Endangered animals in Ukraine.

Endangered species in Ukraine

1. 1. Endangered Species in Ukraine
2. 2. Wolf  They are distributed almost continuously over the Carpathian Mountains and their population densities are very high compared to other parts in Europe. After World War II, wolves were present in all forested parts of Romania and numbered over 4,000 animals..
3. 3. great bustard  The great bustard (Otis tarda) is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia. European populations are mainly resident, but Asian birds move further south in winter. Portugal and Spain now contain about 60% of the world's population.
4. 4. Tarpan  The Tarpan (Equus ferus ferus), also known as Eurasian wild horse, is an extinct subspecies of wild horse. The last individual believed to be of this subspecies died in captivity in Ukraine in 1909, although some sources claim that it was not a genuine wild horse due to its resemblance to domesticated horses.
5. 5. Black stork  In Ukraine, the number reaches 400-450 pairs.  In particular, in the Volyn region of 50-60 pairs,  Rivne - 60-70,  Lviv - 30-40,  Transcarpathia - 30-40,  Ivano-Frankivsk - 30-40,  Chernovtsy - 8-10,  Kiev - 25-30,  Chernihiv - 40-50,  Sumy - 10-12.
6. 6. Brown bear  Brown bear is listed in the IUCN Red List as "a species that is at risk» («Endangered»)  In Ukraine, the brown bear is found in the Carpathians, where, according to the staff of CBR, the fall of 2005, there were about 200 animals.

New species of the Red Data Book of Ukraine

August 13th, 2009 

It is done. Recently it was approved a list of animals species which will be included in a new (third) edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine. The list was long-expecting as according to the latest information this autumn the Red Data Book itself is planned to be printed.

Thus, the new list was approved by the order of Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukrain No 313 of 17.06.2009 “About approval of lists of animal species which are included in the Red Data Book of Ukriane (animal world) and animal species which are excluded from the Red Data Book of Ukraine (animal world)”, registered in Ministry of Justice of Ukraine with No 627/16643 of 13 July 2009.
In general, numbers of species in the Red Data Book increased from 67 (in the second edition) to 86 (in the third edition). At this no one species was excluyded comparing with the previous edition. As for birds of prey their number was added by 4 species. They are Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Scops Owl.
I have to disappoint future readers of the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Similar to previous editions there will be only one page dedicated for each species so it will be rather short information.
Below there is the list of animals which are to be included to the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Falconiformes and Owls):

Diurnal birds of prey (Falconiformes)

Latin name	English name	Category
Pandion haliaetus	Osprey	endangered
Milvus milvus	Red Kite	endangered
Milvus migrans	Black Kite	vulnerable
Circus cyaneus	Hen Harrier	rare
Circus macrourus	Pallid Harrier	endangered
Circus pygargus	Montagu’s Harrier	vulnerable
Accipiter brevipes	Levant Sparrowhawk	endangered
Buteo rufinus	Long-legged Buzzard	rare
Circaetus gallicus	Short-toed Eagle	rare
Hieraaetus pennatus	Booted Eagle	rare
Aquila rapax	Steppe Eagle	endangered
Aquila clanga	Spotted Eagle	rare
Aquila pomarina	Lesser Spotted Eagle	rare
Aquila heliaca	Imperial Eagle	rare
Aquila chrysaetos	Golden Eagle	vulnerable
Haliaeetus allbicilla	White-tailed Eagle	rare
Neophron percnopterus	Egyptian Vulture	endangered
Aegypius monachus	Black Vulture	vulnerable
Gyps fulvus	Griffon Vulture	vulnerable
Falco cherrug	Saker Falcon	vulnerable
Falco peregrinus	Peregrine Falcon	rare
Falco naumanni	Lesser Kestrel	endangered

Owls (Strigiformes)

Latin name	English name	Category
Bubo bubo	Eagle Owl	rare
Asio flammeus	Short-eared Owl	rare
Otus scops	Scops owl	rare
Aegolius funereus	Tengmalm’s Owl	rare
Glaucidium passerinum	Pygmy Owl	vulnerable
Strix uralensis	Ural Owl	insuffiently known
Strix nebulosa	Great Grey Owl	rare
Tyto alba	Barn Owl	endangered

The complete list of animals which will be included to the Red Data Book of Ukraine can be seen at website of Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine.

