Homecoming week 2016!
What a perfect way to start off Homecoming week with my favorite endangered species, the Sumatran Tiger, Panthera tigris sumatra. This week I want you to change your Google+ profile picture to an endangered species. The Sumatran Tiger is a critically endangered species with fewer than 400 remaining organisms. Living on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, these tigers need all the help they can get. Despite laws to protect the Sumatran Tiger, there is a substantial market for tigers and tiger parts.
Once you have changed your Google+ profile picture, in a scholarly paragraph you need to briefly explain why you picked that endangered species. Be sure to give both the common and scientific names. (Scientific names should have the Genus capitalized, species lowercase and be in italics) Ideally, I would like you each to pick a different species, so be sure to look at what your peers have already posted. Those of you that post early will have the best pick. In addition to providing details about your endangered species, I would also like you to define biodiversity. Look in the book or online. What happens to biodiversity when organisms go extinct?
Below are some links with endangered species:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status
https://www.fws.gov/endangered/
http://a-z-animals.com/animals/endangered/
For my endangered species, I chose the black rhino. The Black Rhino or the Diceros bicornis, has been “doomed” since the 60’s, when in a european newspaper, The Daily Mirror, stated they were “doomed to disappear from the face of the earth due to man’s folly, greed, neglect”. And they were right on the money. The black Rhino has been in a steady decline since the 60’s, maybe even before then. We’ve had all this time to do our part and save them from ourselves but, alas, we have failed them among many other critically endangered species. With only 5,000 left, we need to act fast to do our part to save this species. Losing these species greatly affects our earth's biodiversity. Biodiversity is the diversity of life on earth, and as we lose more and more species, our biodiversity decreases. Why does that matter? Biodiversity matters because it connects all organisms on earth, linking each into a codependent ecosystem, which every species have their own specific, important role. Without it, we will lose many resources and the balance of life will be skewed. We need to start doing our part in our earth, to save it from ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why nobody's doing anything about these rhinos if they've known they've been on decline since the 60s
DeleteI agree with your statement of how killing these animals is terrible especially for sport. The worst part is that poachers just kills the rhino and take the tusks to make money and leave the entire rest of the money. They make big money, but at what cost to the environment? Maybe at some point there won't be any more rhinos to hunt and make money off of so why do it now?
DeleteI chose the Poison Dart Frog(Dendrobates species) because they are kind of like me, they are small, colorful, and can pack a punch if necessary. The Poison Dart Frog’s skin is so bright and colorful that it usually warns predators away, unlike other frogs who use their skin as a camouflage. If a predator makes the mistake of trying to eat the Poison Dart Frog, it will die or become paralyzed because the frog’s skin secretes a poison that is very dangerous. The Poison Dart Frog has over 100 different species that live in the Amazon Rain forest and is on the endangered animals list because of habitat loss and climate change. Biodiversity is the diversity of life around the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. The loss of even a small species can make a monumental impact on an ecosystem in significant ways. Take the Poison Dart Frog for example. They eat flies, ants, mosquitoes, and other insects. If the Poison Dart Frog were to go extinct, there would be an overpopulation of insects around. And that would not be good. With this happening there would be more viruses going around like Zika, and new viruses that could do a lot of damage to our biosphere. As the humans, we need to keep our earth the same as it always has been and leave other species alone, and when they need help, give it to them.
ReplyDeleteWe as humans need to take better care of our environment, so we don't have an overflow of a certain species. I do agree that if we don't stop this problem, we will face destruction to our world. We need to give back to the animals because they support us as well.
DeleteEndangered Sea Turtle
ReplyDeleteThe Leather-Back sea turtle is an endangered sea turtle that has many positive effects on their ecosystem. I picked this sea turtle because of the fact that these massive animals survive on seagrass and jellyfish are astounding. Dermochelys coriacea is the scientific name for the Leatherback. They also keep jellyfish population down which helps to keep a variety of organisms in the ocean. This is an example biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variety of life. This can mean the variety of life on Earth or just in the community. Biodiversity is important because it keeps a food chain balanced and helps organisms build their tolerance. For humans Biodiversity is important; It allows us to keep consuming many plants and medicine and use materials in nature. Leatherbacks turtles can weigh over 1000 pounds. Since they consumers 73% of its body weight a day, without them, the jellyfish population would be out of control.
I picked the Galapagos Penguin Spheniscus mendiculus as my endangered species. I picked them because I really like penguins and not many people think of penguins when they think of endangered. I wanted to shine light on the issue of the decrease of penguins and not just the Galapagos Penguin. There’s only 2000 of this penguins left and they are the only penguins that live north of the equator. Galapagos Penguins are threatened by pollution, bycatch, and climate change. Dogs are introduced to them which can spread disease to the penguins and cats are considered predators. I love penguins and I want to see the population increase. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct, it disrupts biodiversity. The ecosystems may be in danger of collapsing because of extinction which takes pieces out of the puzzle of the food web and life.
ReplyDeleteI agree that when people think of penguins they don't think of them as endangered. We should pay more attention to their needs.
DeleteI never knew that penguins were extinct! Very informative!
DeleteThe endangered species that I have picked is the orangutan, classified as the Pongo. I picked the orangutan because I have always liked them and I think it is amazing how they are our “gardeners” of our forests. They are in the critically endangered category! They matter because they play an important role in seed dispersal in their habitats. They have a very low reproductive rate which make their population highly vulnerable. It takes them a while to recover from population declines. The sad thing is that they are very easy for hunters to kill because they are slow and large. Pet trade is a major problem! After the hunters kill the female with her offspring, the offspring are usually kept for pet trading. There is a demand for orangutan so as pets in Indonesia. Biodiversity is the variety of life. When we have organisms that go extinct the biodiversity gets disrupted. The more species we have, the more sustainability of forms of life we have.
ReplyDeleteFor my Endangered Species, I chose the Bluefin Tuna. The Bluefin Tuna, also referred to as Thunnus spp, are the largest tuna in the world, living up to 40 years old. Bluefin Tunas are very quick and agile, having the ability to retract their fins to increase their speed. They are tremendous predators the moment they lie on their prey, which consists of herring, mackerel, and even eels. Most Bluefin Tunas are located in the Mediterranean Sea, the largest and most important bluefin tuna area around. Bluefin Tuna have been on a steady decline mainly from overfishing and illegal fishing, for the past few decades. Their is a high demand for these fish in local markets, so many have been used in sushi shops. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world, and as we continue to cause decreases in biodiversity, it affects more than just one species. Every species is linked to one another, so if we lose one, we lose even more, sort of like a domino effect. We lose many reliable avenues that people turn to for food, so it hurts us just as much as the species. We as humans can fix this issue, by leaving animals like these alone, instead of catching them for our own entertainment. They help us with our lives, so why don’t we treat them with the respect they give us.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting to me because I'm doing yellowfin tuna and both of our species are on the verge of being extinct from the same exact thing, overfishing. When are people going to open up there eyes and realize how detrimental these two species are too their ecosystem!
