# Re: Endangered Animals (February: The Lyrebird)



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Kindles can be great for the environment. Whenever we download an ebook, we're not buying paper; we're doing a little something for the planet. Kindle readers are green!

Therefore, I thought we'd have an "Endangered Animals" thread here on Kindleboards. Every month, let's feature another endangered animal, learn about it, and maybe even discuss ways to save it.

For September 2010, I choose: The Tarsier










*Description*

Tarsiers are small animals with enormous eyes; each eyeball is approximately 16 mm in diameter and is as large as their entire brain. Tarsiers also have very long hind limbs. In fact, their feet have extremely elongated tarsus bones, from which the animals get their name. The head and body range from 10 to 15 cm in length, but the hind limbs are about twice this long (including the feet), and they also have a slender tail from 20 to 25 cm long. Their fingers are also elongated, with the third finger being about the same length as the upper arm. Most of the digits have nails, but the second and third toes of the hind feet bear claws instead, which are used for grooming. Tarsiers have very soft, velvety fur, which is generally buff, beige, or ochre in color.










*Conservation*

Tarsiers have never formed successful breeding colonies in captivity, and when caged, tarsiers have been known to injure and even kill themselves because of the stress.

One site in the Philippine island of Bohol is having some success restoring tarsier populations. The Philippine Tarsier Foundation has developed a large semi-wild enclosure that uses lights to attract the nocturnal insects that make up the tarsier's diet.

The 2008 described Siau Island Tarsier is regarded as critically endangered and was listed among the 25 most threatened primates by Conservation International and the IUCN/SCC Primate Specialist Group in 2008. Malaysian government protects tarsiers by listing them in the Totally Protected Animals of Sarawak, the Malaysian state in Borneo where they are commonly found.










*How can we help?*

I found this website of the Tarsier Foundation, which seems to be doing good work in saving tarsiers. I don't know much about them, but they look legit.

http://www.tarsierfoundation.org

Let me know if you hear of other programs for helping these little critters.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn (May 22, 2010)

Very interesting. I had never heard of them before. They almost look a little bit that strange little creature in Lord of the Rings.
Ann


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

They look a little like Gizmo from the Gremlin movies.

Gizmo:










A happy tarsier:










You know? I wonder if the old tales of goblins and gremlins originate from people seeing tarsiers. I can just imagine some peasant a thousand years ago discovering these little guys. He comes running back into town, yelling, "I saw the strangest little men in the forest! They had huge glowing eyes, and long pointy fingers, and they were all staring at me, and and... I shall name them _gremlins_."


----------



## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Darlin' little things.  I don't even think I've seen these in a zoo!  Unfortunately, I'm sure I'll never see 'em in the wild, since they are nocturnal and only live on islands in the Philippines and Indonesia.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

The Hooded Claw said:


> Darlin' little things. I don't even think I've seen these in a zoo! Unfortunately, I'm sure I'll never see 'em in the wild, since they are nocturnal and only live on islands in the Philippines and Indonesia.


I heard about them after my girlfriend visited the Philippines and returned with photos she took of them. She visited a sanctuary that protects them. They're about the size of a kitten, and very good natured; they let humans hold them.


----------



## J.M Pierce (May 13, 2010)

The Tarsier is a very neat animal indeed! The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska has a pair. We were lucky enough to watch them eating last year as it is a rare thing, it seems, to catch them not napping. We've been to visit for the last three years and have only seen them awake the one time. I'm taking the family there again in only three weeks. Can't wait!!!!

This was a great idea Daniel. Nice job.


J.M.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

J.M. Pierce said:


> The Tarsier is a very neat animal indeed! The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska has a pair. We were lucky enough to watch them eating last year as it is a rare thing, it seems, to catch them not napping. We've been to visit for the last three years and have only seen them awake the one time. I'm taking the family there again in only three weeks. Can't wait!!!!
> 
> This was a great idea Daniel. Nice job.
> 
> J.M.


Thanks, J.M. I'd love to someday see a few in real life. Our zoo doesn't have any.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn (May 22, 2010)

I would love to give some money to all of these endangered animals, but right now I have a Saint Bernard who is only two and needs both front elbows replaced. This will cost somewhere between $12,000 and $20,000. My boy is not allowed to walk much and limps along.