1. Follow the link to know more about flora and fauna of Ukraine:http://ukraine-gateway.org.ua/country-guide/general-overview/flora-and-fauna.html

Render the text. Ecology in Vinnytsia region.

По данным департамента экологии и природных ресурсов облгосадминистрации, на Винничине существует 406 заповедных объекта, занимающих 2,28% от площади области (60 тысяч га). Еще в 2009-м этот показатель составлял 1%.

Несмотря на, казалось бы, положительную тенденцию, экологи недовольны тем, что большинство заповедников области имеют небольшую площадь (до 1 гектара) и разбросаны по области в виде мозаики. Тогда как для сохранения флоры и фауны важны непрерывные «коридоры», по которым могут мигрировать животные и растения. Поэтому сегодня особое внимание уделяется созданию и развитию масштабных объектов:  «Мурафа», «Днестр», «Среднее Побужье», «Немировское Побужье».

По мнению экологов в создании заповедных объектов заинтересованы, прежде всего, местные территориальные общины, поскольку такие территории остаются в их пользовании. При этом там возможна традиционная хозяйственная деятельность — выпас скота, сенокошение и т. п. При этом заповедники и заказники позволяют привлекать средства казенного фонда охраны окружающей природной среды и международных грантов фактически в развитие местной общины, например, в зеленый туризм.

А в перспективе: «Становится возможным развитие малого бизнеса: туристические стоянки, гостиницы, заведения торговли и питания, конные маршруты, прокат лодок и катамаранов и т.д. Для местной общины появляется возможность создания собственного коммунального предприятия по предоставлению туристических услуг». Согласитесь, эта картина, нарисованная специалистами департамента экологии, выглядит несколько утопичной, прежде всего, из-за недостаточно высокого спроса на зеленый туризм.

В то же время заповедники и заказники несут свои минусы для местного населения: прежде всего, уменьшение площадей, пригодных под застройку и интенсивное сельское хозяйство. Какие бы коррупционные схемы не сопровождали эти процессы, они, безусловно, являются ключевым фактором в экономическом развитии территорий.

Reading Test . Nature facts.

Snake Vs Crocodile

A snake in northern Queensland, Australia, has won its battle with a local crocodile. It fought the crocodile for several hours, before finally killing and eating it.

The fight, which took place at Lake Moondarra, was filmed by local residents. Tiffany Corlis, who saw the fight, said: “It was amazing. We saw the snake fighting with the crocodile. It used its body to hold the crocodile and stop its legs from moving.”

“After the crocodile was dead, the snake dragged it onto land, and started to eat it, face-first.” It took the snake around 15 minutes to eat the crocodile. After, the shape of the crocodile could be seen inside the snake’s body.

“The snake was definitely very full,” said Ms Corlis. “I don’t know where it went after that. We all left – we didn’t want to stick around too long!”

The snake is thought to be a python, which kills its prey by tightening its body around an animal every time it breathes out. If the animal cannot escape from the python, it will eventually suffocate and die. Pythons, like many snakes, have very flexible jaws, which allow them to swallow prey whole, without chewing.

Can you find words in the text with these meanings?

1. Someone who lives in a particular place (r_______t)
2. To move something by pulling it along the ground (d__g)
3. To stay (s____k a____d)
4. An animal killed by another for food (p__y)
5. To die from lack of air (s_________e)

True, false, or impossible to say?

