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SCIENCE SPECIES
- 2. AMUR LEOPARD STATUS: Critically Endangered POPULATION: More than 84 individuals SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera pardus orientalis WEIGHT: 70 -105 pounds HABITATS: Temperate, Broadleaf, Forest Habitat, Mountains, and Mixed Forests 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.
- 3. IMPORTANT ROLE The Amur leopard is important ecologically, economically, and culturally. Conservation of its habitat benefits other species, including Amur tigers and prey species like deer. With the right conservation efforts, we can bring them back and ensure long-term conservation of the region.
- 4. Threats There are still large tracts of suitable habitat left across the Amur in Russia and China. In China the prey base is insufficient to sustain large populations of leopards and tigers. Prey populations will recover if measures are taken to limit the poaching of prey species and the forests are managed for logging more sustainably. For the Amur leopard to survive for the long term, it needs to repopulate its former range. But for that to happen, prey populations need to recover first. Prey Scarcity The Amur leopard is poached largely for its beautiful, spotted fur. In 1999, an undercover investigation team recovered a female and a male Amur leopard skin, which were being sold for $500 and $1,000 respectively in the village of Barabash, not far from the Kedrovaya Pad reserve in Russia. Agriculture and villages surround the forests where the leopards live. As a result the forests are relatively accessible, making poaching a problemnot only for the leopards themselves, but also for important prey species, such as, sika deer and hare, which are hunted by the villagers both for food and cash. Illegal Wildlife Trade
- 5. SAOLA STATUS: Critically Endangered POPULATION: Unknown SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pseudoryx nghetinhensis WEIGHT: 176-220 pounds HABITATS: Evergreen forests with little or no dry season Saola (pronounced: sow-la) are recognized by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 20 inches in length and are found on both males and females. Meaning spindle horns in Vietnamese, 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, which could be used to mark territory or attract mates. They are found only in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos.
- 6. IMPORTANT ROLE The actual size of the remaining population is unknown. Its rarity, distinctiveness and vulnerability make it one of the greatest priorities for conservation in the region. The current population is thought to be a few hundred at a maximum and possibly only a few dozen at a minimum.
- 7. Threats Saola are often caught in snares set in the forest for wild boar, sambar or muntjac deer. Local villagers set some snares for subsistence use and crop protection. Recent increases in lowland people hunting to supply the illegal trade in wildlife has led to a massive increase in hunting, driven by traditional medicine demand in China and restaurant and food markets in Vietnam and Laos. Hunting As forests disappear under the chainsaw to make way for agriculture, plantations and infrastructure, saola are being squeezed into smaller spaces. The added pressure from rapid and large-scale infrastructure in the region is also fragmenting saola habitat. Conservationists are concerned that this is allowing hunters easy access to the once untouched forest of the saola and may reduce genetic diversity in the future. Habitat Loss
- 8. STATUS: Critically Endangered POPULATION: 1000-1800 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis LENGTH: 6.2 feet HABITATS: Lakes, River, And Freshwaters The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia, used to be one of the only two rivers in the world that was home to two different species of dolphinthe Yangtze finless porpoise and the Baiji dolphin. YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISE
- 9. IMPORTANT ROLE Porpoises play an important role in keeping environment healthy. They eat fist and other river creatures, which would otherwise increase in number and unbalance the local chain. Porpoises are a good indicator of the health of their environment - if the river is overfished or polluted, the porpoises struggle to survive.
- 10. Threats Finless porpoises need an abundant food supply for survival. The destruction of the Baiji dolphin food supply was central to its extinction. Overfishing is the main factor that contributes to the decrease in finless porpoises food supply, but pollution and ship movement are factors as well. Overfishing
- 11. MOUNTAIN GORILLA STATUS: Endangered POPULATION: More than 1,000 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Gorilla beringei beringei WEIGHT: up to 440 pounds HABITATS: Forest Habitat and Mountains As their name implies, mountain gorillas live in forests high in the mountains, at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet. They have thicker fur, and more of it, compared to other great apes. The fur helps them to survive in a habitat where temperatures often drop below freezing. But as humans have moved more and more into the gorillas territory, the gorillas have been pushed farther up into the mountains for longer periods, forcing them to endure dangerous and sometimes deadly conditions.
