ENDANGERED SPECIES

From:

SHRIYA BHARDWAJClass: 6th , Section: A

ENDANGERED SPECIES An Endangered species is a species which has

been categorized by the Internatiional Union for conservationof natrure (IUCN) Red list as likely to become extinct.

"Endangered" is the second most severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after critically endangered (CR).

Black RhinoBlack rhinos have two horns, and

occasionally a third small

posterior horn. The front horn is

longer than the rear which makes

them lucrative targets for the

illegal trade in rhino horn.

Today, black rhinos remain

Critically Endangered because of

rising demand for rhino horn,

which has driven poaching to

record levels.

Cross River gorillaCross River gorillas live in a region

populated by many humans who

have encroached upon the

gorilla’s territory—clearing forests

for timber and to create fields for

agriculture and livestock.

Poaching occurs in the forests as

well, and the loss of even a few of

these gorillas has a detrimental

effect on such a small population.

HAWKSBILL TURTLEHawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated-look on the edges. These colored and patterned shells make them highly-valuable and commonly sold as "tortoiseshell" in markets. They are much sought after throughout the tropics for their beautiful brown and yellow carapace plates that are manufactured into tortoiseshell items for jewelry and ornaments.

PangolinsThese solitary, primarily nocturnal animals, are easily recognized by their full armor of scales. A startled pangolin will cover its head with its front legs, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed it will roll up completely into a ball, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to lash out. Pangolins are in high demand for their meat scales. Scales are used in traditional medicine and folk remedies to treat a range of ailments from asthma to rheumatism and arthritis.

SUMATRAN ELEPHANTSumatran elephants typically

have smaller tusks but they are

enough to tempt poachers who

kill the animals and sell their

tusks on the illegal ivory market.

SAOLASaola are recognized by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 20 inches in length and are found on both males and females. They are a cousin of cattle but resemble an antelope. Saola have striking white markings on the face and large maxillary glands on the muzzle. As forests disappear under the chainsaw to make way for agriculture, plantations and infrastructure, saola are being squeezed into smaller spaces.

SUMATRAN ORANGUTANThe Sumatran orangutan is almost exclusively arboreal, living among the trees of tropical rainforests. This has been attributed to mass fruit on fig trees, where groups of Sumatran orangutans can come together to feed. Orangutan habitat in north Sumatra is being lost at an extremely high rate, mainly due to fire and conversion of forests to oil palm plantations and other agricultural development. This species depends on high-quality forests.

VAQUITAVaquita, the world’s most rare

marine mammal, is on the edge

of extinction. The vaquita has a

large dark ring around its eyes

and dark patches on its lips that

form a thin line from the mouth

to the pectoral fins. Its dorsal

surface is dark gray, sides pale

gray and ventral surface white

with long, light gray markings.

AFRICAN WILD DOGThe wild dog is one of the world’s

most endangered mammals. Wild

dogs are social and gather in

packs of around ten individuals,

but some packs number more

than 40. They are opportunistic

predators that hunt medium-

sized ruminants, such as gazelles.

In a sprint, African wild dogs can

reach speeds of more than 44

miles per hour.

BLACK SPIDER MONKEYThe black spider monkey—also

known as the Guiana or red-faced

spider monkey. The destruction of

tropical rainforests and threats

from hunting pose the greatest

challenge to the black spider

monkey’s survival. Because they

prefer mature tropical forests and

seldom venture into disturbed

habitats, these monkeys are

especially vulnerable to the

effects of forest fragmentation.

BLACK-FOOTED FERRETHabitat loss, reduced prey

populations, and non-native

disease threaten the recovery of

the black-footed ferret. The ferret

is entirely dependent on the

presence of prairie dogs and their

colonies for food, shelter and

raising young. Without ample

reintroduction sites and

distribution of prairie dogs, full

black-footed ferret recovery

remains difficult.

