The purple loosestrife was originally used on ships as a cure for various diseases or sicknesses such as diarrhea, sores, ulcers, bleeding, dysentery, and wounds (1). It is of European origin (1). 

They can reach an average hight of 2m long, and a mature purple loosestrife can produce roughly around two million seeds per year (1). By invading nonnatural land, the purple loosestrife puts the natural plants in danger, and alters the original structure of the habitat (1). Also, the purple loosestrife endangers current wildlife by bringing harm to natural resources that they need to survive on a daily basis such as food and shelter (1). 

African Elephants dwell all across Africa (1). They are the largest land animals that roam the earth today (2). The African Elephant, male and female, uses its large tusks to dig for food and water; males also use it as self defense when fighting another elephant (2). 

Many elephants are hunted and killed by humans because ivory is valuable to some humans (2). Because they are being hunted, they are on the verge of going extinct. Although the trade is illegal currently, it still happens, which keeps the African Elephants one of the many endangered species (2). 

Another cause of them being endangered is that their habitat is being reduced, or not providing for them as it once did (3). The heat is sometimes too much for the elephants, but their large ears makes it easier for them to resist the blistering temperatures (1).

The Gopher Tortoise is part of the family of land tortoise that originated 60 million years ago in North America (1). They are essential for creating burrows; they have strong limbs with flat claws that make it easier for them to dig these burrows (1). 

The male tortoise is different from the female because the bottom portion of their shell has a dip that the female structure doesn't have (1). 

They are important to the rest of the ecosystem because without them, many other animals wouldn't have these burrows to house themselves (2). The burrows that the tortoise create home around 250 different species, so without them, the majority of their population would eventually die out because of the lack of home and protection (2).

These burrows are also very useful for the different dramatic weather changes; it protects them from the cold and the heat (2).

The weddell seal live under the ice around the arctic coast (3); they keep themselves warm by living under the ice (2). They can last about forty five minutes holding their breath under water without having to come back to the top for air (3). 

To get their food, the weddell seal breaths onto the ice, breaking it, then making its way though the new hole they created (3). Their diet mainly consists of squid and fish (2). 

When the weather is too cold, they use their extremely sharp teeth as carving tools to cut holes into the ice to get to their prey (1).

To catch their prey, they blow air bubbles into cracks under the sea ice (2).