DeleteThe Elephas maximus sumatranus or more commonly referred to as Sumatran Elephant, this 5-9 foot mammal is a critically endangered species. This is due to the fact, these 5 ton beasts are often a target of poaching for their ivory tusks, even though there are laws prohibiting this crime. Not only elephants, but also tigers and many other species are affected by this crime. Elephants are poached for their ivory, the ivory and other body parts are then sold on the black market. Interestingly enough only Asian male elephants have ivory tusks, thus the main target. This leads to the uneven sex ratio, making it difficult to reproduce ,there are only 2,400-2,800 Sumatran Elephants left in the world. I chose the Sumatran Elephant because personally elephants are my favorite animal. Biodiversity means the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Plants and animals depend on each other, land, the climate, and water to sustain life. Once, a species becomes extinct, leading to populations of prey grow in size. After learning more about not just Sumatran Elephants and other endangered species, I’ve decided to do my part and I urge others to consider what they can do to prevent further extinctions.
ReplyDeleteI chose to do the Amur Leopard also known as Panthera pardus orientalis. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct biodiversity would start to come apart because when animals start to go extinct it will affect the rest of the food chain. This could cause even more animals to go extinct. I think that we could help the endangered animals by protecting them and giving them the necessities they need that they can’t get.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think that far into the changes in biodiversity (more specifically food chains) instead of just realizing that these animals may be prayed and prey on different species than before, you stated that if this change in the chain can not be altered easily that may mean death for multiple species. In addition, because in a community species partake in different activities in order to do their role in the community, if the extinct species role can not be filled, that may mean more extinction amongst the community.
DeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Bactrian Camel, or the Camelus bactrianus. I chose the Bactrian camel because honestly the name made me laugh because it looks like ‘BACTERIAN camel’ which really drew me in and somebody already took my favorite animal. They are a critically endangered species and are mostly all domesticated in east China or free in the Sahara desert. They can drink up to 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes and can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees Celsius because of their thick coat. An average Bactrian camel is 816 kilograms and 2.1 meters tall. They're pretty sick if you ask me, I am hoping the best for this species. It would be very sad for the Earth to loose such a phenomenal animal. If the Bactrian camel were to go extinct then the world's biodiversity would change drastically. According to Google, biodiversity is
ReplyDelete“the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.” If this camel were to go extinct then the food chain would have to change. The Bactrian camel is a herbivore (they eat dry plants mainly) and their biggest wild predator is the wolf. Say the Bactrian camels go extinct, what are the wolves going to eat? A pack of wolves will probably have to change their eating habits or go for another species to stay alive. Overall, the habitat and ecosystem variety would be altered if the Bactrian camel went extinct or any animal for that matter. We as humans need to protect other species and maintain biodiversity. Save the Bactrian camels!
Aislynn this is one pretty cool animal. I never new that they had thick enough coats to withstand -20 degrees Celsius. I agree that it would be really sad if these Camels go extinct.I think to keep this from happening they should no longer be domesticated.
DeleteThe endangered species I chose was the Panthera leo or Lion. I chose the Lion because ever since I went to disney and saw the lions at animal kingdom I fell in love with them. They are endangered because hunters kill them for sport and for their beautiful mane. The lion exceeds 250 kg and is the second largest cat in the world. If the lion went extinct there would be a drastic change of the biodiversity in the world.
ReplyDeleteBiodiversity is the variety of life so if the lion went extinct then there would be more gazelles in the wild and other animals in Africa and there would be overpopulation of gazelles but there would be more predators and that would allow the predators more food but might cause attacks on humans.
I also love lions. I first saw one up close at Brookfield Zoo and I thought they were incredible. The killing of them for sport is so sad to think of because there is no benefit for the people shooting them. They do it for fun and the harming and killing of the animal for fun or a game is awful.
DeleteThe endangered species that i picked is the red panda, Ailurus fulgens. The red panda is going extinct. There are less than 10,000 red pandas. Red pandas get killed when they get caught in traps. By the red pandas going extinct it affects the biodiversity because most of the red pandas live in the temperate forest, so if they go extinct then there is one less species in that habitat.
ReplyDeleteI picked the Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) because #RipHarambe and Gorillas share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans. In the wild Gorillas biggest predator is the leopard but the biggest threat to Gorillas is man. In recent decades the Gorillas have been affected by habitat loss, disease, and poaching. Biodiversity: the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct the ecosystem becomes less diverse.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Bengal tiger also know as Panthera tigris. I choose this animal because I remember in class in 4th grade we had this huge discussion about this tiger and I guess it brought back memories. Anyways more about the Bengal tiger, they usually live in wet and dry deciduous forests, grassland and temperate forests. They grow to be 10 ft long and weighing at 550 pounds. That's huge! The reason why there going endangered is due to their loss of habitat caused by deforestation, and hunting by human poachers. There's estimated to be around 2,500 tigers left in the world.
ReplyDeleteBiodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Extinction of one species can have a cascading effect on others. As the number of species in a food chain decrease, there are fewer alternatives for animals of the food chain that had depended on the extinct species.
The endangered species that I choose is the Sei whale or Balaenoptera borealis. The sei whale is endangered mostly due to its excessive hunting in the 19th century. I choose the Sei whale because I am amazed by the sheer size of these massive creatures. The whale is bluish-grey and prefer the cold waters of the sub-polar regions. They can grow up to 100,000 pounds and eat zoo plankton small schooling fish and squid. There are about 80,000 sei whales worldwide today. Biodiversity is "The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem." If the sei whale became extinct then there would be an abundance of squid, plankton, and small fish. Every time a species goes extinct the planet gets less diverse.
ReplyDeleteI chose Hector's Dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) as my endangered species. I remember on many occasions going to the Brookfield Zoo and watching the dolphin show. It was incredible to watch their tails as they glided over the water. I also picked Hector's dolphins because they are in a tough, unfair situation. The species and its sub species (Maui's Dolphins) live in their natural habitat too close to the New Zealand shore. Hector's Dolphins are attacked by nets for catching mostly, but can also be run over by boats, harmed by pollution, and killed by seabed mining. Hector's Dolphins are officially endangered at 7000 organisms left in the wild.Maui's dolphins are critically endangered, and only have a minuscule population of 55.
