Fauna of the Andes

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/fauna-of-the-andes

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the geographic extent?Spans approximately 7,000 kilometers along western South America
2. What is the amphibian endemism rate?Approximately 66% of nearly 1,000 species are endemic
3. What kinds of animals live in the Andes Mountains?Many animals, like frogs, birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish, live in the Andes. They are special because many are found only there.
4. Why are so many animals in the Andes only found there?The Andes have many different climates and places, so animals evolve separately and become unique to the region.

Biodiversity Hotspot: A region with exceptionally high levels of endemic species and significant threat of habitat loss.
Speciation: The evolutionary process by which new biological species arise.
Ecological Niche: The role and position a species has in its environment, including how it meets its needs for food and shelter.