Endangered Animals

WILD LIFE

Defination Endangered Animals=

A plant or animal species existing in

such small numbers that it is in

danger of becoming extinct,

especially such a species place in

jeopardy as a result of human

activity. One of the principal factors

in the endangerment or extinction

of a species is the destruction or

pollution of its native habitat.

Amur Leopard

People usually think of leopards in the savannas of Africa but in the Russian Far East, a rare subspecies has adapted to life in the temperate forests that make up the northern-most part of the species’ range. Similar to other leopards, the Amur leopard can run at speeds of up to 37

miles per hour. This incredible animal has ·.• Critically Endangered

. a Population

More than 60 individuals

• b Scientific Name

Panthera pardus orientalis

• c Weight

70 -105 pounds

• d Habitats

Temperate, Broadleaf, and

Mixed Forests been reported to leap

more than 19 feet horizontally and up to 10

feet vertically

1 Places Amur-Heilong

2 Habitats Forest Habitat, Mountains

South China TigerThe South China tiger population was estimatedto number 4,000 individuals in the early 1950s. Inthe next few decades, thousands were killed asthe subspecies was hunted as a pest. The Chinesegovernment banned hunting in 1979. By 1996 thepopulation was estimated to be just 30-80individuals.

Today the South China tiger is considered byscientists to be “functionally extinct,” as it has notbeen sighted in the wild for more than 25 years.

1 Population believed to be extinct in the wild

2 Scientific Name Panthera tigers amoyensis

3 Habitats Southeast China-Hainan Moist Forests

Asian ElephantsElephants are an important cultural icon in Asia.

According to Hindu mythology, the gods (deva) and the

demons (asura) churned the oceans in a search for the

elixir of life so that they would become immortal. As

they did so, nine jewels surfaced, one of which was the

elephant. In Hinduism, the powerful deity honored

before all sacred rituals is the elephant-headed Lord

Ganesha, who is also called the Remover of Obstacle.

• a Population 40,000-50,000

• b Scientific Name Elephas maximus indicus

• c Height 6.5– 11.5 feet

• d Weight around 11,000 pounds

• e Length around 21 feet

• f Habitats Forests

• Places Eastern

Himalayas, Greater Mekong • Habitats

Forest Habitat

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.

· a Population 10,000-25,000 individuals

· b Scientific Name Balaenoptera musculus

· c Weight Close to 200 tons

· d Length 80-100 feet

· e Habitats Oceans

Places =

Southern

Chile, Gulf of

California,

Coral

Triangle

African Wild DogThe wild dog is one of the world’s most endangered mammals. The largest

populations remain in southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa

(especially Tanzania and northern Mozambique).

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.

a Scientific Name

Lycaon pictus

b Height

30 inches

c Weight

40-70 pounds

e Length

30-56 inches 1 Places

Coastal East Africa 2 Habitats

Forest Habitat, Grasslands, Deserts

Indian Elephant

Indian elephants may spend up to 19 hours a day feeding and

they can produce about 220 pounds of dung per day while

wandering over an area that can cover up to 125 square

miles. This helps to disperse germinating seeds. They feed

mainly on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots,

leaves and small stems are also eaten. Cultivated crops such

as bananas, rice and sugarcane are favored foods as well.

Since they need to drink at least once a day, these elephants

are always close

· a Population 20,000 – 25,000

· b Scientific Name Elephas maximus indicus

· c Height 6-11 feet at the shoulder

· d Weight 5 tons

· e Length up to 21 feet

· f Habitats Subtropical broadleaf forest, tropical

broadleaf moist forest, dry forest, grassland

Elephants are not only a cultural icon in India and throughout Asia, they also help to maintain the integrity of their forest and grassland habitats.

Green Turtle

The 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. In the Eastern Pacific, a group of green turtles that have darker shells are called black turtles by the local community. 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.

a Scientific Name Chelonia mydasb d Weight

150-400 pounds c Length

31-47 inches d Habitats

Oceans

1 PlacesMesoamerican Reef, Coastal East Africa,Gulf of California, The Galápagos, Coral Triangle

2 Habitats Ocean Habitat

Tiger

The largest of all the Asian big cats, tigers rely primarily on sight and sound rather than smell. They typically hunt alone and stalk prey. A tiger can consume up to 88 pounds of meat at one time. On average, tigers give birth to two or three cubs every two years. If all the cubs in one litter die, a second litter may be produced within five months.

· a Population

Around 3,890

· b Scientific Name

Panthera tigris

· c Weight

220–660 pounds

· d Length

4–10 feet

.e Habitats

Tropical

rainforests,

evergreen forests,

temperate forests,

mangrove swamps,

grasslands and

savannas

1 Places Amur-Heilong, Eastern Himalayas,Borneo and Sumatra, Greater Mekong

2 Habitats Forest Habitat

Protecting the Endangered

Animals Make your home

wildlife friendly.

Secure garbage in

shelters or cans with

locking lids, feed pets

indoors and lock pet

doors at night to

avoid attracting wild.