A kangaroo rat is a cute little mammal from the, Heteromyidae family, who lives in the western hemisphere of the USA. The native kangaroo rat wasn’t endangered until the 1950’s. They mainly live in California. The Kangaroo Rat is a nocturnal mammal who hide in their borrows during the heat of the day and plugs up their borrows with loose soil as they get ready for the night, where they thrive (3). They have a diet that feeds off of seeds and grains with an average lifespan of 9.8 years. They are about 6 to 7.8 in and have a tail that is 7-8.5 inches long (1). They weigh about 3 to 6.3 oz (1). The kangaroo rat gets its name from having kangaroo like features like hopping with their back legs (2). They hop or jump at speeds of 10 feet per second (1). They have a long tail that is used for balanced as they travel in bipedal motion (1). They have adapted to the hot climates of the desert. They can survive off the moisture of seeds and live without drinking water. (1) Their life spans are about one to two very short years (1). They can range in many habitats as they can live in areas where they are low rainfalls and humidity and high summer temperature and evaporation rates(5). Not only can they strive on in low water areas they can be found in stony soils, clays, gravel and rocky grounds which are soils that they prefer.(5) Why is the Kangaroo Rat Endangered? Unfortunately, they are an endangered species due to urban and agricultural development that has caused a massive habitat breakup (1). The population of the Kangaroo rat has plummeted in the 20th century with over 95 percent of the former range of this species has been lost due to a mixture of overgrazing, mining operations, cultivation and the introduction of exoti... ... middle of paper ... ...ing to the desert habitats as they are a natural benefit to the dry lands. With further research we could explore the benefits of the kangaroo rats kidneys that could open the door for future benefits. They pose little problems and are a unique creature that could possible never be seen again if we don’t save them. Works Cited http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/interactives-extras/animal-guides/animal-guide-giant-kangaroo-rat/2196/ http://fieldguides.eol.org/fguides/fieldguide-view.php?guidekey=485&eol_id=328111&sci_flag=0 http://www.arkive.org/giant-kangaroo-rat/dipodomys-ingens/ http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/KangarooRats.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_rat http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/07/cute-endangered-animal http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/6678/0 http://esrp.csustan.edu/publications/pubhtml.php?doc=sjvrp&file=chapter02H00.html
Isle Royal is located fifty-six miles north of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. It is the largest wilderness area in Michigan (USNPS, 2014). The island is surrounded by Lake Superior, which creates a cooler temperature. This results in arctic plant species growth on the island. There are only eighteen mammal species present on the island because most mammals cannot make the trip across the frozen great lake (USNPS, 2014). The need for an ice bridge is not the only environmental factor that is stopping the migration of animals; there is also the severe cold, and also wind and fog (Vucetich, 2012). Some species such as caribou and coyote have found the island to be too intense and have gone extinct (Vucetich, 2012). Due to the harsh weather and isolation of the island, humans have never regularly lived on the island (Vucetich, 2012). Some of species that are present such as the red squirrel are becoming their own subspecies due to its separation from the mainland (USNPS, 2014). The isolation of Isle Royal is what makes it a great place to conduct research, it has very low human interaction and the species that are on the island will have been and continue to be isolated from the mainland.
1These two populations are different species because they have different capabilities of performing in nature. For example there is behavioral isolation. My evidence for that is that in the data, it states that the average time spent in courtship display for the St. Kitts rodent is 12.6 seconds. While the courtship display for the Nevis Rodent is 21.3. You can see that there is a major difference in the way that they behave. Also there is another type of isolation which is gametic isolation. There is gametic isolation because the average gestation time for St. Kitts rodent is 29.3 days. The average gestation for the Nevis rodent is 42.7 days. Therefore a sperm from St. Kitts rodent wouldn’t survive in the reproductive tract of the Nevis rodent. It wouldn’t survive because it wouldn’t develop properly and is not accustomed to its environment. There is also another type of isolation happening with the rodents of St. Kitts. This type of isolation is called temporal isolation. There is temporal isolation because the article states, “the reproductive seasons are being delayed by up to one year.” This is talking about that the rodents are having a hard time finding mates therefore, their reproductive season is being delayed. Also in the article it states, “In the 240 attempts to bring a Nevis animal into the St. Kitts population, you are unable to observe a single successful reproductive event.” The rodents are mechanically isolated, because if you can’t have a reproductive event, there reproductive organs might not be matching with one another. Their appearance might look identical but they are genetically different.
