Requirement
4. Why they matter, four protected species, six unprotected, and what all ten eat
Required Often forgotten
Explain their part in the natural environment. List four species protected by federal or state law and why each is protected, then three reptiles and three amphibians in your area that are not. Discuss the food habits of all ten. The protected four are the ones the standing note tells you not to collect.
Notes and warnings
Note. The four protected species you list here are, in part, the animals the standing note tells you not to collect. Doing this requirement before requirement 8(a) is a cheap way to avoid an expensive mistake.
Where this step comes from
- Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Requirements (Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-09-19), Requirement 4