ReplyDeleteI really think there should be more attention to Hector's Dolphins. They are so beautiful and great to have in our oceans. I completely agree with you. With only a population of 55, we need to learn to control our pollution more, obviously, but because they affect so many animals. With Hector's Dolphins one of them, we need to help protect those great animals the best we can.
DeleteI picked the Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris).The Irrawaddy dolphin is similar to the beluga in appearance, though most closely related to the killer whale. It has a large melon, a blunt, rounded head, and the beak is indistinct. They are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia but it's biggest population is in the Mekong River.The Irrawaddy dolphins inhabit a 118-mile stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao. These mammals are considered sacred among the people who live near these locations. Between the years 1995-2001,74% of their population died due to entanglement in gill-nets with large mesh sizes.
ReplyDeleteI have chosen the Red wolf, also known as Canis rufus as my profile pic. I chose the red wolf for they have a special place in my heart(all wolves do) and I used to spend hours studying them. Red wolves(and all wolves) are extremely important to the community. Red wolves roamed all over in southern-eastern US. Their habitats ranged from forests to prairies to swamplands. Sadly, their habitats consist of a small area in North Carolina now. Only 200 live in captivity and roughly 100 live in the wild. By the time red wolves go extinct, It'll create a chain reaction of other species suffering. If the red wolf(and any wolf) are removed from the food chain, that'll cause deer, moose, fox, etc. to all suffer in return. It's been proven before, when gray wolves came back, the overpopulation of deer decreased to normal and the grasses grew back, making it sustainable to live in the habitats again. Not just red wolves, but many species of wolves have been endangered, including the Arctic wolf, Mexican wolf and so on. It's important to make sure that wolves come back to our world.
ReplyDeleteI picked the african wild dog (or Lycaon pictus) not only because of the attachment I have towards my own dogs but because it is one of the world’s most endangered mammals in need of some serious awareness. “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.” Most of these encounters are preventable which is why not only this specific species but all endangered organisms need to be needs to be accounted for. African Wild Dog was once found in nearly 40 different African countries but that number is much lower today, at between 10 and 25, a significantly large and rapid decrease. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. After an extinction food chains change because predators and prey are lost, whatever their duty in the community was has to be overtaken by another species.
ReplyDeleteThe White Rhino or the Ceratotherium simum is an animal that I have always had a large amount of respect for. Despite the fact that the animal looks awesome, I remember that the rhinoceros was one of my favorite animals I saw when we had our family trip to Africa. The white rhinoceros has 2 subspecies, the southern white rhinoceros, with around 20,000 animals left, and the northern white rhinoceros which has only 3 confirmed individuals left. Most of the rhino population is killed by poachers, people who hunt the rhinoes and steal their horns. It is the largest rhino when compared to the others, coming in at an average of 5,100 lbs. They’re herbivores considering the fact that they eat grass. Biodiversity is the diversity or life around a particular habitat or ecosystem. If an animal goes extinct, that diversity around an ecosystem is put under attack. Causing drastic changes in an ecosystem and food chains within the ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I chose the snow leopard, also known as Panthera uncia. The reason I picked the snow leopard is because they are endangered and they need our help. I also think they are pretty cool too. Humans are actually the biggest reason why snow leopards are endangered. There are only about 4,080-6,590 of them left in the world. They are found in 12 different countries including China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Russia, Afghanistan, and Mongolia, to name a few. Communities in Nepal are making greater efforts to protect snow leopards and that is good because if they aren’t protected they could go extinct. The definition of biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or a specific habitat or ecosystem. If an organism goes extinct, biodiversity becomes less and there would be one less species. For example, if snow leopards went extinct, there would be less species.
ReplyDeleteI chose a sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) for my endangered animal. I chose them because well they are adorable and I have always thought they where cool animals. Sea lions have been hunted for their skin and oil. However recently there has been a decline in killing sea lions for that reason. People still kill them for sport. If an organism goes extinct biodiversity will shift.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Cottontop Tamarin or Saguinus Oedipus because they are a critically endangered species. They are called “cottontop” because there is white fur that runs down their heads and shoulders. They are found throughout tropical forest in South America from Costa Rica to Northwestern Colombia. They spend a majority of their lives in trees. These tamarins are omnivores, eating fruits, insects, and green plants. Predators are animals like snakes, dogs, wildcats, and birds of prey since they are quite small animals. They are considered a critically endangered species because there is a population of about only 6,000 left. This is due to deforestation, which has caused them a loss of more than 75% of their natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Pangolin for my endangered specie (unfortunately it has no scientific name). I chose the Pangolin because they remind me of Armidillos and they look adorable. They live in Asia and can be found in Africa. Their main reason for being hunted is becuase of their meat and scales. Their scales can help in making remedies for arthritis. Biodiversity is the variety of life in an ecosystem, habitat, or in the world. Let's look at Asia for this example. In Asia people are killing Pangolins for their meat and scales, so if they managed to kill off each and every Pangolin then there would be less biodiversity which isn't good. If you think about it, if we kill off every animal of a specific keystone specie, than we could all be in huge trouble.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I picked the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) because, ever since I first saw Finding Nemo I have always had a love for and interest in turtles. The Hawksbill Turtle is known for its brightly colored shell scales that seemingly overlap. These turtles feed on sponges, their pointed mouths, or bills, making it easy to extract the sponges from the corral reefs they sit on. Today, the Hawksbill Turtle is a critically endangered species. They are caught and killed in many fishing lines and nets. Their shells are also a big item for tourists to buy, as their shells make beautiful souvenirs but at too high off a cost to our world. It is saddening to think of what people will do and kill for a profit. If the Hawksbill Turtle goes extinct then the biodiversity in the ecosystems it is a part of will go down because there will be one less unique species.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Sumatran Tiger or the Panthera tigris sumatrae.I chose the Sumatran Tiger because I wanted to know more about them and why they are endangered.Also because they are the smallest surviving tiger subspecies, with as few as 400 left today.Sumatran Tigers are being hunted for their parts and products to sell on the market.Not only that but they are also loosing their habitat and prey all things distributing to the reason why the Sumatran Tiger is on the edge of extinction.Poaching is one of the main problems the Sumatran Tiger population is decreasing.People continue to hunt them though it is illegal and anyone caught hunting them could face jail time and steep fines.Even with all this people still continue to do so.If we do not try and stop this problem from escalating even more then what it already has this will be another species that once was.Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.When organisms become extinct it upsets the balance of biodiversity.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal species, I chose the Apis, also known as the Honey Bee. I chose the Honey Bee because of it’s importance to many organisms. It’s pollinates so many flowers, and gives honey to so many organisms, that if it were gone, it would affect so many. One out of every three foods we eat is pollinated by Honey Bees, and 80% of the crops are reliant on their pollination to survive! Thought to originate in southeast Asia, there are only seven Honey Bee species know to be active right now, out of the twenty thousand total Bee species. The Honey Bee is a herbivore, living on the nutrients from plants. Birds, small mammals, reptiles and other insects are known to prey on honey Bees for their honey inside. We need to be taking the initiative to help protect these Honey Bees, especially since they are so important to us. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or ecosystem, so if they become extinct, the whole ecosystem around them will become detrimentally affected. We all rely on them so much for their pollination, so let’s try to do everything to protect them the best we can.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting, too, how the honey bee is endangered when it's a keystone species and many other organisms rely on it. If the honey bee were to go extinct then the crops that rely on the honey bee to pollinate them to survive would suffer too.
