Inktober 2019: Endangered Species
I switched up styles and techniques quite a bit during the month, the latter half of the month is my favorite!
Details about each animal are below the photo grid.
Tasmanian Devil
Despite their baby bear-like appearance, Tasmanian devils are notoriously savage, flying into a rage whenever threatened. Though once abundant in Australia, today they can only be found on the island of Tasmania.
Spix's Macaw
Native to Brazil, these medium sized parrots eat pinhão and Joazeiro nuts and beans. They perform elaborate courtship rituals and are largely threatened by deforestation.
Purple Frog
Residing in Western Ghats in India, this pignosed frog spends much of its life underground, emerging during the monsoon for mating. They are very robust and bloated compared to other frogs.
Saola
The saola resides in the Annamite Range of Vietnam and Laos. So rare, it's called the Asian unicorn. They suffer habitat loss as well as illegal hunting for traditional medical parts.
Kakapo
This nocturnal, flightless parrot was once heavily hunted by native Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, for food and feathers. (Kind of like a wild chicken.) It is also a large part of their traditional legends and folklore. It's now critically endangered, with a total of 213 known living adults, all of which are named. (Bella, Ariki, Guapo, Toitiiti to name a few)
Northern Quoll
The Northern Quoll is a carnivorous marsupial native to Australia. They eat vertabrates, small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, scavenged road kill, and figs. Males die after mating, and females can live up to 3 years.
Black Rhino
The black rhinoceros or hook-lipped rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Vancouver Island Marmot
The Vancouver Island marmot naturally occurs only in the high mountains of Vancouver Island, in the British Columbia. This particular marmot species is large compared to some other marmots, and most other rodents.
Soccorro Isopod
The Socorro isopod is originally from New Mexico, but became extinct in the wild in 1988. Captive populations are kept at the Albuquerque Biological Park, Minnesota Zoo, New Mexico Dpt. Of Game and Fish, and Dpt. Of Biology at New Mexico Tech.
Oki Salamander
Oki Salamanders are critically endangered, their habitats of temperate forests, rivers, and plantations threatened.
Schaus' Swallowtail
They hibernate as chrysalids for up to 2 years. Emergence is triggered by rainfall!
O'ahu Tree Snail
The O'ahu tree snail was once abundant in Hawaii, but all 41 species are now endangered with about 100 individuals remaining per species. They live in trees, grazing nocturnally.
Amur Leopard
Found in southeast Russia and northern China, the Amur Leopard is critically endangered. They're well adapted to snowy climates and are solitary. Threats include habitat loss, poaching, and now inbreeding.
Green Sea Turtle
Living up to 80 years, the green sea turtle travels long distances to feed and lay eggs. Pollution and illegal hunting of both turtles and eggs for food are a major threat.
Gilbert's Potoroo
Gilbert's Potoroo is Australia's most endangered marsupial. They live in small groups and are nocturnal. Females have tiny pouches to hold their young. Current population is around 70 individuals, and was thought to be extinct until 1994.
Baird's Tapir
One of four Tapir species native to Latin America, it's the largest land mammal in Central and South America. Typically mothers give birth to only one offspring. Babies are reddish brown with white spots for camoflage. They can live for up to 30 years, but are threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
Galápagos Penguin
The second smallest species of penguin, the Galápagos penguin is endemic to the Galápagos islands. The waters they live in range from 59-82°F, and they must shield their eggs and chicks from the hot sun by storing them in deep rock crevices.
2004 estimated population size was around 1,500 individuals.
2004 estimated population size was around 1,500 individuals.
Okapi
The Okapi (aka zebra giraffe) has striped legs like a zebra but is closer related to the giraffe. They live in canopy forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, feeding on tree leaves and buds, grasses, and more.
Arroyo Toad
The arroyo toad is endemic to California and Baja California, preferring sandy or cobbly washes with swift currents. Nocturnal, they spend most of the day underground except during mating season, during which they can be found along the shallows of a pond. They hibernate during the dry season from August-January in soil or clay-like sand.
Gharial
Native to sandy freshwater river banks in the northern Indian subcontinent, its threatened by habitat loss, tanglement in fishing nets, and a shortage of fish. It can reach up to 20 ft in length and live up to 60 years.
African Wild Dog
A highly social animal, the African wild dog lives in packs with separate dominance hierarchies for males and females. They're threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and disease outbreaks.
Manduca Blackburni Moth
Endemic to Hawaii's coastal mesic and dry forests, its now limited to Maui, Big Island, and Kaho'olawe. Larvae feed on nightshade plants, Solanceae, non-native tomatoes, tobacco, eggplant, and more. Adults feed on nectar plants.
Red Panda
Native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, they're threatened by habitat loss and inbreeding. They feed mainly on bamboo but may also eat eggs, birds, and insects. They are most active from dusk to dawn.
Malayan Tiger
Smaller than Bengal tigers, they prey on deer, wild boar, Bornean bearded pigs, and serow. They may also prey on sun bears and young elephants and rhinos. Rough population estimate in 2013 was 250-340 adult individuals, with a declining trend. Threats include poaching and habitat loss.
Black-Footed Ferret
Declared extinct in 1979 until 1981 when a dog brought one to a doorstep in Wyoming. A successful breeding program from a few dozen ferrets has brought them back up to "endangered" status. Nocturnal and solitary except for breeding or raising litters, they hunt prairie dogs in their burrows. They are threatened by habitat loss, human introduced diseases, and pest control poisoning of prairie dogs.
Solenodon
Endangered by non-native cats, dogs, mongooses, and habitat loss. They secrete a musky odor and have a venomous neurotoxic bite. Symptoms include depression, difficulty breathing, paralysis, convulsions, and can kill lab mice in larger doses. They are known to be easily provoked, flying into a rage of squealing bites.
They cute tho.
Bumblebee Bat
Found in Thailand and southeast Burma, this smallest species of bat is also one of the world's smallest mammals. It forages for insects in nearby forests at night. Female bats can have only one offspring per year.
Sri Lankan Elephant
Threatened by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, the Sri Lankan elephant consumes up to 150kg of plant matter per day. They are found in very limited territories.
Cottontop Tamarin
The Cottontop Tamarin is found on Costa Rica and western Columbia, most active during the day. Its predators include wild cats, dogs, snakes, and birds of prey. Critically endangered, estimated population is 6,000.
Extinct species
Feat. Passenger Pigeon, Blackfin Cisco, Dodo
Feat. Passenger Pigeon, Blackfin Cisco, Dodo
The Passenger Pigeon was once the most populous bird on the planet until it was hunted and harassed to extinction. The last bird, Martha, died in captivity in 1914.
The Blackfin Cisco was plentiful in the Great Lakes, but was overfished and preyed upon by three different invasive species. The last known sighting was 2006.
The Dodo had no natural predators, living peacefully thousands of years on the island of Mauritius. It was then slaughtered by hungry Dutch colonists nearly 500 years ago.
The Blackfin Cisco was plentiful in the Great Lakes, but was overfished and preyed upon by three different invasive species. The last known sighting was 2006.
The Dodo had no natural predators, living peacefully thousands of years on the island of Mauritius. It was then slaughtered by hungry Dutch colonists nearly 500 years ago.
Giant Panda
The mascot of conservation, the Giant Panda eats bamboo shoots and leaves. Farming, deforestation, and development have driven them from their lowland habitats. Due to conservation efforts, the panda population is on the rise.