Calyptorhynchus banksii, or red-tailed black-cockatoo, has coped with extreme variations in its environment. Much like the plant species of Australia, the red-tailed black-cockatoo has evolved physiological and anatomical adaptations that have allowed it to survive in changing surroundings. One of the most prevalent adaptations was that seen in the beak apparatus. Changes in the beak allowed the cockatoos to consume the newly evolved sources of food. The metabolic requirements of the cockatoos and the availability of food are also forces that have influenced the beak apparatus and the distribution of red-tailed black-cockatoos throughout Australia.
Dawson, Terence J. 1972. "Thermoregulation in Australian Desert Kangaroos." Comparative Physiology of Desert Animals 31: pp. 133-146.
Steppan, S. J. & Hamm, S. M. (2006). Sciuridae. Squirrels. In The Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved from http://tolweb.org/Sciuridae
Firstly, the northern quolls occur in a variety of habitats. This species can be found in rocky areas, eucalypt forest and woodlands, rainforests, sandy lowlands and beaches, shrub land, grasslands and desert (Threatened Species Scientific Committee, 2005). This project will limit its area of impact to Kakadu National Park. This is because this park is the largest national park in Australia and one of the largest in the world’s tropics. Also,
Platypuses live solo, except during the breeding season. They feed on worms and freshwater crayfish (Cheerax destructor) in eastern Australian rivers (Sutherland, 1983). They have low average body temperature compared to other mammals, which further supports their reptilian evolution (Torres et al., 1999). They can live about 16 years and grow to be 40-50 cm long, with males being larger than females (Jackson, 2003).
The AZA, Associations of Zoos and Aquariums, have set up a worldwide system to attempt to save these very threatened animals. The program is called the Species Survival Plan. As part of the species survival plan, zoos and aquariums in conjunction with AZA follow a system of rules and plans to help promote the care of these endangered animals in facilities. Each animal, out of the over 500 species AZA protects, has their own management system as set up by the various . The plans are devoted to maintaining genetically diverse populations ...
One popular method of trying to increase the numbers of endangered species is by in vitro fertilization, or test tube babies. Scientists take the sperm from a male and an egg from a female and united them in the laboratory, then place the embryo into a surrogate mother, which is usually put inside a similar animal. For instance, a Bengal tiger cub was born to a Siberian t...
The global phenomenon of bushmeat hunting, which refers to the unsustainable harvest and consumption of non-domesticated, primarily terrestrial animals, poses a significant threat to both biodiversity and human health. Although humans have hunted wildlife for thousands of years, concern regarding the long-term impacts of unsustainable hunting of vulnerable species has grown substantially in recent decades. Primate species face a pronounced impact from hunting, given that approximately 30% of primate species are currently classified as endangered or critically endangered. Exploitation by bushmeat hunting will result in the depletion, and eventual extinction, of many species of primates. The loss of these primate species will consequently significantly
Mason, Robert A. B. "Wild Mammals In Captivity: Principles And Techniques For Zoo Management, 2Nd Edition." Austral Ecology38.8 (2013): e26. Environment Index. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
The black rat is nocturnal, notwithstanding, it may become more active in the day in undisturbed areas. It is an omnivore, but haves a tendency to prefer plant matter such as fruits and seeds, although they will feed on insects, carrion, refuse and feces. On Lundy Island these rats feed on crabs along the shore. This rat lives in groups called 'packs ', consisting of several males and two or more dominant females. They’re skilled in climbing and can also swim very well. Nests are constructed from grass and twigs, often in roof spaces, a habit which earned the species the further common name of 'roof rat '. Breeding takes place between March and November; 3 to 5 litters can be produced in a year, each litter containing 1-16 young (although the average is 7). A female black rat can produce a big number of offspring; 56 young were recorded on a London ship for a single female At 12-16 weeks of age, females are
Rats are undesirable creatures that have been the symbol of death, pestilence, and disease. Rats can cause billions of dollars in damage and can start fires, spread serious diseases, and multiply rapidly to infest homes, according to the article Top Ten Fascinating Facts About Rats. Additionally, the inundation of rats in a home can cause panic and mass hysteria, with residents calling pest control companies and law enforcement as soon as they see a rat, as expressed by John Davidson in Floods See Rat Population Explosion . The trouble that the rats cause has been an issue for a very long time. The flood of rats that invade a home is believed to be caused by an increases in food sources near populated areas, and decreases in predators and dry
Shreeve, jamie “Species Revival: Should We Bring Back Extinct Animals?” ngm.nationalgeographic.com 5 March 2013, 22 March 2014
“Huntingdon Life Sciences is one of Europe 's biggest testers of animals. They kill approximately 75,000 animals each year, with 87 percent of these animals being rodents” (Murnaghan 1). Over 30 million mice are used in research facilities across the world, which makes up most of the animals being used in experimentation.