Penguins in Africa…?

African Penguins are endangered! Their population is crashing. Their population has declined by 50% in the last 30 years and 80% in the last 50 years. This decline is mainly due to overfishing and habitat destruction.  African penguins live in Southern Africa mainly Namibia, South Africa and the islands in between. They hunt for fishContinueContinue reading “Penguins in Africa…?”

Leaping Lemurs

Ringtail lemurs are listed as endangered by the IUCN. Their population has decreased 95% since 2000. The lemurs biggest threat is habitat loss and degradation. Followed by being hunted for bushmeat and the illegal pet trade.  Ringtail lemurs live in Madagascar, an island of the east coast of Africa. It is home to over 200,000ContinueContinue reading “Leaping Lemurs”

Blue-throated Macaws

Blue-throated Macaws are listed as Critically Endangered! These beautiful birds are near extinction. There are about 300 birds in the wild. The wild population lives only in a small region in Bolivia.  Although they are protected, illegal capture and selling of these birds continues to threaten their survival. Since they are so rare they sellContinueContinue reading “Blue-throated Macaws”

Rare Zebras…

…..The Grevy’s Zebra The Grevy’s Zebra is listed as endangered by the IUCN. The Grevy’s zebra has a population of only about 2,000 wild individuals. When compared to other zebras the Grevy’s zebras are larger,  have thinner stripes and larger ears. In the last 30 years, their population has declined by 54%. They are threatenedContinueContinue reading “Rare Zebras…”

Kangaroos in a tree..?

Yes, there are actually fourteen species of tree kangaroos, most of which are considered vulnerable or endangered. Goodfellow Tree Kangaroos are marsupials, native to Papua New Guinea. They are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Their population continues to decrease do hunting and habitat loss. Tree kangaroos are hunted for their meat. TheirContinueContinue reading “Kangaroos in a tree..?”

Queen of the Beast

African Lions are listed as vulnerable. Their population has decreased by 43% in the last 20 years and is still decreasing. Humans continue to destroy and move into lions’ natural habitat increasing the number of human-animal conflicts, where the lions end up getting shot. Lions are also threatened by tick-borne illnesses like distemper and babesia.ContinueContinue reading “Queen of the Beast”

Hippos!!

The hippopotamus is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Their population is decreasing. Hippos are poached and killed for the meat and ivory teeth. Habitat destruction and human-conflict are other threats that hippos face.  Fun Fact: Hippos can’t swim. They push off the bottom or rocks underwater to propel themselves. They can also hold theirContinueContinue reading “Hippos!!”

Caracals

Caracals have a wide distribution range, from Africa to the Middleast to Central Asia. Although they are listed as least concern by the IUCN, caracals are still being impacted by habitat loss and human conflict. The population in Central Asia is considered endangered. Caracals are agile hunters that can jump 10 ft straight up intoContinueContinue reading “Caracals”

Cape Mountain Zebras

The Cape Mountain zebra is listed as vulnerable/threatened by the IUCN. In the early 1900s, they were on the brink of extinction with less than 60 individuals remaining. Luckily conservation efforts brought the population back up. Their main threats are habitat loss and poaching (for their meat). Although conservation has brought the population up significantly,ContinueContinue reading “Cape Mountain Zebras”

Great White Sharks

A Great White Shark breaching the water and showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth. These beautiful creatures are highly misunderstood and get a bad rap in the media and movies. Millions of sharks are killed by humans every year. Although their exact population is unknown scientists believe that the population is decreasing at an alarmingContinueContinue reading “Great White Sharks”