Wildlife

Towards Extinction

By : Puneet Sachdeva	Previous \| Next
Posted on : 24 Sep, 2006	Total Views : 432

1. Pyrenean Ibex.Conservation status: Extinct (2000).
The Pyrenean Ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) One of the two extinct subspecies of Spanish ibex. It Once ranged across the Pyrenees and near zones, like the Basque country, Navarre or nord Catalonia. A few hundred years ago they were numerous, but by 1900 their numbers were reduced to less than one hundred. Moreover, since 1910, their numbers have never risen above 40, and the species were found only in a small part of Ordesa (Huesca, Spain). The last Pyrenean Ibex was found dead on January 6, 2000. The reason the Ibex became extinct is a mystery. Some hypotheses include the inability to compete with other species for food, infections and diseases, and poaching. Formerly found in the Spanish and French Pyrenees. However, more recently the population was restricted to Ordesa National Park in Spain.
Capra pyrenaica preferred rocky, mountainous habitat. Its diet consisted of grass, herbs and lichens. The Pyrenean Ibex is in the Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates). These animals are paraxonic which means that the plane of symmetry of each foot passes between the third and fourth digits. The third and fourth digits are quite large and bear most of the weight. The Pyrenean Ibex is of Family Bovidae. All bovids have horns. Their skulls lack sagittal crests. They have hypsodont teeth.

2. Falkland Islands Wolf(Dusicyon australis).
The Falkland Islands Wolf is larger than any others of the South American canids. It stood up about 60 cm (24 inches) high at the shoulders, and had a brownish-grey fur with black ears and a paler under body. This species shows also a distinct white tail-tip. This is sometimes regarded, as a sign of domestication, and some skull characters too, seems to point in this direction. It was said that this species did bark just like a domestic dog.
Falkland Islands wolves on West Falkland were smaller, redder and darker, with finer fur. In 1844 Bartholomew Sulivan, second lieutenant on Beagle voyage, wrote to Darwin: �It is quite incorrect what we were told respecting the difference in the Foxes of the two Islands. They are the same both in size and colour. We have never been able to detect any difference.� Oldfield Thomas measured skulls of the East and West Falkland animals and reached opposite conclusion though said �no certainty is possible�, called them Dusicyon darwini of East Falkland and Dusicyon australis of West Falkland. Nowadays these two different Falkland Inlands wolves are sometimes seen as subspecies. Dusicyon australis australis (Kerr, 1792), and Dusicyon australis darwinii (Thomas, 1914).
This species lived on the barren Falkland Islands, nearly 500 km from the South American mainland. It was the only land mammal of these islands. Sometimes two subspecies are named: Dusicyon australis australis (Kerr, 1792), and Dusicyon australis darwinii (Thomas, 1914). D. a. australis lived on West Falkland, and D. a. darwini lived on East Falkland. This species most likely survived on a diet of seabirds, seal pups, and probably even on vegetation. It was the only predatory mammal on the Falklands Islands.
U.S. fur traders hunted the species, and sheep raising Scottish settlers poisoned the Falkland Islands Wolf as a pest species

3. African Wild Dog.
The African wild dog, also called the hunting dog, is a vanishing species in East Africa. Field studies have shown that the wild dog is a highly intelligent and social animal. Like most predators, it plays an important role in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain a natural balance and ultimately improving prey species. The stereotype of the wild dog as a cruel butcher is slowly being replaced by a less harsh image.
The African wild dog is long-legged, with massive jaws and very large, erect batlike ears. Although it resembles some domestic dogs, it differs in that it has four toes on each foot instead of five. The Latin name for the African wild dog means �painted wolf,� which aptly describes the colorful coat of dark brown, black and yellow patches. Wild dogs have bushy tails with white tips that may serve as a flag to keep the pack in contact while hunting
Wild dogs live mostly in arid zones and in the savanna. They also are found in woodland and montane habitats where their prey lives.
They usually hunt in the early morning and again in late evening, prettying on gazelles and other antelopes, warthogs, wildebeests calves and rat and birds. They may raid domestic stock, but as wild dogs seldom stay in one place for long, this damage is not extensive
Throughout Africa wild dogs have been shot and poisoned by farmers, hunters and, at one time, by rangers who considered them as bloodthirsty raiders of livestocks and dispersers of wild herds. As the numbers of these wild dogs dwindle, they become more mysterious, elusive and enigmatic, reappearing suddenly in places they have not inhabited for months and then vanishing again a few days later. Even though protected in parks and reserves, wild dog populations have declined to the point that packs may no longer be viable. In some areas they are close to extinction.

