D is for Dolphin!

March 06, 2022 by Sarah Edmonds

Amazon River Dolphin: Inia geoffrensis Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; Peru; Venezuela, Republic of Bolivarian

Atlantic Humpback Dolphin: Sousa teuszii Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2017

Native: Angola; Benin; Cameroon; Congo; Gabon; Gambia; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Mauritania; Senegal; Western Sahara

Australian Humpback Dolphin: Sousa sahulensis Vulnerable, decreasing - 2015

Native: Australia; Papua New Guinea

Australian Snubfin Dolphin: Orcaella heinsohni Vulnerable, decreasing - 2017

Native: Australia

Chilean Dolphin: Cephalorhynchus eutropia Near Threatened, decreasing - 2017

Native: Chile

Hector’s Dolphin: Cephalorhynchus hectori Endangered, decreasing - 2008

Native: New Zealand

Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin: Sousa plumbea Endangered, decreasing - 2015

Native: Bahrain; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Kenya; Kuwait; Madagascar; Mayotte; Mozambique; Oman; Pakistan; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Somalia; South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape); Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Turkey (Turkey-in-Asia); United Arab Emirates; Yemen

Irrawaddy Dolphin: Orcaella brevirostris Endangered, decreasing - 2017

Native: Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; India; Indonesia; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Viet Nam

Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin: Sousa chinensis Vulnerable, decreasing - 2015

Native: Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Malaysia; Myanmar; Philippines; Singapore; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Viet Nam

Threats: Fishing, Development, Water Management, Pollution, Mining and Military unrest

Habitat: Freshwater Wetlands

Diet: Fish, squid, shrimps, jellyfish and other sealife depending on where they live.

Fun Facts: Dolphins are sprinters that can reach speeds of 30mph and they love to chatter with each other. They’ve got a similar intelligence to humans as one of the only animals that use tools that assist them while they hunt for food.

Check out: Whale and Dolphin Conservation, IUCN Redlist, and World Wildlife Foundation.

C is for Camel!

February 25, 2022 by Sarah Edmonds

Wild Bactrian Camel: Camelus Ferus Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2008

Native: China (Xinjiang); Mongolia

Threats: Hunting, Development, Farming and Mining

Habitat: Desert

Diet: Herbaceous vegetation.

Fun Facts: The Bactrian camel has two humps versus the Dromedary camel, which has only one and is also known as the Arabian camel. On average, the Bactrian camels can grow to be 6ft at shoulder height with a 10ft body length, based on research done at the San Diego Zoo. In 13 minutes they can drink 30 gallons of water and can survive up to 6 months without food or water.

Check out: Wild Camel Protection Foundation, IUCN Redlist, and Live Science.

B is for Box turtle!

February 19, 2022 by Sarah Edmonds

Southern Asian Box Turtle: Cuora amboinensis Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; India; Indonesia; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Viet Nam

Yellow Headed Box Turtle: Cuora aurocapitata Critically Endangered, unspecified - 2000

Native: China

Bourret’s Box Turtle: Cuora bourreti Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Viet Nam

Yellow-margined Box Turtle: Cuora flavomarginata Endangered, unspecified - 2000

Native: China; Japan (Nansei-shoto); Taiwan, Province of China

Indochinese Box Turtle: Cuora galbinifrons Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: China (Hainan, Guangxi); Lao People's Democratic Republic; Viet Nam

McCord's Box Turtle: Cuora mccordi Critically Endangered, unspecified - 2000

Native: China

Keeled Box Turtle: Cuora mouhotii Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: Bangladesh; Bhutan; China; India; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Myanmar; Viet Nam

Pan's Box Turtle: Cuora pani Critically Endangered, unspecified - 2000

Native: China

Southern Viet Nam Box Turtle: Cuora picturata Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: Viet Nam

Chinese 3-striped Box Turtle: Cuora trifasciata Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2018

Native: China; China (Hainan); Hong Kong

Yunnan Box Turtle: Cuora yunnanensis Critically Endangered, decreasing - 2009

Native: China (Yunnan)

Zhou's Box Turtle: Cuora zhoui Critically Endangered, unspecified - 2000

Native: China

Eastern Box Turtle: Terrapene carolina Vulnerable, decreasing - 2010

Native: Canada (Ontario); Mexico (Yucatan, Veracruz, Tamaulipas); United States

Coahuilan Box Turtle: Terrapene coahuila Endangered, decreasing - 2007

Native: Mexico (Coahuila)

Ornate Box Turtle: Terrapene ornata Near Threatened, decreasing - 2010

Native: Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora); United States.

Threats: Human Population, Agricultural Expansion, Transportation, Illegal Trade

Habitat: Forests, Wetlands, Grasslands, Shrublands

Diet: Insects and vegetation

Fun Facts: Box Turtles can live to over 100 years old, and their shells have regenerative capabilities besides being a protective shelter against larger predators.

Check out: IUCN Redlist and Box Turtles