- 12. IMPORTANT ROLE Without these large-scale grazers eating lots of vegetation, the natural balance in the food chain would be disrupted. This could negatively affect other other wildlife in the area, and ultimately the people who depend on that environment for food, water and other resources. Ecotourism - socially and environmentally responsible tourist visits, including carefully guided trips to see gorillas - can also be an important way for local people to gain benefit from living in close proximity to gorillas.
- 13. Threats The war in Rwanda in the early 1990s and years of civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo have sent waves of refugees into the region around the Virunga Mountains parks that are home to more than half the mountain gorilla population, leading to poaching and destruction of gorilla habitat. And parts of the park inhabited by gorillas have been taken over by rebels, making survey and conservation work difficult and dangerous. Since 1996, 140 Virunga rangers have been killed in the line of duty. War Gorillas that come into contact with humans can be vulnerable to human diseases, which gorillas experience in more severe forms. Mountain gorillas can even die from the common cold. However, studies have found that mountain gorillas that are regularly habituated with researchers and tourists have survived better than unvisited gorillas; they benefit from the greater protection available in those areas and from regular monitoring. Increased survival is also largely due to better veterinary care of sick and injured gorillas. Disease
- 14. Threats Inside gorilla habitat in Virunga National Park, people harvest charcoal for use as a fuel source in cooking and heating. This charcoal productionan illegal, multi-million dollar industryhas destroyed gorilla habitat. Charcoal Making As humans have moved into areas near mountain gorillas, they have cleared land for agriculture and livestock. Even land within protected areas is not safe from clearingin 2004, for example, illegal settlers cleared 3,700 acres of gorilla forest in Virunga National Park. Habitat Loss There is little to no direct targeting of mountain gorillas for bushmeat or pet trade, but they can be caught and harmed by snares set for other animals. Poaching
- 15. SNOW LEOPARD STATUS: Vulnerable POPULATION: total estimated 4,080-6,590 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera uncia LENGTH: 2-5 ft. HABITATS: Cold High Mountains The snow leopards 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.
- 16. IMPORTANT ROLE Snow leopards play a key role as both top predator and as an indicator of the health of their high-altitude habitat. If snow leopards thrive, so will countless other species.
- 17. Threats Climate change poses perhaps the greatest long-term threat to snow leopards. Impacts from climate change could result in a loss of up to 30 percent of the snow leopard habitat in the Himalayas alone. Climate Change The snow leopard habitat range continues to decline from human settlement and increased use of grazing space. This development increasingly fragments the historic range of the species. Habitat Fragmentation Snow leopards are often killed by local farmers because they prey on livestock such as sheep, goats, horses, and yak calves. The animals which snow leopards would typically huntsuch as the Argali sheepare also hunted by local communities. As their natural prey becomes harder to find, snow leopards are forced to kill livestock for survival. Retaliatory Killings
- 18. SUNDRA TIGER STATUS: Critically Endangered POPULATION: less than 400 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera tigris sondaica WEIGHT: 165-308 pounds HABITATS: Tropical broadleaf evergreen forests, freshwater swamp forests and peat swamps Sunda tigers are distinguished by heavy black stripes on their orange coats. The last of the Sunda island tigersestimated to be fewer than 400 todayare holding on for survival in the remaining patches of forest on the island of Sumatra
- 19. IMPORTANT ROLE The island of Sumatra is the only place where tigers, rhinos, orangutans, and elephants live together in the wild. The presence of the Sunda tiger is an important indicator of a forest's health and biodiversity. Protecting tigers and their habitat means many other species benefitincluding people.