BLUE WHALEThe blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing as much as 200 tons (approximately 33 elephants). The blue whale has a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. Its stomach can hold one ton of krill and it needs to eat about four tons of krill each day. They are the loudest animals on Earth and are even louder than a jet engine. Their calls reach 188 decibels, while a jet reaches 140 decibels. Their low frequency whistle can be heard for hundreds of miles and is probably used to attract other blue whales.

GIANT PANDAThis peaceful creature with a distinctive black and white coat is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. The rarest member of the bear family, pandas live mainly in bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China, where they subsist almost entirely on bamboo. They must eat from 26 to 84 pounds of it every day, a formidable task for which they use their enlarged wrist bones that function as opposable thumbs.

GREEN TURTLEThe green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. Green turtles are in fact named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. Green turtles are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. Like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched. Classified as endangered, green turtles are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites.

SEA LIONSSea lions haul out in large

colonies on rocks and sandy

shores on the Islands. They move

into the water to feed and cool

off as needed.

GANGES RIVER DOLPHINDolphins are one of the oldest creatures in the world along with some species of turtles, crocodiles and sharks. Ganges river dolphins once lived in the Ganges-Brahmaputra -Meghna & Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind. They hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds, which bounces off of fish and other prey, enabling them to “see” an image in their mind. They are frequently found alone or in small groups, and generally a mother and calf travel together.

SNOW LEOPARDThe snow leopard’s powerful build allows it to scale great steep slopes with ease. Its hind legs give the snow leopard the ability to leap six times the length of its body. A long tail provides balance and agility and also wraps around the resting snow leopard as protection from the cold.

For millennia, this magnificent cat was the king of the mountains. The mountains were rich with their prey such as blue sheep, Argali wild sheep, ibex, marmots, pikas and hares.

RED PANDAThe red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes. Red pandas are very skillful and acrobatic animals that predominantly stay in trees. Almost 50 percent of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth. Primarily an herbivore, red panda is bamboo or plant eating animal.

MONARCH BUTTERFLYMonarch butterflies hibernate in the mountain forests, where a less extreme climate provides them a better chance to survive. Adult monarch butterflies possess two pairs of brilliant orange-red wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. Males, who possess distinguishing black dots along the veins of their wings, are slightly bigger than females. Each adult butterfly lives only about four to five weeks.

JAGUARJaguars are strong swimmers and

climbers and require large areas of

tropical rain forest and stretches of

riverbank to survive. Hunting and

habitat loss due to deforestation

continue to threaten the survival

of these marvelous cats.

TUNAIf fish were like cars, tuna would be the Ferraris of the ocean—sleek, powerful, and made for speed. Their torpedo-shaped bodies streamline their movement through water, and their special swimming muscles enable them to cruise the ocean highways with great efficiency.The Atlantic bluefin can reach ten feet in length and weigh as much as 1500 pounds (more than a horse). Their specialized body shape, fins and scales enable some species of tuna to swim as fast as 43 miles per hour.

SLOTHSloths—the sluggish tree-dwellers of Central and South America—spend their lives in the tropical rain forests. They move through the canopy at a rate of about 40 yards per day, munching on leaves, twigs and buds. Sloths have an exceptionally low metabolic rate and spend 15 to 20 hours per day sleeping. And surprisingly enough, the long-armed animals are excellent swimmers. They occasionally drop from their treetop perches into water for a paddle.

POISON DART FROGMany other frog species camouflage themselves in the wild, but the poison dart frog uses its brightly colored skin to warn predators that it is unfit to eat. The frog's skin secretes a dangerous poison that can paralyze and even kill predators. There are more than 100 species of poison dart frogs, including those that live in the Amazon. Climate change and habitat loss threaten their survival.

Amur leopardThe Amur leopard is solitary. Nimble-footed and strong, it carries and hides unfinished kills so that they are not taken by other predators. They live for 10-15 years, and in captivity up to 20 years. Similar to other leopards, the Amur leopard can run at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour. This incredible animal has been reported to leap more than 19 feet horizontally and up to 10 feet vertically. The Amur leopard is also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard or the Korean leopard. The Amur leopard is Endangered & poached largely for its beautiful, spotted fur.

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