6. The snake killed the crocodile quickly
7. Tiffany Corlis was on holiday in Queensland
8. The snake was exhausted after the fight
9. Pythons kill their prey by squeezing it with their body
10. Pythons do not need to chew their food

Watch the film. It's a must for everyone!

http://yandex.ua/video/search?filmId=q9t8jkPy0Cw&text=trashed%202012%20in%20English&_=1448705209835&safety=1

https://youtu.be/C6vvzp4PdpY

Eco-tourism in Ukraine.

Ecotourism has an aim to recover physical and moral strength of the body.

This form of tourism has some advantages, because it doesn’t need a lot of money and has good influence on people’s health.

Ecotourism has become the most popular among young and active part of the population, among students, looking for the new places and chip resting. Last years an older people like to recover physical strength with natural way.

Few years ago humanity hasn’t known about the global ecological problems, as do now. We can’t find in the world map environmentally sounded countries and cities. Quantity of such cities and places is going down.

There are few reasons for unfavorable terms such, as an excessive pollution of the environment, air oversaturated by the deleterious matters, radioactive contamination as result of using an atomic energy and atomic weapons. Because these reasons international ecotourism has became developed earlier, than Ukrainian ecological tourism.

Ecotourism is included resting in the environmentally sounded regions. Here are a lot of them in Ukraine. It makes Ukraine to be attractive to nature-lovers and ecological travelers.

Ecotourism may be called a young form of the tourism. It is developed in our country and getting popular, because population of Ukraine feels a negative health effect and makes all for avoidance and minimization of such effects.

Year in year out an importance of ecotourism has increased. This fact made us happy and makes us sure in perspectives of tourism’s development.

Ecological tourism is associated with green or village (rural) tourism. This form of tourism lets to establish the contact between people and nature which is ever so important in our hectic world, where we are work 24/7. It heals your body and soul while you are resting in environmentally safe places .



Ecotourism`s aim is to recover physical and moral strength of the body. This form of tourism has a lot of advantages, because it doesn’t require much money and has positive influence on people’s health.

Ecotourism has become the most popular among young and active part of the population, students, looking for new places and economical resting, as well for older people willing to recover physical strength in a natural way. Currently, green tourism in Ukraine provides tremendous opportunities for recreation.



Rural tourism

During these trips every vacationer has a prospect of getting acquainted with the cultural traditions of Ukrainian people more closely. National traditional cuisine is served. During communication with locals you are able to get into the core of religion and customsof the country. The main type of accommodation are private houses in the countryside. Food is included in the tour price. Normally all products on the table are self-grown and produced without the use of chemicals and artificial additives.





Green tourism

Mountain slopes and valleys of the Carpathians and Transcarpathia paramount here. This natural area attracts pilgrims from all over Europe throughout a year. In winter, there are comfortable ski resorts. In autumn large number of berries and mushrooms ripen here. In spring and summer this place is simply awashed with flowers. There is no wonder a real tulip valley and a huge amount of natural ponds are present here that allows fishing and boating.

Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Thranscarpatia

It is one of the biggest and most interesting reserve areas of Ukraine. On this territory there is the largest territory of beech forests in Europe. About 90% of the territory is occupied by primeval beech, fir, spruce, pine, ash, alder forests. More than 64 plant species and 72 animal species are listed in the Red Book. The virgin nature reserve attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year from around the world who enjoy all forms of wildlife.

Transcarpathia deserves separate presentation. Here the land is rich for legends and tales. Since ancient times, mysterious peoples live here. They gave the world the stories about vampires and Dracula. This place belongs to the region of Transylvania. Moreover, the whole region of Carpathians and Transcarpathia is the place of living of national Ukrainian wizards and fetishers called `molfars`.

In addition to mentioned above areas green tourism in Ukraine is widely developed in Poltava and Kherson. Foreign tourists who want to witness the historic battle sites mostly come here.