DeleteThe Snow Leopard, Panthera uncia, is an endangered species with an estimated population of only 4,080-6,590 leopards left. I chose it because I love all big cats and have loved them for a long time. The Snow Leopard’s powerful build allows it to scale great steep slopes with ease, and for a long time this amazing cat was the king of the mountains. They are found in 12 countries including China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Mongolia but their population is dropping. In places such as the Nepalese mountains, the Snow Leopard kill livestock to eat and are not seen as beautiful creatures that need protecting. Rather, they are seen as a direct threat that need to be eliminated by the people in the herding community. This conflict is one of the main reasons for the 20% decline in Snow Leopards over the past 20 years. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world. It’s very important because it connects all organisms on earth, giving each species their own important role in keeping the balance of life on earth. Without one species we could lose resources and our ecosystem could be in danger of collapsing.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Elephas maximus indicus, more commonly referred to as the Indian elephant, for my endangered species. I chose the Indian elephant because the endangerment of so many different kind of elephants is really upsetting to me. The Indian elephant can feed for up to 19 hours a day and produce approximately 220 pounds of dung per day. They mainly feed on grasses, although, tree bark, roots, leaves, and small stems are also a part of their diet. The elephants are always close to water because of their need for water at least once a day. The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem is know as biodiversity. When an animal goes extinct it harms the biodiversity because it lessens the variety in the types of organisms living in the same habitat.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Elephas maximus or Asian Elephant. These 11 foot animal are endangered due to loss of habitat in Asia and poachers that though illegal still hunt these beautiful animals for their skins but even more so the money in there tusks. Some things that you should know about the Asian elephant is that the are known to be very friendly to humans and are used many times as tourist attractions. Another interesting thing is that the Asian elephant used to be used in battle. Unlike the common African elephant the female Asian elephant does not have tusks. Asian elephants migrate in order to find water. The oldest female in the is always responsible for leading the herd on their migration passing knowledge down generation by generation. In the wild Asian elephants don’t have many predators in their woodland habitat.The only two predators are tigers and humans though tigers usually prey on the small weak baby elephants not the strong adults. If the last 50,000 Asian elephants were wiped out there would be a serious problem in their ecosystem.Though not as big a problem since they do not have many natural predators there would still be a significant impact on the ecosystem. There would be significant affect on tigers who prey on these animals which could lead to a lower population of tigers. The structure of the land will also change you will have more grass and other plants growing without the elephants there to consume them. Overall we need to protect our animals and our planet because by throwing one stone in the water you will make ripples that spread around the entire body of water.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I chose the Kiwi; a flightless bird; kiwi (/ˈkiːwiː/ kee-wee). The North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) before 2000, is a species of kiwi that is spread throughout the northern two/thirds of the North Island of New Zealand. With about 35,000 remaining, is the most common known kiwi that is living. The Kiwi bird with whiskers acts very dog-like in its ability to sniff out its food and threats. In fact, it has the most highly developed sense of smell of any bird, lifting its beak into the breeze to determine its surroundings, just like a dog would. That’s probably because kiwis are also the only bird to have prominent nostrils. Contrary to popular belief, the kiwi does have wings, but they are tiny and difficult to detect under the loose, fluffy, hair-like feathers. The kiwis are also the smallest ratites on earth. Other ratites include ostrich and emu. Even though this bird might be small compared to its cousins they hold the world record for laying the largest eggs relative to its body size. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world. Every time a species goes extinct or genetic diversity is lost, we will never know whether research would have given us a new vaccine or drug. Also, Species go extinct because of natural shifts in the environment that take place over long periods of time, such as ice ages. Today, species are going extinct at a dangerous rate, because of non-natural environmental changes caused by human activities, meaning most of it is our fault. Some of the activities have direct effects on species and ecosystems. 12% of all birds, are going extinct. If we don’t stop the threats to biodiversity, we could be facing another mass extinction with a very bad outcome to the environment and human health and livelihood. If the Kiwi bird went extinct some of its predators such as Mustelids would need to find other sources of food. Luckily for the food chain it would not be thrown off terribly because the kiwis main predators, Mustelids, Possums, Rodents, Hedgehogs and Pigs, and they all eat almost anything. As for kiwis, they eat a variety of different insects, including worms, Wetas (a family of nocturnal insects endemic to New Zealand), larvae, and crayfish. About 80 percent of their diet is made up of insects, they also eat berries, roots, and fruit, so if they went extinct there might be a spike in the number of these organisms.