- 20. Threats Habitat for the Sumatran tiger has been drastically reduced by clearing for agriculture (particularly oil palm), plantations, and settlement. On many parts of the island, illegal timber harvesting, and forest conversion are out of control. Between 1985 and 2014, the islands forest cover plunged from 58% to 26%. Even protected areas face problems. In addition, forest conversion has isolated national parks from one another, along with populations of species like tigers that need large areas for breeding, feeding, and dispersing. Habitat Loss Most tigers in Sumatra are killed deliberately for commercial gain. According to a survey from TRAFFIC, the global wildlife trade monitoring network, poaching for trade is responsible for almost 80% of estimated Sumatran tiger deathsamounting to at least 40 animals per year. Illegal Wildlife Trade
- 21. RED PANDA STATUS: Endangered POPULATION: less than 10,000 individuals SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ailurus Fulgens LENGTH: 2 feet HABITATS: Temperate Forest Habitat The 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% of the red pandas 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, the name panda is said to come from the Nepali word ponya, which means bamboo or plant eating animal.
- 22. IMPORTANT ROLE Almost 50% of the red pandas habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range because their forest home is being cleared.
- 23. Threats Red pandas are often killed when they get caught in traps meant for other animals such as wild pigs and deer. They are also poached for their distinctive pelts in China and Myanmar. Red panda fur caps or hats have been found for sale in Bhutan. Hunting
- 24. MARINE IGUANA STATUS: Vulnerable POPULATION: Unknown SCIENTIFIC NAME: Amblyrhynchus cristatus WEIGHT: 1 to 3.3 pounds HABITATS: Oceans, Rocky shores, and Beaches One of the main nesting zones for iguanas is located on a central tourist beach in the waterfront area of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. For several years, the Gal叩pagos National Park protected only the central part of the nesting zone.
- 25. IMPORTANT ROLE It is necessaryto protect their island refuges from feral pests and human exploitation because they are long lived animals that can not sustain added mortality.
- 26. Threats Introduced species such as cats, rats, dogs and pigs prey on marine iguanas. They are also threatened by the impacts of climate change. Sea level and air temperature rise can affect their beach nesting habitat and the iguanas ability to regulate its body temperature while on land, as well as interfere with egg development. Climate Change
- 27. LOGGERHEAD TURTLE STATUS: Vulnerable POPULATION: estimated 40,000 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Caretta Caretta WEIGHT: 175-400 pounds HABITATS: Oceans Loggerhead turtles are named for their large heads that support powerful jaw muscles, allowing them to crush hard- shelled prey like clams and sea urchins. They are less likely to be hunted for their meat or shell compared to other sea turtles.
- 28. IMPORTANT ROLE The way loggerhead turtles feed on their hard- shelled prey recycles important nutrients and keeps ocean floor sediments in balance. Loggerhead turtles carry colonies of small plants and animals on their shells which serve as important habitat themselves. As many as 100 species of animals and plants have been recorded living on one single loggerhead turtle.
- 29. Threats Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles a year are accidentally caught in shrimp trawl nets, on longline hooks and in fishing gillnetsa threat known as bycatch. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, and therefore many drown once caught. Loggerheads are highly migratory and are very likely to come in contact with a fishery, particularly in shrimp gillnets and longlines. Bycatch
- 30. AFRICAN WILD DOG STATUS: Endangered POPULATION: 1,409 SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lycaon Pictus WEIGHT: 40-70 pounds HABITATS: Deserts, Forests, and Grasslands The wild dog is one of the worlds 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.
- 31. IMPORTANT ROLE They hunt for a wide variety of prey, including gazelles and other antelopes, warthogs, wildebeest calves, rats, and birds. Like most predators, they play an important role in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain the natural balance and improve prey species.
- 32. Threats Major threats to the survival of wild dogs include accidental and targeted killings by humans, viral diseases like rabies and distemper, habitat loss and competition with larger predators like lions. Conflicts occur when wild dogs come in contact with people whose livelihoods rest largely on livestock and agriculture. Problems arise when expanding human activities decrease the habitat for available prey for wild dogs. Hunting
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