Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Giant rat border agents could help put a stop to wildlife poaching’ 

A rat wearing a red vest holds a small brown ball.

This giant African pouched rat is being trained to signal for illegally smuggled wildlife products. It pulls on a small ball on its collar to alert its handler.

APOPO

By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Giant rat border agents could help put a stop to wildlife poaching’  

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. What does it mean to train an animal? Give one example of an animal that is trained to do work for people. Explain why you think the animal is trained to do this type of work.
  2. When in public, large animals trained to aid people often wear some identifying jacket or evidence that they’re not just a pet. Why do you think this might be helpful?

During Reading:

  1. Give two examples of illegally smuggled goods that these trained rats can detect.
  2. What does Isabelle Szott mean when she says wildlife smugglers disrupt biodiversity?
  3. Besides rats, what other animal do we use to sniff out smuggled items?
  4. In addition to learning to catch wildlife smugglers, what is another way trained rats have helped people?
  5. Consider the approach to training used in this study. Explain how the study uses positive reinforcement to train its rats.
  6. Consider the experimental design used by the researchers, then explain the purpose behind the box with 10 compartments.
  7. Once a rat makes an accurate selection, do you believe the rat’s training is complete? Why or why not?

After Reading:

  1. Pick one of the poached species mentioned in this story. Do an internet search to learn about this animal’s habitat and ecosystem, focusing on this animal’s role. Describe two specific contributions of this animal to its ecosystem.
  2. How does poaching rare species or those endangered with extinction impact an ecosystem? What happens to the ecosystem’s biodiversity? Why would that matter?