ReplyDeleteThe animal I chose was the Fishing Cat, or Prionailurus viverrinus. The Fishing Cat is in the Animalia kingdom, a carnivore and is also nocturnal. The reason the Fishing Cat is an endangered species is because of habitat loss, there are currently less than 10,000. They have long, stocky bodies and slightly webbed feet. Their fur is mostly olive-grey with darker stripes or dots. They live in wetlands in south-east Asia. The reason I chose the Fishing Cat is because cats are my favorite animals, and I was intrigued by how they got the name “Fishing Cat”. Biodiversity is the total of the variety of organisms in the biosphere. When animals go extinct, they no longer pass on their genes, leaving less diversity which can have a huge impact of the biosphere. The food chain could be heavily affected.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal, I chose the polar bear, or the Ursus maritimus. I chose this because I think polar bears are very interesting and I want to know more about them. Polar bears are the largest species of bear with their weight ranging from 150kg to 600kg. They can also get to 2-2.5 meters in size. Polar bears are also called the “Sea Bear” because they are strong swimmers and have been seen 100 miles away from land. Sadly, they are going extinct due to global warming, which is melting the ice they rely heavily on. Their population is also decreasing because of hunting, pollution, and drilling for oil and gas in the area. The polar bear is becoming a strong symbol of the effects of climate change. The definition of biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Biodiversity is important because it keeps a food chain balanced and helps organisms build their tolerance.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal, I chose the chimpanzee which is also known as Pan troglodytes. I chose the chimpanzee because they wouldn’t be endangered if it weren’t for humans threatening their life. Chimpanzees as a species are known for being very intelligent and adaptable creatures and the reason they’re endangered is because of deforestation humans hunt them for bushmeat. Chimpanzees live in 21 countries all through western and central Africa in tropical and humid rainforests. Their habitat was the rainforest in the trees and they relied on the trees for protection from predators and find food but also make a nest at night. Due to the fact that chimpanzees homes are being destroyed, there are only about 100,000 left in Africa and they’ve been declining for the past 30 years. It is interesting to me how in the world, a species can do no harm but it can still go extinct due to other species harming it. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct, there’s less of a variety of organisms in the environment. Also, if an organism goes extinct that other organisms rely on (a keystone species), a whole food web could be messed up and other species wouldn’t thrive in an ecosystem. Each species is important to an ecosystem so we should stop making other species go extinct because it can hurt more species than you think.
ReplyDeleteI chose to do the Amur Leopard also known as Panthera pardus orientalis. Amur Leopards are normally found in the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and the Jilin Province of northeast China. These Leopards have been critically endangered since 1996. During the day Amur Leopards hide and rest in caves or dense thickets and hunt shortly before sunset. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct biodiversity would start to come apart because when animals start to go extinct it will affect the rest of the food chain. This could cause even more animals to go extinct. I think that we could help the endangered animals by protecting them and giving them the necessities they need that they can’t get.
ReplyDeleteMy endangered animal is the Golden Lion Tamarin. It lives in the eastern rainforest of Brazil. There is estimated to be only 1,000 Golden Lion Tamarin left in the wild. The Golden Lion Tamarin is one of the smallest primates standing only at a average of 20cm tall. It has a tail that is usaully longer that it is tall. They are known for there bright fur that is golden and orange in color. The Golden Lion Tamarin lives a arboreal existence which means it's spends most of its lives in the tress. They have claw like nails that helps them move around in the trees. The Golden Lion Tamarin is an ominovire and eats sweet fruits, berry leaves, insects and small mammals and reptiles that live in tree tops. Like most primates they hunt during the day and sleep at night however the Golden Lion Tamarins preadotors are nocturnal animals like snakes, wild cats, and rats that can get to their resting spots in the trees. But most of them sleep in nesting holes or small hollows that make it hard for bigger anaimals to reach them. The Goldne Lion Tamarin live in groups with someone always patrolling their territory which can be as large at 100 acres. They breed during the months of September to March and they give birth to twins after about 4 months. Only 50% of the babies survive there first year. Only 2% of the Golden Lions Tamarins habitats still stand and it forces the groups to get closer and closer. Today most of the Lions habitat is located in a swampy forest near the capital of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.
ReplyDeleteThe Black-Headed Spider Monkey is vulnerable according to the IUCN. The major factors to this is the destruction of rain forests and in turn their habitat, and the other is over hunting of this species. They're slow rate of procreation makes the over hunting of them even more detrimental and if precautions aren't to stop people from hunting within protected zones the rate won't slow down. Despite being one of the biggest populations within the Rain Forests it's still on it's way to becoming endangered and maybe even extinct
ReplyDeleteI chose the Dugong for my endangered species because it is closely related to the manatee. When I go to Florida often I go on my grandfather's boat and go to islands. I often saw manatees on a protected island, and in harbors. They are quite interesting as they just float in the water eating right over the sand, as I’m wondering what they eat. Dugongs and manatees are very similar in appearance and behavior. The scientific names for the Dugong is the Dugong dugon. They eat underwater grasses day and night. They are found in the warm coastal water such as East Africa to Australia, including the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The Dugong is endangered because hunters killed many of them for their meat, oil, skin, bones and teeth, but now they are protected, but still in a tenuous state.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal I chose the hippopotamus,or the Hippopotamus amphibius. I chose the hippopotamus because they really large and interesting animals, but I don't know much about them. The hippopotamus is oddly related to the whale, because they have a common ancestor that existed 54 million years age. Hippopotamus in the past have been found across Europe and Asia, but today are commonly found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Although still commonly found here, hippopotamus populations have been decreasing for their natural habitats have been lost due to land clearance for agriculture. This has negatively impacted biodiversity in these areas, or the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms such as the hippopotamus begin to fade,so does the biodiversity in their region.
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ReplyDeleteI choose the Black Spider Monkey or scientifically known as Ateles paniscus because I find it interesting how monkeys live in the wild, and also that they are one of only seven species of spider monkeys in Latin America. Ateles Paniscus are currently vulnerable, which means we can still save them from extinction.Without them, the tropical forest ecosystem won't thrive due to the fact that they distribute seeds for tree growth. Biodiversity is the different variety of life on earth, or in a specific habitat or ecosystem. When an organism goes extinct the biodiversity decreases, and the amount of prey increases at a fast rate and messes up the food chain also.