4. Przewalski's Horse.
Przewalski's Horse also known as the Mongolian Wild Horse, or Takhi, is the closest living relative of the Domestic Horse and may in fact be the same species. Authorities differ about the correct classification. The two are the only equids that can cross-breed and produce fertile offspring. As of 2002, the world population of these horses is about 1,000, all descended from approximately 15 captured around 1900 and bred in zoos.
The horse is named after Russian General Nikolai Przhevalsky (Przewalski) (1839�1888) who was also an explorer and naturalist (the "Przewalski" spelling is actually Polish). He described the horse in 1881, after having gone on an expedition to find it, based on rumours of its existence. Many horses were captured around 1900 and placed in zoos. Of these, about twelve to fifteen bred and formed today's population.
The population declined in the 20th century due to a combination of factors, and the wild population in Mongolia died out in the 1960s. The last herd was sighted in 1967 and the last individual horse in 1969. Expeditions after this failed to find any. In 1977, the "Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse" was founded, which started a program of exchange between the captive populations to reduce inbreeding, and later starting a breeding program of its own. In 1992, the Foundation released sixteen horses into the wild in Mongolia, followed by further batches later on. The reintroduced horses have been breeding successfully.
The area to which they were reintroduced became Hustai National Park in 1998.There are reports of one or more herds introduced to Ukraine in the area evacuated after the Chernobyl accident, which now serves as a deserted de facto natural preserve.Three of these horses now graze in a 49,000 m� paddock in the Clocaenog Forest in North Wales, UK, on the site of a former Neolithic or Iron Age settlement. They were introduced there in 2004. The Forestry Commission hopes they will help recreate scenes from the Iron Age when these horses roamed Britain freely.
Przewalski's Horse is stockily built in comparison to domesticated horses, with shorter legs. Typical length is about 2.1 m with a 90 cm tail. They weigh around 350 kg. The coat varies from dark brown around the mane (which stands erect) to pale brown on the flanks and yellowish-white on the belly. The legs of the Przewalski's Horse are often faintly striped, suggesting an ancient common heritage with the zebra.
In the wild, Przewalski's Horses live in social groups consisting of a dominant male, several mares, and their offspring. Each group has a well-defined home range; within the range, the herd travels between three and six miles a day, spending time grazing, drinking, using salt licks, dozing, and taking mud baths. At night, the herd clusters and sleeps for about four hours.
Fillies leave their natal groups around age two, and look for a herd to join, after which they will begin to breed. Colts are driven out when they are about three years old, and spend a year or two in small bachelor herds, practicing fighting. At around age 5, a stallion will try to pass on his genes by attempting to take over an existing herd, stealing one or more mares from another stallion's harem, or gathering unattached fillies.

