~Explore Biology~

Kingdom: Animalia.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia 
Order: Carnivora
Genus: Mellivora 
Family: Mustelidae.
Scientific name:Mellivora capensis
PHYSICAL CHARACTERTISTICS:

Honey badgers are famously tough. (South Africa's National Defense Force calls its armored personnel carriers ratels, the Afrikaans word for these beasts.) But we discovered that they're far from indestructible. Lions and leopards routinely kill them. The badgers' appetite for ravaging beehives (thus their common name) causes conflicts with commercial honey producers, some of whom shoot, trap, or poison animals they suspect of damaging their hives. Females have just one offspring at a time—not the multicub litters previously assumed—and though they care for their young for more than a year after birth, half of all cubs succumb to predators or starvation and die before achieving independence.
 
 PROTECTION:
A mother carries a tiny cub, like the two-month-old above, more than a mile to a new den every three to five days. Once the cub can walk well on its own, the mother and cub will sleep in a different burrow almost every night to evade predators and find new prey.


LOCATION:

Little is known about honey badger numbers in most countries where they're found, but they seem to be disappearing in many areas. They're considered endangered in Niger, protected in Israel and India, and near-threatened in Morocco and South Africa. We're worried about them. Their need for large ranges, combined with low reproductive rates and human persecution, may mean that many national parks and other conservation areas are too small to protect sustainable populations.
VENOUM:

Snakes make high-yield meals, and honey badgers track them relentlessly. Wherever snakes try to hide—up trees, in dense brush, or underground—badgers follow and attack. A 13-minute treetop battle with a venomous Cape cobra earned this female badger a pound and a half of meat for herself and her cub. In summer, when snakes are most active, they provide more than half the total food badgers consume. Even lethal puff adders are on the menu.
 

DIGGING BURROWS:

Equipped with inch-and-a-half-long claws that grow throughout their lives, adult honey badgers can dig themselves out of sight in just a couple of minutes. They capture more than three-fourths of their prey underground. Cubs try to dig on their earliest outings, but not until about eight months old do they become adept enough to help their mothers hunt.
 


Habitat:

Wide tolerance, from semi-desert to rainforest.
BREEDING:
In southern Africa, honey badgers do not have a breeding season and cubs are born throughout the year. Contrary to information in some field guides, badgers do not regularly have more than two cubs at a time and in the Kalahari badgers raised only one cub after a gestation of six to eight weeks. The cubs are born naked and blind in a hole prepared by the female and she will typically move the cub to a new den every two to five days, by carrying the cub in her mouth. The cub develops slowly with its eyes only opening after two months, and will emerge from the den and accompany its mother on short foraging bouts at three months of age, by which time it has the adult's black and white colouration. The cub's mantle is usually far whiter than its mother.

Kingdom: Animalia
Scientific name:macropusrufus
Class: Mammalia
Order: Diprotodontia 
Genus: Macropus
Family: Macropodidae
Phylum:Chordata

PHYSICAL CHARACTERTISTICS:
Red kangaroos hop along on their powerful hind legs and do so at great speed. A red kangaroo can reach speeds of over 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour. Their bounding gate allows them to cover 25 feet (8 meters) in a single leap and to jump 6 feet (1.8 meters) high.

LOCATION:
Red kangaroos live in Australia's deserts and open grasslands, gathering in groups called mobs. Aboriginal and European Australians have spent centuries clearing open tracts of land and establishing water sources—both of which are boons to kangaroo populations. Many millions of these animals roam Australia, and considerable numbers are killed each year for their skins and meat, which is becoming a more popular human food.