Biosphere Reserve Askaniya Nova, Kherson region

Biosphere Reserve "Askania Nova" is the environmental research institution of international importance, which is included into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves and works closely with UNESCO. In 2008, it became one of the winners of a nationwide campaign "7 Natural Wonders of Ukraine" The uniqueness of the reserve is that there is the only In Europe area of the steppe, which was never touched by a plow. In addition, there is a large number of rare plants and unique objects. For lovers of ecotourism biosphere reserve Askaniya Nova would be a great place to relax.



Shatsky National Park, Volyn region

It’s a great place for lovers of ecotourism. In the park there are beautiful Shatsky lakes, which include more than 30 lakes (one of them is Svitjaz), rich animal kingdom, and about 80% of the plants that are listed in the Red Book. Relax, feel the taste of nature and feel their strength of mind is quite real, as the park is equipped with nature trails and great hiking trails.

Steppe Nature Reserve, Eastern Ukraine

It is considered the pearl of Ukraine. It includes four previously independent parks. For lovers of ecotourism it is providing various types of steppe scale. The highlight of the reserve is stone graves: it is 50-70 m high cliffs. They were formed in the middle of the steppe more than 2 billion years ago as a result of the eruption.

Ostrich farm `Savanna` in the village Stavky, near Odessa - is an amazing and positive rest for the whole family with many bright impressions and positive emotions.

Danube Biosphere Reserve is the youngest creation of Danube. The diversity of fauna of these places is the richest in Europe. This is one of the last chances for the European mink and wild cat to survive. You can still meet hausen which is the biggest freshwater fish. Among all the rivers of the Black Sea sturgeon is only spawning in the Danube Delta.


ttps://www.ecotourism.org/ukrainian-adventure-and-ecotourism-association


http://www.english.tpp-tour.com.ua/ecotourism/

Ecology in Ukraine.

Основні екологічні проблеми України

Згідно з дослідженнями українських вчених, найбільшу шкоду навколишньому середовищу спричиняють транспорт, промисловість, енергетика та сільське господарство. Тому питання про впровадження природозберігаючих технологій у цих сферах життєдіяльності стоїть особливо гостро.

Протягом усіх минулих років питання забезпечення екологічної безпеки в Україні багато декларувалися, але реально не вирішувалися на рівні державного керівництва. Найочевиднішим прикладом є стан Дніпра в міській смузі столиці: головна водна артерія в буквальному сенсі перетворюється на болото. Скрізь можна спостерігати одну й ту саму тенденцію – екологічні проблеми накопичуються та консервуються. А чиновники незмінно оперують тезою про відсутність належних коштів в держбюджеті/місцевих бюджетах на вирішення цих проблем.

Транспорт належить до головних забруднювачів атмосферного повітря, водоймищ і грунтів. Відбувається деградація екосистем під впливом транспортних забруднень, особливо інтенсивно на урбанізованих територіях. Гостро стоїть проблема утилізації і переробки відходів, що з’являються при експлуатації транспортних засобів. Для потреб транспорту у великій кількості споживаються природні ресурси. Вихлопні гази автомобілів містять більш ніж 200 хімічних сполук-продуктів згорання палива, більшість з яких токсичні.

Не менш небезпечним забруднювачем оточуючого середовища є промислові відходи. В Україні основним джерелом утворення відходів є підприємства гірничо-промислового, хіміко-металургійного, машинобудівного, паливно-енергетичного, будівельного, агропромислового комплексів, а також комунальне господарство. Найтоксичнішими серед них є відходи, що містять важкі метали, нафтопродукти, непридатні для застосування отрутохімікати (пестициди), основна маса яких утворюється в Донецькій та Дніпропетровській областях. Під сховищами токсичних відходів перебуває майже 20 тис.га земель. Це сміття звозиться на звалища, переважна більшість яких є джерелом інтенсивного забруднення води і повітря.

