By: Kaylyn
Challenges of an Animal in Channel Islands
All the animals from Brown Bear to Black Sea Bass live a life in Channel Islands. It can be a very hard and dangerous life there too. In this article I am going to show you the life of different animals in Channel Islands and see how hard us humans are making it.
Brown Bears
Brown Bears are huge. They like to live in forests by a river that has salmon so they can get their food. Brown Bears love berries and nuts. They prefer colder and damper forests, because their fur is so thick. The population of Brown Bears in Channel Islands is very low, because back then you could shoot bears whenever you wanted. But now it is illegal to hunt them without a permit.
Island Foxes
Island Foxes are a lot like Red Foxes, but Island Foxes have a brownish color fur not orange. Island Foxes mainly live in Santa Cruz. They make their den’s out of what they can find. Island Foxes put their den’s in long grass so they can hunt their prey. The animals they eat the most are small birds, bunnies, and squirrels.
Deer
Deer can live anywhere even Channel Islands. They prefer forests with lots of trees because it is easy to hide from predators. That includes humans. Deer eat grass and other plants. Deer are killed in Channel Islands for their red meat and fur.
Black Sea Bass
Black Sea Bass are huge fish. They can grow up to 10,000 lbs. Black Sea Bass eat small fish and Fungi. They live in warmer oceans, like the Pacific Ocean. Black Sea Bass are becoming lowly populated because of humans throwing garbage and oil into the Pacific Ocean.
Sea Lions
You see a lot of sea lions on the beach sun bathing, in the spring. But also they are breeding. Sea Lions eat small fish and Mussels. Sea Lions breeding process is slowing down because of humans holding sea lions in captivity.
Hunting in Channel Islands
Humans are killing animals by hunting with traps, fishing, and shooting them. When people kill animals it causes them to die, and when they die it causes extinction. When that happens we can’t see them anymore.
Dangers to Watch For
Some things that are destroying animals’habitats are climate change, oil spills, forest fires, and factories. When smoke from factories goes into the air it causes more heat. Heat melts icebergs and adds extra water to the sea. Extra sea water erodes ground faster, which destroys habitats. When forest fires happen it burns animals’ habitats, which makes it easier for predators to find them. Oil spills kill animals because oil heat it.as toxin that animals can’t breathe. Garbage can also kill animals by choking them.
Now that yiou have seen how hard it is to live as an animal in Channel Islands. Now stop destroying habitats and help.