MATTING:
Larger male kangaroos are powerfully built. Like many species, male kangaroos sometimes fight over potential mates. They often lean back on their sturdy tail and "box" each other with their strong hind legs. Kangaroos can also bite and wield sharp claws, which they may do in battle with an enemy like a dingo.
FEMALE KANGROOS:
Female red kangaroos are smaller, lighter, and faster than males. They also boast a blue-hued coat, so many Australians call them "blue fliers."
MARSUPIALS:
The red kangaroo is the world's largest marsupial. Females have one baby at a time, which at birth is smaller than a cherry. The infant immediately climbs into its mother's pouch and does not emerge for two months. Until they reach about eight months of age, threatened young kangaroos, called joeys, will quickly dive for the safety of mom's pouch. As they grow, joeys' heads and feet can often be seen hanging out of the pouch.
Habitat:
*Red kangaroos live inland Australia
*Live in Shrub lands
*In arid grasslands
*In Mallee scrubs
*Mulga country
*Desert
*Biomes
*Able to survive 40° c by using shade and avoiding activity during the day
*Concentrate urine to conserve water because of this they are able to tolerate severe dehydration
*Regulate body heat with saliva
*Their red fur camouflages with the red soil of the Australian desert 
REPRODUCTION:
*Red kangaroo Females can usually have one baby at a time however on rare instances they can have twins. Although they usually only have one baby at a time they can nurse more.
*Red kangaroo reproduction is not casual because away times other males will drive the mating male away from the mating female.
*When it comes to breeding rights male s will fight. They will lock forearms and try to push each other off balance. If fighting continues they will deliver forceful kicks to their foes stomach area.
*They have one of the least complex courtship activities.
*Females mature at 18 months
*Males mature at 2 years
*When pregnant females are about to give birth they usually separate from the mob with a couple males.
*Pregnancy lasts 30-42 months to have birth
*When the Joey (baby kangaroo) comes out of the mother it is usually the size of a lima bean.
*The mother is maternal until its old enough to live on its own this is usually a year

Scientific Name: Authority Lists:
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Ailuridae
Genus: Ailurus
Species:Ailurus fulgens
Phylum:Chordata
PHYSICAL CHARACTERTISTICS:

The red panda is dwarfed by the black-and-white giant that shares its name. These pandas typically grow to the size of a house cat, though their big, bushy tails add an additional 18 inches (46 centimeters). The pandas use their ringed tails as wraparound blankets in the chilly mountain heights.
LOCATION:

The red panda shares the giant panda's rainy, high-altitude forest habitat, but has a wider range. Red pandas live in the mountains of Nepal and northern Myanmar (Burma), as well as in central China.
HABITAT:

The red panda shares the giant panda's rainy, high-altitude forest habitat, but has a wider range. Red pandas live in the mountains of Nepal and northern Myanmar (Burma), as well as in central China.
DIET:

Red pandas have a taste for bamboo but, unlike their larger relatives, they eat many other foods as well—fruit, acorns, roots, and eggs. Like giant pandas, they have an extended wrist bone that functions almost like a thumb and greatly aids their grip.
REPRODUCTION AND GESTATION PERIOD: 

They are shy and solitary except when mating. Females give birth in the spring and summer, typically to one to four young. Young red pandas remain in their nests for about 90 days, during which time their mother cares for them. (Males take little or no interest in their offspring.)
CLASSIFICATION: 

The red panda has given scientists taxonomic fits. It has been classified as a relative of the giant panda, and also of the raccoon, with which it shares a ringed tail. Currently, red pandas are considered members of their own unique family—the Ailuridae.
ENDAGERED SPECIES: 

Red pandas are endangered, victims of deforestation. Their natural space is shrinking as more and more forests are destroyed by logging and the spread of agriculture. 

Naja naja is a species of venomous snake native to the Indian subcontinent which includes present day Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri lanka. It is the most famous of the Big Four, the four most venomous snakes of India for which a single polyvalent antivenom has been created. Like other cobras, N. naja is famous for its threat display involving raising the front part of its body and spreading its hood. This snake is revered in Indian mythology and culture and is often seen with snake charmers. It is now protected in India under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
DESCRIPTION:
On the rear of the snake's hood are two circular ocelli patterns connected by a curved line, evoking the image of spectacles. An average cobra is about 1.9 meters (6 feet) in length and rarely as long as 2.4 meters (nearly 8 feet).[2] The spectacle pattern on the hood is very variable as also the ground colour of the snake.

