Extremely Endangered Species

These species are so rare that getting photographs of them is a miracle in itself.

Solenodon

SolenodonThe strange solenodon is a mammal found primarily in Cuba and Hispanola. Sure, it looks cute and manageable enough, sort of like an over-sized hedgehog. Too bad the solenodon injects rattlesnake-like

venom through its teeth, the only mammal to do so. Easily annoyed, the

solenodon bites at the drop of a banana leaf. Still, being both a carrion feeder and

insectivore, it is a vital species in its ecosystem. It was thought to be extinct until scientists found a few still alive in 2003. It is in grave danger of extinction.

Solenodon

• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)

• Class Mammalia (mammary glands)

• Order Soricomorpha (shrew-type)

• Family Solenodontidae• Genus Solenodon• Species Solenodon cubanus

Kakapo

KakapoThis is not only the rarest, but the strangest parrot in the world. Imagine a rather portly nocturnal bird that never

flies, preferring to hike through hilly forest for miles every night. It weighs in as the heaviest parrot in the world at 8

pounds. Imagine this and you have the very real (but virtually extinct) kakapo. A resident of New Zealand,

which is home to a number of rare birds, there are only 62 kakapos remaining on earth.

Kakapo

• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)• Class Aves (feathers, no teeth, most fly)• Order Psittaciformes• Family Psittacidae• Genus Strigops• Species Strigops habroptila

Kiwi

KiwiEveryone knows the beloved endangered kiwi is a flightless bird. As if to make up for its winged impotence, the kiwi is actually a violent,

temperamental little bird. The only bird with whiskers is also distinctly dog-like in its ability to sniff out food and threats. In fact, it has the most highly developed sense of smell of any bird, lifting its nose (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 kiwi has many other unusual

characteristics: the eggs are relatively huge, being one-fifth the bird’s weight; kiwi pairs mate for life – as long as 30 years – but tend to

have feisty relationships; the females are larger and more dominant than the males. In fact, daddy kiwis incubate the young while mom hunts – for an unheard-of 80 days, no less. Did you know that kiwis

are the smallest ratites on earth? Other ratites include ostrich and emu.

Kiwi• Kingdom Animalia

• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)

• Class Aves (feathers, no teeth, most fly)

• Order Struthioniformes

• Family Apterygidae

• Genus Apteryx

• Species Apteryx australis

Bumblebee Bat

Bumblebee BatWinning the cutest…bat…ever…award is the Bumblebee bat, which at its largest measures 1 inch! These tiny mammals hover like hummingbirds and like all

bats prefer caves and love feasting on insects. They can easily perch on the tip

of your thumb. This tiny bat dwells in Thailand and is considered one of the 12

most endangered species. There are fewer than 200 remaining.

Bumblebee Bat• Kingdom Animalia

• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary glands)• Order Chiroptera (winged mammals)• Family Craseonycteridae• Genus Craseonycteris• Species Craseonycteris thonglongyai

Aye Aye

Aye AyeSharing something in common with bats, aye

ayes are the only primates of the mammal world to rely on echolocation for hunting. It lives in spherical nests with a small hole for

entry and exit. It uses its long, slender middle finger to tap on trees in order to find tasty

insects – and it uses this same finger to scoop them out. Perhaps it is due to its unusually-

large eyes and ears that this unique, sensitive primate is believed to be a demon or a bad

luck omen. A native of Madagascar, it is often killed at first notice by the island’s

superstitious residents.

Aye Aye• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary glands)• Order Primates• Family Daubentoniidae• Genus Daubentonia • Species Daubentonia madagascariensis

Aye Aye

Echidna

EchidnaThe echidna is one of two egg-laying mammals in

the world (the other is the famous duck-billed platypus). Though it looks a big hedgehog-like,

this spiky creature is shy and non-confrontational. The echidna has a long, moist snout and an even longer tongue which it uses to feast on termites.

It has no teeth, so it has to “chew” termites by crushing them between its tongue and mouth cavity. There are actually 4 species of echidna, and along with the platypus, they are the only

monotremes.

Echidna• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary

glands)• Order Monotremata• Family Tachyglossidae• Genus Tachyglossus • Species Tachyglossus aculeatus

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

The yellow-eyed penguin, also native to New Zealand, is the rarest and strangest penguin in the world. It can dive to an astounding depth of 400 feet, likes to feed 20 miles from shore,

and prefers to nest in the forest rather than on the beach. Penguin families tend to keep to themselves rather than congregate as most

penguins do. Because of shoreline deforestation, these unusual-looking penguins

are at great risk.

