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FYS BIO04: Wildlife Trafficking (Gunther) : 1: Research Paper

Research Paper

First: Identify the most widely trafficked animals

Class will compile a list: Will work in library to identify research bases for looking at wildlife trafficking and then use these sites to develop the list in class.

 

Second: Choose one animal to research. Each student will sign up for a different species

 

Information to look for and include in your research paper:

  • Common and scientific name.
  • Pictures or drawings of the animal (see 'Photos' box below)
  • Where is it native to? Describe its habitat in as much detail as possible. Include a range map (see 'Maps' box below)
  • History of trafficking – many years, recent, where is it being trafficked? (see 'History' box below)
  • Why is it being trafficked – whole animal or parts?
  • Can this animal or its parts be found locally or in the US – where?
  • What is the US legal status and the International status (what laws or treaties regulate trade)

Photos

Before you use any photographs in your research paper, presentation, brochure, or poster you need to always make sure that you are using an image that is allowed for reuse under U.S. Copyright law.  The easiest way to go about doing this is to use the built-in functionality of either Google Photos' Advanced search, or else search in Flickr and filter your results to only look at images that are allowed for reuse.  Both options are extremely simple to do - and below you'll find details on how to make either one of those two things happen!  

Google Advanced Image Search

At the very bottom of the Google Advanced Image Search page, you will see a category titled "usage rights".  Click on this drop down list, and choose "Creative Commons licenses", then type in what image you are looking for.  From the list of results, you should be okay to use any image that comes up as long as you follow the Creative Commons license requirements for it!  

image of advanced google image search screen

Flickr

Flickr is a huge photo-storage / photo-sharing website.  After you type in whatever image you are looking for in the initial search box, you will be taken to a page displaying your search results, and there - under the Any License drop down list, you will see an option called 'All creative commons' that you can choose which lets you limit your search results to only photos that have an associated Creative Commons license.  

 

image of the Flickr search screen showing where you can choose Creative Commons licensed pics

Maps

For this project, you will need to create both a range map of your trafficked animal.  This is easiest done via Google Maps, and below you'll find information on how to create your own custom map!

Map Creation Via Google Maps

 

You can create your own map using Google maps!  It is a fairly easy and straightforward process to do so....

Create A New Map:

  1. On your computer, sign in to My Maps.
  2. Click Create a new map.
  3. Go to the top left and click "Untitled map."
  4. Give your map a name and description.

 

You can add important places by searching for locations or drawing them directly on your new map.

Add places to your map:

  1. On your computer, sign in to My Maps.
  2. Open or create a map. A map can have up to 10,000 lines, shapes, or places.
  3. Click Add marker Add marker.
  4. Select a layer and click where to put the place. A layer can have 2,000 lines, shapes, or places.
  5. Give your place a name.
  6. Click Save.

Search for places:

You can add restaurants, hotels, museums, and other public places to your map.

  1. On your computer, sign in to My Maps.
  2. Open or create a map.
  3. In the search bar, type the name or address of a place.
  4. Click one of the results on the map.
  5. If the result is what you want, click Add to map.

Edit a place:

  1. On your computer, sign in to My Maps.
  2. Open or create a map.
  3. Click an existing place on the map. In the bottom right of the box that appears, use the icons to make changes.
    • Remove a photo: Click Edit Edit. Then go to the photo and click Remove Remove.
    • Move place: Drag the feature on the map.

History

For this assignment you need to find a good amount of information about your chosen trafficked animal, including information on its habitat, history of it being trafficked, where the animal can be found, what status the animal currently holds (both in the US and internationally), and what laws or treaties currently regulate trade of your chosen animal.  The links below which include academic search engines to help you find journal articles, information about the 8-volume set of 'Handbook of the Mammals of the World' which we have in print in the library, and several external websites that were recommended by Professor Gunther, should help you to find all of this information via sites that are both reputable and accurate.