The Oriental Ratsnake Ptyas mucosus is often mistaken for the cobra; however this snake is much longer and can easily be told apart by the stronger ridged appearance of its body. Other snakes which resemble Naja naja are the Banded Racer Argyrogena fasciolata and the Indian Smooth Snake Coronella brachyura.

The genus name Naja comes from Indian Languages. The Indian Cobra or Spectacled Cobra being common in South Asia, is referred to by a number of local names deriving from the root of Naag (Hindi, Sanskrit, Oriy, Marathi), Moorkan (Malayalam), Naya (Singhalese), Nalla Trachu (Telugu)[6] ,Nagara Haavu (Kannada) Nalla pambu (Tamil)[6] and Gokhra (Bengali).
ECOLOGY AND REPRODUCTION: 
Naja naja is found throughout the mainland of India. It is also found in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It ranges from sea-level up to 2000m.

Cobras normally feed on rodents, toads, frogs, birds and snakes. Their normal habitat includes open forest and farmland. They are however also able to thrive in cities, living on rodents in the sewers and underground drains.

Indian cobras are oviparous and lay their eggs between the months of April and July. Females lay from 12 to 30 eggs in an underground nest and the eggs hatch 48 to 69 days later. Newborn cobras measure between 8 and 12 inches (20-30 cm). Newly hatched cobras have fully functional venom glands.
VENOM:
The Spectecled cobra's venom contains a powerful post-synaptic neurotoxin. The venom acts on the synaptic gaps of the nerves, thereby paralyzing muscles, and possibly leading to respiratory failure or cardiac arrest. The venom components include enzymes such as hyaluronidase that cause lysis and increase the spread of the venom. Symptoms of cobra envenomation can begin from 15 minutes to two hours after the bite, and can be fatal in less than an hour. The Indian Cobra is one of the Big four (most dangerous venomous snakes of India) and a polyvalent serum is available for treating snakebites by these snake. 

Scientific Name: Ursidae Helarctos malayanus
Phylum: Chordata
Genus: Ursus
family: Ursidae
Class: Equisetopsid
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The Malayan sun bear is the smallest member of the bear family. It is also the one with the shortest and sleekest coat - perhaps an adaptation to a lowland equatorial climate. 

These animals grow to approximately four and a half feet in length and have a tiny, two-inch tail. Their average weight is less than 100 pounds. The short-haired, deep black or brown-black fur is interrupted on the chest by a pale orange-yellow horseshoe-shaped marking. In folklore, this yellow crescent is said to represent the rising sun and is apparently the origin of the name sun bear. 


They have a long narrow tongue which can be extended quite far. The long sickle-shaped claws on all four feet and the large, inward-oriented feet are most reminiscent of the sloth bear. Malayan sun bears are skillful climbers, a useful ability for a species which spends a lot of time climbing trees to get fruit.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Although they inhabit both lowlands and highlands, the Sun bears are primarily forest dwellers. They rest and feed in trees in tropical to subtropical regions of Southeast Asia - Borneo, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Kampuchea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and possibly southern China.
BEHAVIOR:

Relatively low weight, strongly curved claws, and large paws with naked soles help to make the Sun bear an adept climber. It is primarily nocturnal, frequently resting or sunbathing during the day on a platform of broken branches several feet above ground level. 

Malayan sun bears sometimes cause a great deal of damage to coconut palms and on cocoa plantations. Young cubs are so lively, playful and attractive that they are often kept as pets in their native lands, but they become treacherously bad-tempered as they grow older. 

In zoos, Malayan sun bears often scratch one stone after another out of walls, using their sharp claws.
DIET:

Malayan sun bears are omnivorous. They eat small vertebrates such as lizards and nesting birds and fruit. They are also very fond of honey.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Sun bears may mate at any time of year; they are thought to have only one mate. Two or three cubs are usually born after a gestation period of 96 days. The young, usually weighing 10-15 ounces each, are suckled for about 18 months. Females reach sexual maturity at about three years and males at four years. These bears live 25 to 28 years in captivity.

