2. Endangered: danger of loss or injury Environment: total surroundings Protected: shielded from harm or injury

3. Many people live in Florida. Many animals live here, too. People sometimes cause changes in the environment. Some changes help the animals. Other changes are problems for them.

5. The Florida panther lives only in Florida. This panther is endangered. There are only about 60 Florida panthers left in the wild. Panthers need a lot of space to hunt and raise their young.

6. But more and more people are moving into the habitat of the panthers. This means there are fewer places for panthers to live in Florida.

7. Now people are trying to help the panthers. They have set aside places where the panthers’ habitat is protected. They built fences and crossings on busy roads. These help to protect panthers.

8. Wildlife crossings help to protect panthers from being hit by cars and trucks.

10. MANATEES Florida manatees, or sea cows, live in warm water where sea grass grows, but they breathe air. These “gentle giants,” which are related to elephants, have wrinkled gray-brown skin. They use their lips the way elephants use their trunks.

12. But manatees have lost much of their habitat. They are endangered. This is because people have moved to where the manatees live. The animals get tangled in fishing nets. Sometimes boats hit the manatees.

13. Now Florida has laws to protect these animals. Some people rescue injured manatees. Some people teach others how to protect these animals.

14. People can help Florida manatee.

16. Florida is home to the American alligator, a large reptile related to the crocodile. Alligators live in marshes, swamps, and other wetlands. But the way people use water can change these wetlands.

18. This causes problems for alligators. To help, people in Florida are learning to share their environment with alligators.