecosystem is an area where plants and animals interact and depend on each other. Coral reefs and forests are good examples of ecosystems.

Biodiversity is important for humans

As our environment changes it affects the places that different animals, birds and insects live. This makes it difficult for them to survive.

Biodiversity is really important. We must keep as many species as possible alive because they all have different parts to play in keeping us and our world healthy.

As humans we get a lot of benefits from different species and ecosystems. They provide our food, make oxygen, clean our water, control disease, give us medicine and recycle dead things.

We are very dependent on biodiversity. We couldn’t live without it!

Here in Northern Ireland, we need to make sure our wildlife is well looked after.

What wildlife do we have in Ireland?

Although we used to have wolves and bears on this island, there are none left now. But we still have foxes, badgers, bats, otters and cute little fellows like the red squirrel.

Sadly, the red squirrel is in danger of disappearing in Ireland altogether. This is bad news as we rely on the red squirrel to keep our woodlands healthy. They bury nuts and seeds, which grow into trees that provide shelter for other animals and birds.

It’s not just squirrels that need saving, all sorts of animals and birds are under threat. These include curlews, badgers, hedgehogs and barn owls.

You don’t usually see barn owls because they come out at night. They are beautiful big birds. They used to be called the farmers’ friend because they caught rats and mice. We need to help them find more places to nest and hunt.

What can I do to help species recover?

It’s important to do simple things to help biodiversity. You could learn how to attract bees and butterflies to your garden, or how to create good places for hedgehogs to live.

You can also help keep track of the different species that live in your garden. Every January, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) asks people to take part in the world’s biggest bird survey. A survey is the collection of information that can be used to better understand something.

For the Big Garden Birdwatch, thousands of people count the birds they see in their garden and send their results to the RSPB. This helps experts spot any problems bird species may have.

Every little thing you do helps. The more you, your friends and family get involved, the better chance we have of keeping all our animals safe and making the world a happier and healthier place.