For my endangered species, I picked the Borneo Pygmy Elephant. Also referred as the Elephas maximus borneensis. These elephants are smaller than the regular African Elephants and have the highest body point on their head. I picked this animal because of how unique they are compared to the African Elephants. The elephants can be located in northeastern Borneo, in Indonesia, and Malaysia. Their species is mostly threatened by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. There are approximately only 1,500 left in the world. They recognize when an individual is in harm’s way. Researchers have observed elephants removing spears or other foreign objects from those injured, demonstrating that these animals not only recognize danger in others, but also willingly provide help. One of the main threats to why this species is going endangered is because us humans are taking away their habitat by making forests smaller to make room for human population and by killing them for their tusks that will be made into ivory. Expanding human development disrupts their migration routes, takes away food sources, and destroys their habitat. We can solve this problem by building human development somewhere else where the elephant species won’t be harmed and by not taking their tusks for ivory.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Bonobo, or the Pan paniscus. I chose the Bonobo because my favorite animal when I was little was any type of monkey. From gorillas' to Bonobos' they were my all time favorite. The bonobo is a large species of primate that is only found in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo in central Africa.Along with the chimpanzee, the bonobo is believed to be one of the closet living relatives of the human. The bonobo shares 97% of the same DNA that makes up humans and the bonobo displays very similar behavior to humans as far as social interaction and reproduction are concerned. The bonobo is an omnivorous animal mainly feeding on vegetation such as fruits, leaves, flowers, bark and seeds. The bonobo also eats honey, eggs, insects and even small mammals and reptiles.The main predators of the bonobo are humans who hunt the bonobo for it's meat and the odd crocodile when the bonobo gets close to the water. It is thought that other large primates may prey on the bonobo in the wild but that will often be down to disagreements over territory that turn nasty.Today, the bonobo is considered to be endangered animal with only 10,000 bonobo individuals thought to be left in the wild. The bonobo populations have declined dramatically due to hunting an habitat loss. The civil unrest in the region has also made the bonobo populations more vulnerable. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When other organisms go extinct, biodiversity is effected by as ecosystems are damaged, the organisms that inhabit them become more vulnerable to extinction.
ReplyDeleteThe Saola, or the Pseudoryx nghetinhensis is one of the world's most endangered species. It lives in a small region called the Annamite Range in Vietnam. There are only an estimated 750 Saola left today, possibly even much fewer. The Saola is part of the Bovidae family; it consists of animals like Buffalo, Bison, Antelope, Gazelles, Sheep and Goats. The Saola is distinct in appearance, with a large white-pattern printed across it’s face and curved black horns. Its fur is Auburn in color and it has a cotton white tail. I chose the Saola as it is one the most rare animals left on Earth; balancing the line of extinction. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. If an animal goes extinct it will totally rewrite the food chain and change the ecosystem around it.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I chose the Arctic fox (scientific name: Alopex lagopus) because I think that its interesting how the decline in this species is due to global warming. When people plug in there phones or turn on there TV, they never think about where that energy came from or how it effects the things around us. Even simple things like turning off lights or using items that consume less energy could make a difference. I dont see why people cant just take a small moment in there day to find someway of reducing there usage. I also think that its really sad how many of these species are going extinct for other reasons like pollution or hunting. Although the Arctic fox is not endangered for these reasons, I still think that this is an important issue. Species like the Arctic fox cant defend them selves from all of the problems that humans create for there ecosystem. We need to take responsibility before its too late. Already, one sub species of Arctic fox has been reduced by 90%. People can just sit back and do nothing as a species is erased from the world. Boidiversity is the variaty of life in an ecosystem and as the population of this species decreases, so does the amount of boidiversity. This effects the rest of the ecosystem negatively. If even one animal is taken out of the food chain, the effects could be deadly. The whole ecosystem could collapse.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Greater Sage-Grouse(Centrocercus urophasianus) as my endangered animal. I chose this species of bird because it is quite interesting in the fact that the males put on unique mating rituals for females. In order to attract a mate, males will flaunt their tail feathers, swing their arms and puff out their breasts to reveal bright yellow sacs on their stomachs. These birds can be found living in 13 western states and 3 Canadian provinces. Greater Sage-Grouse's can be found grouping up in ancestral mating grounds called "leks" on which they return to every year, usually during spring. Its because of farm land development, human expansion and climate change that the Greater Sage-Grouse is being pushed in to smaller ranges that they can currently inhabit causing sparser populations of this great bird. Its a shame as the Greater Sage-Grouse helps show a healthy sagebrush habitat and greatly affects other species like the songbird and pronghorn. If the Greater sage grouse does go extinct it will greatly negatively effect its ecosystem
ReplyDeleteI chose the South China Tiger also known as Panthera tigris amoyensis in the science world is critically endangered. I picked this animal because it caught my eye on the list and I thought it was cool. This animal was in a critical state near the 1950’s since there were only 4,000 of theses tigers alive. Then people hunted more of these tigers and in 1996 there were only 30-80 of theses tigers left. Today this tiger is considered “functionally extinct” since it hasn’t been spotted in the wild for more than 25 years.
ReplyDeleteBiodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms go extinct it affects the biodiversity because each organism has a role in the environment and it we lose these species then we may lose valuable resources. For example if we had no tigers on this planet there would be an overpopulation of the animals that they eat for example deer. Overall all animal have a purposes and if they go extinct then it could cause major problems for us.
For my endangered animal I picked the Yellowfin Tuna or Thunnus albacares . I chose Yellow Fin tuna because I find it to be a very complex species and I wanted to know more about the animal. Yellowfin tuna are endangered because they are heavily overfished.These unique fish are commonly found at 2.4 meters in length and have a hydrodynamic shape which allows them to go at speeds of over 40 miles an hour! These super fish are found in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. There has been a global decline of 29% to 51% of the species since 1980 and strict fishing laws have been passed but the quantity of fish are still going down. Let’s hope that fisherman realize how much they’re affecting the marine biome.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the giant panda, also known as the Ailuropoda melanoleuca. I chose this panda because it’s really cute and I love how comfortable they always look. The giant panda is considered a national treasure in China; there’s only about 1,864 giant pandas left in the world. The panda's habitat is being taken over by development as the human population in China increases. This destruction also causes them to have less food, which they need in order to survive. According to World Wildlife (WWF), “The giant panda has just been downgraded from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’ on the global list of species at risk of extinction, demonstrating how an integrated approach to conservation can help save our planet’s vanishing biodiversity.” Biodiversity is the variety of life and all of the different species that are a part of this planet.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I chose the Okapi (Okapia johnstoni). The okapi lives in the Ituri Forest in Central Africa, and is a relative of the giraffe. Okapi’s have distinctive marking on their hind legs, much like a zebra, and they even have their own language! Sadly, the population of these mammals has dropped 50% in 18 years due to poaching and habitat loss. Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life in the world, or a particular habitat or atmosphere. If organisms keep going extinct due to human causes, then eventually there won’t be any animals left! When animal populations decrease, including the okapi, our biodiversity becomes a lot less diverse.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species i pick the Macaw. I chose this because it is a very pretty bird and I’d hate to see it go instinct. The Macaw, or Arini, is an omnivorous bird with a spectacular color scheme. It eats nuts and fruit in the trees. As well as eggs and small insects. Biodiversity is the variety of species in an ecosystem. Without biodiversity, some species will be affected in many ways.Without pollinators, plants, and soils, our supermarkets will have a lot less produce.
