Question

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Hunting and Food Gathering The earliest human beings depended on their immediate environment for their sustenance. They subsisted on: (a) animals which they hunted; and (b) the edible plants which they gathered from forests in the vicinity. Primitive societies depended on wild animals. People located in very cold and extremely hot climates survived on hunting. The people in the coastal areas still catch fish through fishing has experienced modernisation due to technological development. Many species, now have become extinct or endangered due to illegal hunting (poaching). The early hunters used primitive tools made of stones, twigs or arrows so the number of animals killed was limited. Gathering and hunting are the oldest economic activity known. These are carried out at different levels with different orientations.  Gathering is practised in regions with harsh climatic conditions. It often involves primitive societies, who extract, both plants and animals to satisfy their needs for food, shelter and clothing. This type of activity requires a small amount of capital investment and operates at very low level of technology. The yield per person is very low and little or no surplus is produced.

1. Examine the impact of poaching on wild animals.
2. Why was hunting of animals limited in early times? Explain.
3. Why did early man depend upon his immediate natural environment? Explain.

Answer 1

1. Illegal hunting is called poaching. Poaching has caused many species to become endangered or extinct, leading to an imbalance in the food chain and ecosystem. In early times, humans hunted mainly for survival, but excessive hunting using modern equipment has placed wildlife at serious risk.
2. In ancient times, hunting was restricted because people used simple tools made from stones, sticks, and arrows. As a result, only a limited number of animals were killed.
3. Early humans depended directly on their surroundings for survival. They hunted animals for food and collected edible plants from nearby forests. People living in very cold regions relied mainly on hunting, while those in coastal areas depended on fishing. Their food, clothing, and shelter all came from nature, making them completely dependent on their environment.