5. Tapir.
The tapirs are large, browsing animals, roughly pig-like in shape but with a short, prehensile trunk. Size varies between species, but most are about 2 metres long, stand about a metre high at the shoulder, and weigh between 150 and 300 kg. The natural lifespan of a tapir is approximately 30 years, and a single youngster is born after a gestation of about 13 months. All baby tapirs have striped-and-spotted coats for camouflage, and while they appear at first glance to be alike, there are some differences among the patterns of different species.
The tapir family is old by mammalian standards: the earliest fossil tapir dates to the early Oligocene, and Eocene rocks from as long as 55 million years ago contain a wide range of tapir-like animals. Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates: horses and rhinoceroses. Tapirs have splayed, hoofed toes; there are four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet which help them walk in muddy and soft ground. Although tapirs were once widespread, only four species endured into the modern world: three in Central and the warmer parts of South America and one in Southeast Asia.
Tapirs are forest animals that love water. Although they frequently live in dryland forest, tapirs with access to lakes or rivers spend a good deal of time in and under the water, feeding on soft marine vegetation and taking refuge from predators. The Brazilian Tapir often sinks to the bottom of a stream and walks along the riverbed to feed. In forests, they eat fruit, leaves, and berries. The three lowland tapirs are largely nocturnal and crepuscular. The smaller Mountain Tapir of the Andes is generally diurnal, but all four species react to hunting pressure by retreating deeper into inaccessible regions and becoming more nocturnal.
Although they are taken by tigers and other big cats, bears, crocodiles, and anaconda, the tapirs' major predators are human. Hunting for meat and hides has substantially reduced their numbers and, more recently, massive habitat loss has resulted in the conservation watch-listing of all four species: the Brazilian Tapir is classified as lower risk, near threatened; both Baird's and the Malayan Tapir (which may exist in Borneo) are classified as vulnerable; and the Mountain Tapir is endangered. It is said that some kind of tapir lives in some unexplored places in inner China, but this has not been proven.

Written By : Puneet Sachdeva

Visit personal website of Puneet Sachdeva

Rate

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Average

Poor

Contribute | Email to Friend | Post Comments | Contact Author

Rating :

Previous Entry : The Big Lion And The Little Rabbit
Next Entry : Conservation Of Wildlife

Articles Categories

• Agriculture	• Architectural	• Arts and Entertainment
• Astrology	• Autobiographical	• Automotive
• Beauty and Fitness	• Biographical	• Bollywood
• Business	• Communications	• Computers
• Factual	• Finance	• General
• Historical	• Home and Family	• Humorous
• Inspirational	• Internet	• Legal
• Life	• Miscellaneous	• Natural Health
• Nature	• News	• Patriotic
• Personal Account	• Product Reviews	• Reference and Education
• Relationships	• Religion	• Science
• Self Improvement	• Shopping	• Society
• Spiritual	• Sports	• Story
• Technology	• Traditions and Customs	• Travel and Leisure
• Wildlife

More on WhereInCity.com
Fun & Info.	:	Jokes \| Shayari \| Articles \| Poems \| Stories \| Tongue Twisters \| SMS \| Quotations \| Lyrics \| Recipes \| Personal Pages
City Pages	:	Ahmedabad \| Bangalore \| Chandigarh \| Delhi \| Hyderabad \| Kolkatta \| Mumbai \| Lucknow \| Ludhiana \| Pune \| More
India	:	History \| Pincodes \| STD Codes \| ISD Codes \| Lok Sabha \| Indian Railways \| Culture \| \| Freedom Fighters \| Great Indians
Medical	:	Doctors \| Hospitals \| Articles \| Contraception \| Diseases \| Vitamins \| Minerals \| Proteins \| Fats \| Carbohydrates
Astrology	:	Horoscopes \| Vedic Astrology \| Gem Therapy \| Palmistry \| Match Making \| Life Predictions \| Horoscope 2008
Kids	:	Kids Album \| Rhymes \| Baby Names \| Articles \| Learning Centre \| Animals Gallery
Education	:	Study Abroad \| GMAT \| Standardized Tests \| Schools \| Universities
Photos	:	City Photos \| Celebrity Special \| Misc. Photos
Business	:	Yellow Pages \| Classifieds \| Business Pages
Movies	:	Bollywood \| Hollywood \| Tamil \| Telugu \| List
Immigration	:	Canada \| Australia \| New Zealand
Products	:	Cars \| Bikes \| Mobile Phones \| Cameras \| Televisions
New!	:	Stardust Awards 2008 \| IIFA Awards 2008