Як свідчать статистичні данні, приблизно 80% всіх шкідливих видів у повітря - наслідок енергетичних процесів (добування, переробка й використання енергоресурсів). Особливо шкідливими є викиди сполук сірки в районах металургійних заводів. Сполучаючись з парами води в атмосфері, триоксид сірки утворює сірчану кислоту, суспензії якої є дуже небезпечними. У викидах ТЕЦ небезпечні також оксиди важких металів, фтористі сполуки, бензоперен, що відносяться до канцерогенних речовин. АЕС разом із електроенергією виробляють велику кількість надзвичайно небезпечних речовин.

Основними негативними наслідками сільськогосподарської діяльності людини є збідніння і виснаження родючих українських чорноземів, промислове забруднення ґрунтів та інтенсивне освоєння цілинних земель, широке розповсюдження монокультур, застосування азотних і нітратних мінеральних добрив.

Всі вище зазначенні чинники згубно впливають на екологічну ситуацію в Україні і викликають такі негативні наслідки як парниковий ефект,кислотні дощі, руйнування озонового шару. У разі подальшого зберігання подібного стану речей наша держава ризикує скотитися в плані екологічної небезпеки для життя людей на рівень африканських країн. Тому ключове завдання активістів екологічних організацій та громадськості - тримати основні екологічні проблеми в фокусі суспільної уваги, добиватися від керівництва держави реального покращення ситуації з охороною навколишнього середовища.

 Reading test for 9 D

Reading Comprehension. Ecology.

Reading Lesson – Gold In The Garbage

Hunting Treasure

The Gramacho rubbish dump in Rio de Janeiro was the biggest dump in South America until it was closed in 2012. Its closure was widely welcomed by local residents, but not everybody was happy with the decision.

Cleonice Bento was one of over 2,000 treasure hunters who used to look through the rubbish forvaluable items. The rubbish pickers depended on the dump, and many are sorry that it is no longer there.

So was it really possible to make money by searching through garbage? Absolutely—Ms. Bento once found a gold necklace among the rubbish. She sold it and was able to build her own house with the money. Geraldo Oliveira, another rubbish picker, once found $21,000 in cash. He was unable to believe what he had found at first.

“I was scared,” he says. “So I took one $100 note to a money changer to check if it was real. It was!”

Mixed Feelings

Although some rubbish pickers were unhappy with the decision to close the dump, many welcomed it, agreeing that the work was dangerous and unpleasant. The rubbish pickers receivedcompensation, and the chance to work at a new recycling centre which was built next to the site of the old dump. The former rubbish pickers now work in better conditions and earn a regular wage.

However, the rubbish pickers could make much more on the dump than they can now. At the Gramacho, rubbish pickers could make up to $1,500 per month, while the pay at the recycling centre is only around $190. Rosinete dos Santos, a former rubbish picker, says: “At the moment we are happy, but if a new dump opened, we would go back to it in a flash.”

Sorting through rubbish was hard, dangerous work, and the rubbish pickers were often discriminated against. So why do some of them feel nostalgic for the old days?

“We suffered a lot, but we were a family,” says former rubbish picker Gloria. Many rubbish pickers formed groups, who would work together and look after each other. No one misses working there, but we miss the companionship that we had.”

 Follow the link and do the tasks.http://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/reading-gold-in-the-garbage

Ex.1 True or false?

1 Not all of the rubbish pickers were unhappy with the decision to close the dump.

2. Geraldo Oliveira was able to buy a house with the money he made working on the dump.

3. Many former rubbish pickers say that they preferred working on the dump.

4.Former rubbish pickers who work at the recycling centre earn on average less than half of what they used to.

5.Gloria misses the family atmosphere of working at the dump.

Ex. 2     Complete the sentences using words from the text

1. In order to cut costs, the company announced the c _ _ _ _ _ _ of 90% of its offices around the world.
2. It’s not worth a lot of money, but this picture is the most v _ _ _ _ _ _ _ item I own.
3. The judge awarded her $1,500 in c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, plus legal costs.
4. The work pays an hourly w _ _ _ of $7.50.
5. Migrant workers, who come from the countryside looking for work, are often d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ against.

