Interactive Teaching Methods in "Biodiversity Conservation" Course for IV-Year Students of the Ecology Program at Baku State University

The lecture and practical classes of the "Biodiversity Conservation" course for IV-year students of the Ecology and Soil Science Faculty at Baku State University (BSU) were conducted using interactive teaching methods at the Hasan bey Zardabi Natural History Museum.

The main aim of the lesson was to visually demonstrate the consequences of biodiversity loss to the students.

The students became closely acquainted with Azerbaijan's paleozoological and paleobotanical monuments. They received detailed information about the fossil and skeletal remains of species such as the toothed whale, the toothless Sarmat whale, rhinoceros, leopard, Binagadi gazelle, Binagadi wolf, Binagadi brown bear, Binagadi deer, Vinogradov's theropod, cave bear, primitive ox, plant remains, and others found near the villages of Pirakäshkül and Binagadi.

The fauna samples discovered based on paleozoological research pertain to the Pirakäshkül area in the northwestern part of the Absheron Peninsula, dating back to the Tertiary period (up to 30 million years ago), and the Binagadi area in the center of the Absheron Peninsula, representing the Quaternary period's fauna and flora (180,000 years ago). The Upper Sarmatian Eldar fauna, located in the "Hands Cave" area, dates back to 9-12 million years ago.

Students were also informed about endangered and threatened species included in the third edition of Azerbaijan's "Red Book." It was stated that 241 species of animals are listed in the third edition of the "Red Book," of which 3 are mollusks, 84 are arthropods, 11 are fish, 6 are amphibians and reptiles, 18 are reptiles, 78 are birds, and 39 are mammals.