Nature & Animals

20 words

1. 1

   overfishingnoun / gerund/ˌəʊvəˈfɪʃɪŋ/

   Removing fish from a body of water at a rate that the population cannot sustain.

   “Overfishing has reduced tuna stocks in the region.”

2. 2

   endangered speciesnoun phrase/ɪnˈdeɪndʒəd ˈspiːʃiːz/

   animals or plants that are at serious risk of disappearing from the wild

   “Many conservation projects focus on protecting endangered species.”

3. 3

   habitat destructionnoun phrase/ˈhæbɪtæt dɪˈstrʌkʃ(ə)n/

   The damaging or destroying of the natural living area of animals or plants.

   “Rapid urban growth often leads to habitat destruction for many species.”

4. 4

   protected areanoun phrase/prəˈtɛktɪd ˈeəriə/

   A place legally or officially set aside to protect natural resources and wildlife.

   “The reef was declared a protected area last year to limit fishing.”

5. 5

   natural habitatnoun phrase/ˈnætʃrəl ˈhæbɪtæt/

   the environment where a plant or animal normally lives

   “Deforestation destroys the natural habitat of many species.”

6. 6

   human-wildlife conflictnoun phrase/ˌhjuːmən ˈwaɪldlaɪf ˈkɒnflɪkt/

   Situations where people and wild animals negatively affect each other, such as crop damage or attacks on livestock.

   “Crop losses caused by elephants are a common example of human-wildlife conflict.”

7. 7

   marine ecosystemnoun phrase/məˈriːn ˈiːkəˌsɪstəm/

   A community of organisms and their environment in the sea.

   “Coral reefs are crucial parts of many marine ecosystems.”

8. 8

   animal welfarenoun phrase/ˈænɪməl ˈwɛlfeə/

   The health, comfort and well-being of animals.

   “Many NGOs campaign for better animal welfare in farms.”

9. 9

   wildlife conservationnoun phrase/ˈwaɪldlaɪf ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/

   activities and policies intended to protect wild animals and their environments

   “Wildlife conservation requires international cooperation.”

10. 10

    food chainnoun phrase/ˈfuːd ˌtʃeɪn/

    the sequence of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food

    “If a top predator disappears, the whole food chain can be disrupted.”

11. 11

    wildlife poachingcollocation/ˈwaɪldlaɪf ˈpəʊtʃɪŋ/

    the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals

    “Wildlife poaching has driven several species to the brink of extinction.”

12. 12

    illegal loggingcollocation/ɪˈliːɡəl ˈlɒɡɪŋ/

    the cutting down of trees illegally, often to obtain timber for sale

    “Many rural communities suffer when illegal logging destroys their forests.”

13. 13

    migratory birdsnoun phrase/maɪˈɡreɪtəri ˈbɜːdz/

    birds that travel regularly between breeding and wintering areas

    “Wetlands are important stopovers for migratory birds.”

14. 14

    biodiversity lossnoun phrase/ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsəti lɒs/

    the decline in the number and variety of species in a given area or on Earth

    “Climate change and habitat destruction accelerate biodiversity loss worldwide.”

15. 15

    renewable energynoun phrase/rɪˈnjuːəbl ˈɛnədʒi/

    Energy generated from natural sources that are replenished, such as wind, solar or hydro

    “Investing in renewable energy reduces dependence on fossil fuels.”

16. 16

    air pollutionnoun phrase/eə pəˈluːʃən/

    Contamination of the air by harmful substances such as smoke, dust and gases

    “Traffic congestion is a major source of air pollution in big cities.”

17. 17

    climate changenoun phrase/ˈklaɪmət ˈtʃeɪndʒ/

    Long-term changes in temperature, precipitation and weather patterns across the world

    “Many coastal communities are already feeling the effects of climate change.”

18. 18

    water pollutionnoun phrase/ˈwɔːtə pəˈluːʃən/

    Contamination of lakes, rivers, oceans or groundwater by harmful substances

    “Improper disposal of industrial waste leads to serious water pollution.”

19. 19

    global warmingnoun phrase/ˈɡləʊbəl ˈwɔːmɪŋ/

    A long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature

    “Scientists warn that global warming will increase the frequency of heatwaves.”

20. 20

    plastic pollutionnoun phrase/ˈplæstɪk pəˈluːʃən/

    The accumulation of plastic waste in the environment causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems

    “Beaches littered with bottles are a visible sign of plastic pollution.”