ReplyDeleteThe giant panda, or Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is a species of pandas native to south central China. I chose this animal because beside being cute and cool looking, whenever I see them they are in captivity and I feel bad for them. Giant Pandas once lived in the lowlands of central Asia. But, unfortunately, they have been driven out of their natural environment due to deforestation and other development. There are an estimated 239 pandas living in captivity in China out of an approximate 1,590 living in the wild. Too me, this ratio from pandas in captivity to pandas living in the wild is much too large. Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life in an ecosystem. With less pandas currently populating central China, the biodiversity of that area will decrease. Not only will there be less pandas in central China, but deforestation in that area will also endanger other species, furthering the decrease in biodiversity.
ReplyDeleteI know you farley well and I have got to say the giant panda suits you well. And it's very weird to think that there are about only 1,800 giant pandas in the wild! We really need to do something in order to protect these animals, and even other animals! It would be a shame to see such fascinating animals go extinct!
DeleteI think that this is interesting because I did not know that they weighed that much. I never really thought about it but it kind of surprised me when I read this. Also, the fact that that there is such a little amount left in the world is sad because they are such great animals.
DeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) which is known as one of the rarest and most-endangered of the marine mammals, and for good reason. Until 1958 these porpoises had never been heard of. As of 2015 they’re estimated to only be 60 left that traverse the oceans freely, and out of seven species of “pure” porpoises it is the smallest. Often drowned in gillnets which are utilized by illegal corporations, in the past three years more than half of the population has been lost. Residing in the eastern Pacific Ocean they can be found in the extreme northern Gulf of California, near Baja California, Mexico. At this point only a permanent ban on gillnets will give the Vaquita a fighting chance. Perhaps you’re wondering why this should concern you. Our Earth’s biodiversity would be greatly harmed if we were to lose these creatures. Biodiversity is the variety of life in our world, and if the Vaquitas were to disappear then the extent of our diversity will decrease. Although they may be small, Vaquitas play an equally important role in this world as the next species does.
ReplyDeleteThe Florida West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris, captured my heart twelve years ago when my family and I first started visiting the Gulf Coast of Florida. The manatees are often referred to as "sea cows" due to their large size (upwards of 1,800 lbs.), their slow-grazing herbivore nature and their very low propensity to be eaten by other animals. They were among the first species added to the those protected through the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. While exact size of population is difficult to track, it was estimated that in the early 1990's only 1,300 manatees inhabited Florida's Gulf Coast. They tend to dwell in the warm water of rivers and springs in the Central Gulf Coast region of Florida. The manatee, also Florida's state animal, has received great love and attention from Florida residents, as well as manatee lovers world-wide. Over the years, numerous organizations, businesses and individuals have dedicated themselves, time and money to the conservation of the endangered manatees and their environment. Those efforts have paid off. Reduced speeds for boats in designated manatee habitats, manatee public awareness and education, creation of sanctuaries and manatee research has helped to actually increase the Florida West Indian manatee population. So much so, that the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission proposed that the manatees status be downgraded from "endangered" to "threatened". This proposal received a unanimous vote. However, the manatee still maintains its "endangered" status on the federal level through the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Many anticipate it's only a matter of time, until this federal status is also reviewed and possibly downgraded as well. If this does happen, many fear that the manatee conservation efforts will take a back seat to others species still on the endangered list. Biodiversity is the variety of life among and within plant and animal species in an environment. Remove one element and inevitably the habitat suffers. Manatees play a vital role in keeping biodiversity within their Florida Gulf Coast habitats. The herbivorous manatees keep local vegetation from becoming overly obstructive. The large amounts of vegetation they ingest, gets digested and eventually returns to the habitat as a fertilizer. Decreasing numbers of manatees in their environment will have an impact on the local ecosystem. I will be following the US Fish & Wildlife Service to see how they continue to view the Florida West Indian Manatee. For the viability of the manatees and their habitats, I hope they maintain the endangered status.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal I chose the Bonobo. It looks very similar to a chimpanzee and both share about 98.7% of their DNA with humans. There is about 10,000-50,000 of them left and they are considered endangered. Their decline was primarily due to civil unrest and poverty around their habitats. Scientists say that their population will continue to decline as if has for the past 30 years because of increasing threats and slow repopulation rates.Wild bonobos can only be found in forests south of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Sometimes known as the pygmy chimpanzee, bonobos weren’t recognized as a separate species until 1929. Biodiversity is
ReplyDeletethe variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Biodiversity is effected by extinction because of a single species' disappearance can, in fact, make a huge difference on a global scale. Losing just one small piece of the ecosystem can cause it to become corrupt because the food web will differ and create unbalances.
I always think it's a rare treat to look outside and see a hummingbird on the flowers. I chose hummingbirds, which are a family of birds know as Trochilidae. I chose them because I thought it was interesting that they are the smallest birds and because of that they fly very quickly. They are called hummingbirds because their wings flap at a high frequency on average 50 flaps per second. To conserve energy the birds will go into a short hibernation at night or when food is scarce. They have long curved narrow beaks that make getting nectar from flowers easier. Although sometimes hummingbirds eat insects, their diet mainly consists of nectar and other plant products. Hummingbirds are so beautiful, it would be a shame if they were extinct.
ReplyDeleteI chose the western lowland gorilla. I chose this endangered species because the recent news surrounding gorillas (Harambe) got me interested in them. The western lowland gorilla's scientific name is Gorilla gorilla gorilla. The western lowland gorilla is a critically endangered species. The exact amount of them is not known because they live in some of the worlds densest forests. We do know that, because of poaching the number of this animal has decreased by 60% over the last 20 years. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. If a species went extinct then biodiversity would decrease.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the sloth, also known as Choloepus Hoffmani. Why you ask? The life of a sloth is the kind of life I aspire to have, to be honest. Sleeping and eating most of the day, hanging around (quite literally), and just having a great time. Enjoying life as it is. They don’t even have to be all that social! The most social they’ll get is sleeping in the same tree as another sloth. Depending on if a sloth is captive or not, or the species, a sloth sleeps around nine hours to twenty hours a day, with a 25-40 year lifespan. Sloths are indigenous to the jungles of central and south America, so you likely won’t find a wild one up here in north America! Biodiversity is the diversity of life on Earth. If sloths or other animals go extinct, the biodiversity shrinks and shrinks! Without biodiversity, many organisms would be affected with the lack of keystone species so many resources would be gone and overall it wouldn't be great
ReplyDeleteI chose the whooping crane (Grus americana) because their story is sad and inspiring in a lot of ways. The first time I heard about the whooping crane was when I went to the international crane foundation and and learned that out of all the cranes the whooping is the most endangered. In 2003 there were 306 whooping cranes left in America they were driven to near extinction because of unregulated hunting and loss of habitat. The reason that the story is inspiring is the fact that right before the brink of extinction the crane foundation and other organizations went through insane measures to make sure the cranes stayed alive . And today there growing in population. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When animals go extinct the biodiversity shrinks and and if that animal is woven tightly enough into the food web it can have serious effects on the organisms around it. Which in turn can end up coming right back to us. So we need to give a crutch to these dying species.
