Water for life

Can you think of a plant or animal that doesn't need water? Of course not!

We need fresh water to drink every day and of course we need water to wash in and keep ourselves clean. Did you know that about two thirds of the human body is made of water? A person can probably survive without food for more than a month, but can only live without water for approximately one week!

Many animals need water like we need the air. They need to be surrounded by it, so they can move and feed. Marine animals, such as dolphins, need healthy unpolluted sea water to live in. Of all the earth's water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas. Fresh water creatures, such as otters, need uncontaminated water to live a healthy life.

Grey seal photograph by Jayne Herbert

Even those animals that live a very dry environment, such as a desert, have to find water from somewhere, although they do have clever ways of getting by with very little.

Did you know that 75 % of the earth is covered with water and that water pollution is a very real threat to life. It is thought that the same amount of water exists on earth today as three billion years ago. However, today, there are many more demands placed on that water. There are also many more sources of pollution such as:

• oil spills
• fertilizers
• pesticides
• sewage
• industrial waste
• garbage

I'm sure you can think of many more. People's demands on water continue to grow but the supply doesn't, this means we should be doing all we can to help conserve and protect it.

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