Have you ever heard of a rattlesnake? It is a poisonous (有毒的) American snake. When it is angry or afraid, it makes a noise like a rattle with its tail. It’s very scary. But Heather Ramirez and her husband, from California, the United States, make a living in an unusual way. They are self-employed (自雇的) snake catchers! They catch snakes, especially rattlesnakes which have gone indoors, and return them to the wild.

Heather describes her work as “protecting people from rattlesnakes--and protecting rattlesnakes from people!” In the area where they live, rattlesnakes often come face to face with people. They are found in stores, offices, houses and gardens. Heather explains that it’s not the snakes that are moving into places where people live, but it’s the other way round. The snakes lived in these places first and then the people built houses.

Most people who see a rattlesnake are feared. If you keep your distance, however, the snake won’t bite (咬) you. In twelve years as a snake catcher, Heather has never touched a snake. She doesn’t take the risk. She picks up the snake with a special tool. This doesn’t hurt them, but it keeps them at a safe distance so that they can’t bite her.

Heather and her husband are very busy because they are never off duty. Catching snakes is a full-time job and they don’t often have a day off. People can get to them at any time of the day or night. Not everyone can do this job, but Heather doesn’t want to do anything else. “I just love my job,” she says.

A new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London found Earth’s biodiversity is decreasing through years of data on thousands of wildlife populations across the world.

According to the data, animal populations across the world decreased by an average of 69% between 1970 and 2018.

Experts say the rapid loss of biodiversity is a serious and worrying sign of what’s to come for the natural world. “The message is clear and the lights are flashing red.” said WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini.

Many scientists believe that the main cause of biodiversity loss island-use changes driven by human activities such as the development of basic facilities, energy production and deforestation.

But the report suggests that climate change, which has had a wide impact on plant and animal species globally, could become the leading cause of biodiversity loss if rising temperatures aren’t limited to 1.5℃.

Lambertini said biodiversity loss and climate change are already responsible for a series of problems for humans, including death and homelessness from extreme weather, a lack of food and water and an increase in the spread of specific diseases.

But the terrible news comes with signs of hope: Experts say there are possible solutions to the loss of biodiversity. Solutions range from protecting forests to establishing a cross-border trade system in Africa, the report said.

WWF chief scientist Rebecca Shaw said that humans have the opportunity to change how they do things to benefit nature. “Little things that we can do every day can change the direction of these population declines,” said Shaw.

Thousands of years ago, Britain was covered by thick forests, home to many animals which no longer live in the United Kingdom. But all this has changed. Now the population of the United Kingdom has increased to sixty-five million. Three-quarters of Britain consists of fields, towns or cities. Although 25 percent of land is countryside, new methods of farming mean that there are fewer birds and small animals living in fields than ever before. Now, the United Kingdom does not have large wild carnivores (肉食动物). In Scotland, there are only 400 wildcats-Europe's rarest cats-but these are much smaller than wolves.

Some people would like to change things, however! Some organizations and writers say that Britain needs to become more natural again. They suggest that trees and plants that grew in the United Kingdom before towns and cities were built should be allowed to grow again. They even say that large wild animals which have not lived in the United Kingdom should be helped to return and live wild. They call this "rewilding".

Not everyone agrees. In the last twenty years, over one million trees which originally grew in Scotland have been planted and there are plans for more - but wild animals? Some people ask if wolves will attack sheep or even humans. They are also angry that rewilding might mean an end to walking in the hills which so many people enjoy. So far, there are no wolves or bears in Britain's forests - but soon there might be!