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)• Class Aves (feathers, no teeth, most fly)• Order Sphenisciformes• Family Spheniscidae• Genus Megadyptes • Species Megadyptes antipodes

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

Purple Frog

Purple FrogThe purple frog is really purple. But its

brilliant hue is not the strange thing about it. The purple frog spends much of the year living 13 feet below ground. Also called the pignose

for its snubbed nose, this western Indian-dwelling frog was only discovered in 2003, in Kerala. Locals had known about the purple frog for years, but scientists were skeptical. Part of the reason purple frogs were difficult to find was simply due to the fact that they only come up for air for two weeks during

monsoon season in order to mate.

Purple Frog• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Amphibia• Order Anura (frogs and toads)• Family Nasikabatrachidae• Genus Nasikabatrachus• Species Nasikabatrachus

sahyadrensis

Duck-billed Platypus

Duck-billed PlatypusIt’s venomous. It’s got a duck’s bill, and otter’s

feet and a mammal’s body. Oh, and it lays eggs. No wonder Western naturalists were confused by the platypus when it was first introduced. The platypus, along with the

echidna, is a monotreme (egg-laying mammal). It’s native to Australia and Tasmania where it

was hunted to near-extinction during the 1800s for its fur, but has been protected since the turn of the 20th century. Though officially

a protected species, the platypus is at risk because of poaching.

Duck-billed Platypus• Kingdom Animalia

• Phylum Chordata (has a backbone)

• Class Mammalia (mammary glands)

• Order Monotremata• Family Ornithorhynchidae• Genus Ornithorhynchus• Species Ornithorhynchus

anatinus

Monito Del Monte

Monito Del MonteThe “little mountain monkey” of South America

is not a monkey, but rather a marsupial, thought to have arrived from Australia long ago. It’s tiny – only about 5″ full grown. They are nocturnal and carnivorous, and famous

(well, among scientists) for their unusual tail, which can store enough fat to make this little pipsqueak double in size. This allows them to go for long periods without food. Sadly, the

always-prepared Monito Del Monte is in danger of extinction.

Monito Del Monte

• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary

glands)• Order Microbiotheria• Family Microbiotheriidae• Genus Dromiciops • Species Dromiciops gliroides

Spring Hare

Spring HareThe bizarre spring hare had taxonomists scratching their heads for years. It’s been classified with jerboas (jumping rodents), squirrels and even porcupines. It’s now

classified on its own, and it resembles both a kangaroo and hare. It has specialized short

limbs with claws for digging as well as flexible ear flaps that can be used to seal off the ear canal to protect against the elements and

debris. It’s also got a funny resting position that looks a lot like the yoga Dolphin post: it stretches its long hind legs forward and then

rests its head and arms directly on the ground

Spring Hare• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary

glands)• Order Anomaluromorpha• Family Pedetidae• Genus Pedetes • Species Pedetes capensis

Sloth

SlothThe sloth belongs to the edentate family, which also includes anteaters, armadillos, and echidnas. Most

edentates are either threatened or endangered species. There are a number of unusual facts about the sloth. All sloths have three toes, but “two-toed”

sloths only have 2 claws. Sloths often hunt in packs. They can actually move quickly and will slash with their large claws – the slow-moving behavior is to

avoid predators like hawks. They actually hang most of their lives. Sloths typically have over 600 species of

bacteria, plants and animals living on them at any given time, and will often feed on themselves when

they are hungry. (Algae is the main snack.) Famously, these unusual creatures can rotate their heads 270 degrees. Lore has it that sloths adore beer and are

able to “hold their liquor” amazingly well.

Sloth• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary

glands)• Order Pilosa• Family Bradypodidae• Genus Bradypus • Species Bradypus tridactylus

Baby sloth

On the following slide is…

Arguably the most rare/endagered species on our planet today!

Sumatran Rabbit

Sumatran Rabbit

That’s not really its name; it doesn’t have one. Meet the rarest rabbit in the world, which has

only been seen twice in the last century at least. Locals didn’t even know it existed. The

“Sumatran rabbit” is thought to be nearly extinct.

(Note: there are very few available images of this incredibly rare animal, and most are

grainy at best).

Sumatran Rabbit• Kingdom Animalia• Phylum Chordata (has a

backbone)• Class Mammalia (mammary

glands)• Order Lagomorpha• Family Leporidae• Genus Nesolagus • Species Nesolagus netscheri

Very Endangered & Rare Species!

• http://webecoist.com/2008/08/24/strangest-endangered-species-and-animals/

• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/• http://www.arkive.org/