Ali Preston

Mrs. Johnson
Zoology
November 18, 2011
Captive-Breeding Program
For this project I looked at the benefits of captive-breeding programs for
Bald Eagles and the Florida Alligator. Both of these animals were on the
endangered species list, but because of their breeding programs they have been
able to bring their population numbers back up. Because of these programs, not
only did the population increase, but they increased enough to have the two

Ali Preston 12/8/2015 11:41 AM

Comment [1]: I think that this whole
paper aligns with the critical thinking aspect
of the Framework. We are asked to take a
deep look and really think about the impact
of people on these different species

species be taken off of the endanger species list.

Alligators where threatened due to over fishing and people destroying their
habitat. Alligators live in warm tropical climates. Alligators where hunted for their
meat and skin. People used the skin to make expensive bags, shoes, and
purses. In 1967 the American Alligator was put on the endangered species list

Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:11 PM

Comment [2]: Spelling error. Should have
had my mom proofread it for me.
Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:12 PM
Comment [3]: Really short simple
sentence. It reads sort of awkwardly to keep
starting the sentence with alligators. I
would definitely change that if I had to
rewrite this paper.

and 20 years later it was then taken off. When it was first put on the list people
thought that the alligator had no hope of ever recovering and regaining numbers
like it use to have. Today the alligator is no longer endangered. There are now
strict laws in place to keep people from hunting and trapping these alligators. An
example of where the alligator population is really flourishing is in the Florida
Everglades. Here the alligators have been able to thrive mostly free from human
interference.
Another animal that was once endangered is our national icon, the Bald
Eagle. Eagles live in almost any habitat where they can nest in high trees or cliff,

Ali Preston 12/8/2015 11:42 AM

Comment [4]: A little redundant. I would
probably take this sentence out now. This
probably could have benefitted from a good
peer review session.

and be able to hunt easily for food. Eagles became endangered because of
pesticides as well as loss of habitat. The pesticide that was causing the biggest
problems for Bald Eagles was DDT. DDT caused the eagles' egg shells to
become thinner and break more easily. When the mother would go to her nest to
keep her eggs warm she would end up crushing them because the shells
became so weak due to the DDT. To help save to Bald Eagle the were put on the
endangered species list for most states and listed as threatened in others. Also a

Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:14 PM

Comment [5]: More spelling errors

law was passed banning the use of DDT as a pesticide. Many zoos developed
breeding programs for Bald Eagles. In 1995 the eagle population was finally
restored enough for it to be taken off of the endangered species list.
To help reestablish the alligator population alligator farms were set up.
These farms were helpful because instead of having to hunt the alligators in the
wild and depleting the natural population alligators where farmed for the specific

Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:15 PM

Comment [6]: I probably should have put
this paragraph up with the rest of the
alligator information. It seems like it just
sort of drops in out of nowhere.

purpose of being used for meat, purses, and shoes. By outlawing the hunting of
alligators it enabled them to increase their population.
The Bald Eagle was placed in captive-breeding programs in many zoos
throughout the country. Eagles mate for life, so zoos would use a mated pair for
reproduction. After the egg hatched the chick could be reintroduced into the wild.
Bald eagle chick reintroduction has an 80 percent success rate. By zoos
instituting these programs and DDT being made illegal the eagle population was
able to bounce back out of endangerment.
I think that both of these programs have been very successful in helping

Ali Preston 12/8/2015 11:50 AM

Comment [7]: I feel like this paper also
fosters a sense of curiosity, which the
Framework talks about. By having us write
this paper we became more aware of what
was going on in these animals habitats. It
made me want to learn more about what
was going on and talk to people about it.

the populations of these animal. Both of these animals were on the brink of
extinction. However, because of laws that were passed and efforts made by zoos
to help institute breeding programs these animals were removed from the
endangered species list and been able to continue increasing their population.
Alligators are natural predators for pretty much anything. Without these
animals the food chain would be completely thrown off in their environments. If

Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:21 PM

Comment [8]: I dont like this sentence
for some reason. I would rework it to make
it work better. I also missed the word have
so I think thats what makes me not like it.

the alligators could no longer hunt there would be a population boom of certain
animals and eventually they would run out of food because there would be too
many of them to feed and they would eat everything too quickly. Bald Eagles also
help to control animal populations. Eagles manly eat rodents and other small
animals. If they were unable to hunt the balance of these animals would be
thrown off as well.
Every animal is very important to its given environment. Without these
animals their ecosystems would be thrown off. Animals need to be protected and
given the chance to have their populations thrive. Captive-breeding programs
and species survival plans are very important for animals who have had their
existence be threatened and their habitat be ruined.

*If I rewrote this paper now, I would probably redo the whole thing. I made a
lot of hasty errors that definitely could have been avoided if I had paid
more attention to what I was doing. Overall, this definitely is not the worst
paper I have ever written. I also think that my sentence structure would be
a little different, as well as the organization of the paper. I definitely think
that this paper could have benefitted from a good peer review. I also dont
remember getting any feedback on this paper beside a grade, which Nancy
Sommers would not like.

Ali Preston 11/29/2015 3:23 PM

Comment [9]: Not sure why I put the two
be in there. It seems unnecessary to me.

Works Cited
"Great Gators." National Wildlife Foundation. National Wildlife Foundation, n.d.
Web 17 Nov 2011. <http://www.nwf.org/kids/rangerrick/animals/amphibians-and-reptiles/great-gators.asp>

"Philadelphia Zoo-Norther Bald Eagle." Philadelphia Zoo. Philadelphia Zoo, n.d.

Web. 16 Nov 2011. <http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/zoo/meet-ouranimals/birds/birds-of-prey/bald-eagle.htm>