What is an Endemic Species?
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Provided by: Mongabay Kids|Published on: October 31, 2025
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This resource from Mongabay Kids features a 2-minute video about endemic species, key points from the video, and a suggested activity for students to explore endemic species in their location.
- Students will learn that certain countries in the world have many endemic species, endemic species are vulnerable to environmental changes, and some may be threatened with extinction.
Subjects: Biology
Authors: Mongabay Kids
Region: South and Central America, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students will love seeing the images of animals throughout the video.
- The suggested activity does a great job of helping students see global problems in a local context.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to define the terms biodiversity and extinction prior to the video.
Differentiation & Implementation
- After reading and watching, students can select one endemic species to research, determining possible threats, where they live, and how they are important to the ecosystem.
- Teachers can emphasize how climate change may impact endemic species, whose only home may be changing due to changes in precipitation, temperatures, or phenology.
- Teachers can also make connections between climate change and the prevalence of invasive species like those that put the Patagonia frog at risk.
- This resource can also be used in a lesson focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, or Goal 15, Life on Land.
This resource describes what endemic species are and how they are a measure of the health of their environment. Endemic species are vulnerable and often become endangered due to human activities and climate change. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Mongabay Kids
Mongabay Kids is the dedicated youth education initiative at Mongabay, an award-winning nonprofit environmental and conservation news organization. We provide free, age-appropriate news, features, activities, and multimedia resources that inspire curiosity, ecological understanding, and action. Designed for children ages 8-14, families, and educators, Mongabay Kids empowers the next generation to explore, celebrate, and protect the natural world.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