ReplyDeleteThe Sloth or the Folivora is a slow, eucalyptus eating animal. They spend about 15 to 20 hours a day sleeping, and they move through the canopy at a rate of 40 yards a day. Sloths are an integral part of the rainforest, and the rainforests are being destroyed. If they don't have an abundance of trees to hang around on then they face having to live on the forest floor, in which they have no way to protect themselves. Sloths are cute, slow, animals that need to be saved so that more of our ecosystem isn't damaged.
ReplyDeleteThe black-footed ferret, also known as the Mustela nigripes, is a carnivore. I chose the Mustela nigripes not because it’s effect on the world, but because the cuteness of the animal and I would be sad if the animal went extinct. If the black-footed ferret went extinct, then there would be an over-population of prairie dogs. If there becomes an over-population of prairie dogs, then they will eventually overpopulate their habitat and have to invade other areas such as farms and land used for other resources we need or use. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Without the Mustela nigripes there will not be a biodiversity in the location of prairie dogs because one of the largest predators will have gone extinct.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the Planis Bison also know as the Bison bison bison. It's native to North America and with a population that used to be 30-60 million that number has now dropped significantly down to 24,500. With a weight between 700-2000 lbs and a length of 7-12 feet the plains bison has a habitat of grasslands while its places to be found are the Northern Great Plains. Currently the status of a plains bison is nearly threatened. This species has been classified by the WWF to be the only species on earth to have declined this quickly. Several Native American tribes are working with the WWF to grow bison number once again across grasslands under management. For the definition of biodiversity I have that it is the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Other organisms are definitely affected when another organisms goes extinct because it can harm an entire ecosystem of food chain. If the bison were to go extinct other organisms around it would be affected from it because the energy transfers they would be giving to the bison would no longer be received by it.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species, I chose the mountain gorilla, or Gorilla beringei beringei. Since it's discovery in 1902, “its population has endured years of war, hunting, habitat destruction and disease—threats so severe that it was once thought the species might be extinct by the end of the twentieth century.” As humans moved more and more into their habitat, the gorillas were forced deeper into the mountains where they life, putting them in threatening conditions. However, due to conservation efforts, the population is slowly increasing.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Great White Shark, also known as Carcharodon carcharias because it is a very interesting animal. It can do many things others can’t do like bite another fish and not chew, but swallow it whole. There is believed to be less than 3,500 left in existence. That is not a whole lot. Also, the most recorded shark bites come from Great White Sharks. They are not afraid to attack. Biodiversity is diversity between species in an environment. If organisms became extinct, then there would be less species in an environment and biodiversity would slowly decline.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered species I chose the red panda (Ailurus fulgens). It's trophic level is Herbivorous. when its an adult it weighs about 11 pounds.Its habitat is the forest of the Eastern Himalayas. Its typical life span is 8 years, but at there rate there soon won't be a life span which is why we need to protect these cute fluffy animals and not kill them off
ReplyDeleteFor my species I chose the Malayan Tiger, also known as the Panthera tigris jacksoni. The Malayan Tiger is a smaller subspecies of the tiger weighing 176-330 Ibs. The Malayan tiger was originally thought to be the indochinese tiger, but recent blood tests reveal it’s a whole different species. Due to its large size and carnivores properties, the tiger has no natural predator. Due to their habitat being destroyed, the Malayan tiger is becoming endangered, with only 600-800 tigers remaining. The main food source for them is small mammals, like deer and boar, but they're becoming endangered fast, so we need to help them.
ReplyDeleteThe Vaquita or Phocoena sinus, is the world's most rare marine mammal. First discovered in 1958, it is already on its way to being extinct. I chose this to be my endangered species because of its rarity in the world. Located only in the Gulf of California, there are only as many as 60 separate vaquitas. According to WWF more than half of its population has been lost in the last three years. The definition of biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. When organisms become extinct, the biodiversity becomes extremely less and less until the only remaining species will be very similar.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal i choose Loxodonta africana africana, also known as the savanna elephant. This elephant grows to 10-13 feet tall and weigh 4-7 tons. That's about 36 of me in terms of weight (depending on the elephant). This animal lives in Namibia and lives in the grasslands. I hope this elephant can continue to grow in population because elephants are one of my favorite animals. We should save them because they contribute to the woodland maintenance which allows many woodland creatures to thrive. What a nice elephant :)
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal I chose the sloth, they live in Central and South America in the tropical rain forests. They move about 40 yards per day, and they eat leaves, twigs and buds.They also spend 15 to 20 hours of their day sleeping but surprisingly the animals are very good swimmers. There are two different types of sloths, two-toed and three-toed, and six species: Pygmy three-toed sloth or Bradypus pygmaeus, the Maned sloth or Bradypus torquatus, the Pale-throated sloth or theBradypus tridactylus, the Brown-throated sloth or the Bradypus variegatus, the Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth or Choloepus didactylus and the Hoffman’s two-toed sloth or Choloepus hoffmanni. Of those, the pygmy sloth is endangered and the maned sloth is vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteFor my endangered animal I chose the Marine Iguana or the (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) I chose this Iguana because they have always interested me the way they look the way they eat and this one being a marine animal just made 10x more cool. Thay can dive 30 ft under water to catch prey and sustain life.
ReplyDeleteThe finless porpoise (aka Neophocaena phocaenoides) is a freshwater or saltwater animal that is critically endangered. I chose this animal because it is the closest animal to my home province. The finless porpoise is critically endangered due to human activities that have destroyed their natural habitat. Due to this, they have no food supply either. Biodiversity is how life varies by the different species in a habitat. The finless porpoise is crucial to biodiversity because then we would have a hard time finding out how healthy the ocean was and it would affect tourists! To conclude, we need these finless porpoise and more needs to be done about this problem.
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