Where did all the mammals go?

Description

Students learn the story of the introduction of rabbits and foxes and the devastating impact this had on the ecosystem.

VCE Biology (2016-2020)

Unit 1, Area of Study 2, Outcome 2, VCE Biology Study Design

VCE Key knowledge

Relationships between organisms within an ecosystem

• The distribution, density and size of a population of a particular species within an ecosystem and the impacts of factors including available resources, predation, competition, disease, chance environmental events, births, deaths and migration

Student learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students will:

• Explain how the introduction of rabbits and foxes, and the removal of the dingo, have been responsible for the extinction or near-extinction of almost all small mammal species in Australia
• Describe how Indigenous peoples actively managed the landscape

Duration

30 minutes (60 with extension)

Learning activities

Step 1
Video on indigenous management.

Step 2: rabbits
Watch film on introduction of rabbits.

Step 3: foxes (and cats)
Read article on fox (and cat) introduction.

Extension: cool burning
Students watch Landline “Fire Power” a film on indigenous land management and then discuss the question: How do European ideas of nature contrast with Aboriginal views of nature?