Review example. Review by Rory Cashin.

Finally, the "unfilmable" Booker-prize winning novel has arrived, having passed through the fingers of some of this generation's most talented and artistically gifted directors, all of whom found the project too difficult to get off the ground. It finally landed in the lap of Ang Lee who has always found interesting and unique ways of approaching moribund genres; reviving kung fu movies with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, making the most cerebral comic book movie to date with Hulk and turning the western on its head with Brokeback Mountain.

For those who haven't read the book, this isn't the mix of Slumdog Millionaire and Cast Away that the marketing team would have you believe. Middle-aged Pi (Irrfan Khan) is telling his life-story to struggling author (Rafe Spall) in modern day Canada; teenage Pi (newcomer Suraj Sharma) and his family are the owners of a popular Indian zoo, but when faced with bankruptcy, Pi's father decides to move them all - animals included - via freighter ship to Canada. But one nasty storm later, the ship has sunk and Pi is alone on a lifeboat. Well, not alone exactly… also on board the lifeboat is a zebra, an orang-utan, a hyena and a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. From this point on, Pi and his dwindling co-survivors come across a plethora of otherworldly sights - a luminescent sea full of neon jellyfish, an island of ferrets, a wave of flying fish - while dealing with issues like a lack of water and food.

Without a doubt, Life Of Pi is one of the most visually astounding movies of the year, or any year really. There are countless scenes that will have your jaw hanging slack at their absolute beauty, with Lee conjuring up imagery that will stick with you long after the movie is over. On top of this, Suraj Sharma is an absolute find considering he has never acted before, as the role of Pi really puts him through the ringer, both physically and emotionally.

There are some lulls when it comes to the story - the opening scenes in India are pretty but vaguely superfluous, and there's a bit of downtime between "events" on the lifeboat - while the religious allegory is a nice idea but not really delved into enough. But despite this, Life Of Pi is still a huge cinematic feat that demands to be seen on as big a screen as possible.

Watch the film Life of Pi

https://yadi.sk/d/oOQTYf0YKuuYP

ANCIENT ORIGINS OF TRICK-OR-TREATING

Halloween has its roots in the ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, believed that the dead returned to earth on Samhain. People would gather to light bonfires, offer sacrifices and pay homage to the deceased.

Although it is unknown precisely where and when the phrase “trick or treat” was coined, the custom had been firmly established in American popular culture by 1951, when trick-or-treating was depicted in the Peanuts comic strip. In 1952, Disney produced a cartoon called “Trick or Treat” featuring Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie.

During someCeltic celebrations of Samhain, villagers disguised themselves in costumes made of animal skins to drive away phantom visitors; banquet tables were prepared and edible offerings were left out to placate unwelcome spirits. In later centuries, people began dressing as ghosts, demons and other malevolent creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This custom, known as mumming, dates back to the Middle Ages and is thought to be an antecedent of trick-or-treating.

EARLY CHRISTIAN AND MEDIEVAL ROOTS OF TRICK-OR-TREATING

By the ninth century, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older pagan rites. In 1000 A.D. the church designated November 2 as All Souls’ Day, a time for honoring the dead. Celebrations in England resembled Celtic commemorations of Samhain, complete with bonfires and masquerades. Poor people would visit the houses of wealthier families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives. Known as souling, the practice was later taken up by children, who would go from door to door asking for gifts such as food, money and ale.

In Scotland and Ireland, young people took part in a tradition called guising, dressing up in costume and accepting offerings from various households. Rather than pledging to pray for the dead, they would sing a song, recite a poem, tell a joke or perform another sort of “trick” before collecting their treat, which typically consisted of fruit, nuts or coins.

THE LEGEND OF “STINGY JACK”

People have been making jack-o’-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

The original jack-o'-lanterns were carved from turnips, potatoes or beets.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o’lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o’-lanterns.