Please do keep this information about endangered species coming. I write about animals, and may pick one out to write about. I am always interested in this kind of information. Thanks for thinking about this.

Ann


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

P.A. Woodburn said:


> I would love to give some money to all of these endangered animals, but right now I have a Saint Bernard who is only two and needs both front elbows replaced. This will cost somewhere between $12,000 and $20,000. My boy is not allowed to walk much and limps along.
> 
> Please do keep this information about endangered species coming. I write about animals, and may pick one out to write about. I am always interested in this kind of information. Thanks for thinking about this.
> 
> Ann


Hi Ann,

I hope your dog feels better soon!

I'm not soliciting donations. Not the point of this thread. This is more of a "let's raise awareness" thread than a "let's raise money" thread. I'm mostly hoping we can learn about these animals... especially since they're at risk of going extinct in our lifetime. This might be our last chance to know them.

Here are some photos my girlfriend took of tarsiers on a recent trip to the Philippines:


----------



## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

These have been one of my favorite animals in the world since sixth grade when a friend of mine did a report on them for class.  They are fantastic little critters and if I see them in documentaries I am totally mesmerized.  These and bush babies.  Such a shame that we are losing so many wonderful things in this world.  It makes you wonder.  I just saw a report about Pennsylvania and the coal fire that has been burning underground for several decades in Centralia.  They said that there is enough coal down there to keep it burning for another 250 years!!!  Why isn't anyone screaming about this?  These sorts of things are destroying our planet, our wildlife and eventually ourselves. *sigh*


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

It makes me sad, Brendan.  I don't want to get too preachy in this thread... but I do feel bad how we're destroying the planet.  Those cute little tarsiers... this is their home too, just as much as it's ours.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Today is the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- a day when it can be difficult to understand human behavior. On days like this, when humans frustrate and anger and disappoint us, let's learn more about animals.

Here is more info about tarsiers, Kindleboard's Endangered Animal of the Month.



















Trivia about tarsiers:

* Their name is derived from their elongated "tarsus" or ankle bone.

* The tarsier is the world's smallest primate. The average adult is about the size of a human fist and will fit very comfortably in the human hand.

* A tarsier's eyes are fixed in its skull; they cannot turn in their sockets.

* The tarsier has the largest eye-to-body size ratio of all mammals.

* A tarsier can jump 10 feet between trees.

* For the past 45 million years, tarsiers have inhabited rainforests around the world, but now they only exist on a few islands in the Philippines, Borneo and Indonesia.

* In Bohol, the Philippine Tarsier was a common sight in the southern part of the island until the 1960s. Since then, the number has dwindled to as few as an estimated 1000 still left in the wild.

* The Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. based in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines, is spearheading the campaign to preserve the Philippine Tarsier.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh wow, less than 1000 left of these little guys? They are so cute! Does anyone know why their population dropped off so much? Is it habitat destruction, hunting, disease...? It's sad that they can't even breed in captivity. Doesn't give them a lot of hope for recovering, but I think we should appreciate them while we can and hope they pull through.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> Oh wow, less than 1000 left of these little guys? They are so cute! Does anyone know why their population dropped off so much? Is it habitat destruction, hunting, disease...? It's sad that they can't even breed in captivity. Doesn't give them a lot of hope for recovering, but I think we should appreciate them while we can and hope they pull through.


Hi Jess. The tarsiers are endangered largely due to loss of habitat. They live in rainforests, and are very shy creatures; they hide and sleep during the day, and only emerge at night. Many rainforests were cut down -- replaced by farmlands, roads, human cities, and the like.

Tarsiers were also hunted and sold as pets. In captivity, a tarsier's lifespan is only half as long -- due to stress, the wrong food, and being awake during the day (they are naturally nocturnal).


----------



## cc84 (Aug 6, 2010)

This is a great idea for a thread. 

Those lil Tarsiers are adorable! I did straight away think it looked like a Gremlin lol. But how awful they are so endangered. It breaks my heart for any animal to suffer because of us. 

I hope the conservation works and they can up the numbers of these little fella's. ♥


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

It's October. KindleBoards' new Endangered Animal of the Month is...

*The Snow Leopard*










*Overview*

Snow leopards live between 3,000 and 5,500 metres (9,800 and 18,000 ft) above sea level in the rocky mountain ranges of Central Asia.

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance which is very important in the rocky terrain they inhabit; the tails are also very thick due to storage of fats, and are very thickly covered with fur which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.

The snow leopard has a short muzzle and domed forehead, containing unusual large nasal cavities that help the animal breathe the thin cold air of their mountainous environment.










*Trivia*

* The snow leopard cannot roar.

* The snow leopard leads a largely solitary life, although mothers may rear cubs in dens in the mountains for extended periods.

* The snow leopard can leap 45 feet.

* A snow leopard was the antagonist in the 2008 animated film Kung Fu Panda.

*Conservation*

Snow leopards' secretive nature means that their exact numbers are unknown, but it has been estimated that between 3,500 and 7,000 snow leopards exist in the wild and between 600 and 700 in zoos worldwide.

There are numerous agencies working to conserve the snow leopard and its threatened mountain ecosystems. These include the Snow Leopard Trust, the Snow Leopard Conservancy, the Snow Leopard Network, and the Panthera Corporation.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow, what beautiful animals! I never knew they couldn't roar. Very interesting.


----------



## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

They can apparently stick out their tongues though. Maybe that's their primary form of defense.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Scheherazade said:


>


They are majestic beasts...


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

It's still their month!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

November's Endangered Animal is... the *blue whale*.










* At over 33 metres (108 ft) in length and 180 metric tons (200 short tons) or more in weight, the blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed.

* The blue whale's diet consists almost exclusively of small crustaceans known as krill.

* A blue whale's tongue weighs around 2.7 metric tons (3.0 short tons) and, when fully expanded, its mouth is large enough to hold up to 90 metric tons (99 short tons) of food and water.

* Despite the size of its mouth, the dimensions of its throat are such that a blue whale cannot swallow an object wider than a beach ball.

* Its heart weighs 600 kilograms (1,300 lb) and is the largest known in any animal.

* During the first seven months of its life, a blue whale calf drinks approximately 400 litres (100 U.S. gallons) of milk every day.

* Blue whale calves gain weight quickly, as much as 90 kilograms (200 lb) every 24 hours.

* Even at birth, they weigh up to 2,700 kilograms (6,000 lb)-the same as a fully grown hippopotamus.










*Conservation*

Blue whales were abundant in nearly all the oceans on Earth until the beginning of the twentieth century. For over 40 years, they were hunted almost to extinction by whalers until protected by the international community in 1966. A 2002 report estimated there were 5,000 to 12,000 blue whales worldwide.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I think it's really interesting that such an enormous animal feeds on such tiny food! I wonder if you can see the babies grow...200 lbs every 24 hours, whew!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> I think it's really interesting that such an enormous animal feeds on such tiny food! I wonder if you can see the babies grow...200 lbs every 24 hours, whew!


The babies are amazing! Hard to imagine a creature that's born the size of an adult hippo, and grows 200 lbs every day.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Can you believe it's December already? This month's Endangered Animal is the... *drumroll*

*Axolotl*










The axolotl (pronounced /ˈæksəlɒtəl/), Ambystoma mexicanum, is the best known of the Mexican neotenic mole salamanders belonging to the Tiger Salamander complex.










As of 2010, wild axolotls are near extinction due to urbanization in Mexico City and polluted waters.










Axolotls are also sold as food in Mexican markets and were a staple in the Aztec diet. They are currently listed by CITES as an endangered species and by IUCN as critically endangered in the wild, with a decreasing population.


----------



## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

Wow! The Axolotl look amazing! They look like something Hollywood would create. I hope the little guys make it.
Great thread!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

AddieLove said:


> Wow! The Axolotl look amazing! They look like something Hollywood would create. I hope the little guys make it.
> Great thread!


They almost look like cartoons, don't they?


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I used to have a pet axolotl!! The interesting thing about them is that they are very common in labs, but endangered in the wild. A strange situation! You can actually order them online and have them shipped to you (which is what I did). This was my little guy:










Also, there are many different colors of axolotls. There are black and brown ones also. Some people try to force axolotls to metamorphose (which they do not do naturally) so that they can come out of the water.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> I used to have a pet axolotl!!


I'm jealous. I wish I had a pet axolotl.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Aww, I checked the place I ordered mine from and they no longer sell axolotls as pets. However, if you work at a school, you can still order one. This is the place that sells them: http://www.ambystoma.org/AGSC/

They do list some other places that might sell them as pets though! http://www.ambystoma.org/AGSC/alternative.htm

Be warned though, they are hard to take care of. They live in the water and need it to be COLD. You have to do regular water changes and my axolotl would only eat if I fed him by hand. They're sooo cool looking though.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

January's endangered animal is...

*The Gorilla.*










Gorillas are the largest of the primates. They are ground-dwelling and predominantly herbivorous. They inhabit the forests of central Africa.










The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of a human. They are the next closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee species.










Both species of gorilla are endangered, and have been subject to intense poaching for a long time. Threats to gorilla survival include habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade.










Since they came to the attention of western society in the 1860s, gorillas have been a recurring element of many aspects of popular culture and media. For example, gorillas have featured prominently in monstrous fantasy films such as King Kong, and pulp fiction such as the stories of Tarzan and Conan the Barbarian have featured gorillas as physical opponents to the titular protagonists.


----------



## Anita (Jan 3, 2009)

Colo (the young lady in my avatar) and I would like to thank you for choosing the gorilla for January!  Thank you also for posting pictures of western lowland gorillas 

Where did you get the third picture in your post, of the female and infant?  It kind of looks like Zura and Hasani to me - do you know who it is or what zoo it is from?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Anita said:


> Where did you get the third picture in your post, of the female and infant? It kind of looks like Zura and Hasani to me - do you know who it is or what zoo it is from?


Yep, I do believe that's them. It was definitely taken at the SF zoo, where those two live. Well spotted.


----------



## Anita (Jan 3, 2009)

Zura and Hasani are the grandaughter and great-grandson of Colo.  Zura's mother is here in Columbus, along with her half-brother.  

I volunteer at the Columbus Zoo and you can probably guess that I spend a lot of time with the gorillas


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Anita said:


> I volunteer at the Columbus Zoo and you can probably guess that I spend a lot of time with the gorillas


We have a few gorillas here in the Toronto Zoo, as well. I've seen them several times.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Anita said:


> Zura and Hasani are the grandaughter and great-grandson of Colo. Zura's mother is here in Columbus, along with her half-brother.
> 
> I volunteer at the Columbus Zoo and you can probably guess that I spend a lot of time with the gorillas


That's really cool! I was thinking we had some gorillas at the Oregon Zoo, but I don't see them listed. Gorillas seem like amazing animals!


----------



## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

Love this thread, Daniel.

Gorillas are such incredible animals!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

February's animal is...

*THE LYREBIRD!*

The lyrebirds are known for their mimicry.

A lyrebird's call is a rich mixture of its own song and any number of other sounds it has heard. The lyrebird's syrinx is the most complexly-muscled of the Passerines (songbirds), giving the lyrebird extraordinary ability, unmatched in vocal repertoire and mimicry. Lyrebirds render with great fidelity the individual songs of other birds and the chatter of flocks of birds, and also mimic other animals, human noises, machinery of all kinds, explosions, and musical instruments. The lyrebird is capable of imitating almost any sound - from a mill whistle to a cross-cut saw, and, not uncommonly, sounds as diverse as chainsaws, car engines and car alarms, fire alarms, rifle-shots, camera shutters, dogs barking, crying babies, and even the human voice.

Watch this lyrebird in action:


----------



## Daniel Pyle (Aug 13, 2010)

Whoa, that's awesome!


----------



## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

Simply fascinating.  Thank you for bringing this wonderful bird and the other animals to our attention.


----------



## Cathymw (May 27, 2010)

My cat found that video the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.  I thought it was cool as well. Cool thread, in general.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow, that's a beautiful bird!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Chook, a Lyrebird at Adelaide Zoo, knows how to imitate construction workers. He imitates their saws and hammers, and even their voices.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn (May 22, 2010)

Very interesting.
Ann


----------