Class: AVES
Order: Archaeopterygiformes 
Genus: Archaeopteryx
Scientific name: Dacelo novaeguineae 
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 
Kookaburras, known as the Laughing Jackasses of Australia, are from the family Kingfishers. Similar to other kingfishers, Kookaburras have a stout and compact body, short neck, rather long and pointed bill and short legs. 


Kookaburras are 17 inches in height, the upper parts dark brown, the wings spotted gray-blue. A white band separates the head from the body. There is a dark stripe through the eye, and the under parts are white. The strong bill is black.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Kookaburras inhabit woodland areas of eastern and south western Australia.
BEHAVIOR:

The Kookaburra's rolling, laughing call is one of the best-known sounds in the animal world. The birds raise a wild chorus of crazy laughter as they go to roost in the treetops at dusk, and again wake everyone within hearing just as dawn breaks, so regularly that in the hinterlands of Australia they are know as the "bushman's clock."

Australians value the Kookaburra, not only as an intriguing member of the strange fauna, but for its habit of feeding on snakes and lizards. The Kookaburra seizes snakes behind the head and kills them by dropping them from a height, or else carries them to a perch and batters them senseless with its big bill before swallowing them.

Less welcome is the Kookaburra's fondness for the young of other birds, and its occasional raids on farmyards for ducklings and baby chicks.
DIET:

In the wild, Kookaburras are known to be partial to the young of other birds and snakes, as well as insects and small reptiles. In the Zoo they are fed commercially prepared Bird of Prey mix and dead baby chicks.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Kookaburras generally live in pairs or in small groups in open woodland. They incubate their two to four pure white eggs in hollow tree trunks, tree holes, or in excavated termite nests. Both adults incubate for a period of 25 days. The young leave the nest 30 days after hatching, but the parents continue to feed them for another 40 days.
GENERAL INFO:

The Australian aborigines have a legend about the Kookaburra. When the sun rose for the first time, the god Bayame ordered the kookaburra to utter its loud, almost human laughter in order to wake up mankind so that they should not miss the wonderful sunrise. The aborigines also believed that any child who insulted a kookaburra would grow an extra slanting tooth.

Scientific Name: Felidae Panthera leo
Swahili Name: Simba

Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera.
Species: leo
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

One of Africa's Big Five, the lion is a carnivore (meat eater) and a hunter. It uses its powerful forelegs to grab or slap down large prey that would otherwise outrun it. The jaws are short and strong with long canine teeth that are used to quickly kill the prey, either by biting the neck and strangling or by biting the nose and suffocating. The tongue's upper surface has small bumps on it which enables the lion to hold on to meat while eating and to remove parasites when grooming.Hear Apollo roar!

SIZE:

Its legs are short with very powerful muscles enabling it to sprint and bring down large prey. The ability to retract its claws helps in protecting them so they maintain their sharpness.

Male lions are 20 to 35% larger than the females and 50% heavier. The male's chief role is to protect the pride's territory and females from other males. Size is therefore an advantage though it increases the male's need for food. Only males grow a mane. It causes him to look bigger without increasing his weight or need for food. It also protects him from bites and scratches should he have to fight another male.

Each lion has, what are called, "whisker spots". The pattern formed by this top row of whiskers differs in every lion and remains the same throughout its lifetime. Field researchers often use this unique pattern to identify specific animals.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Rich grasslands of East Africa to sands of Kalahari Desert, South Sahara to South Africa, excluding the Congo rain forest. They avoid dense forests because prey is scarce. Competition for Africa's grasslands by humans has drastically reduced the lions' range.
BEHAVIOR:

Lions are more social than most other cat species which are usually solitary by nature. They live in prides composed of 3 to 30 individuals, related adult females and their young. Each pride has its own social dominant hierarchy in which the weakest male ranks above all females. If a resident males are defeated by new males they will leave the pride and typically will never return.

On the open plains, hunting takes place at night. In areas of high grass or thick foliage, it may occur during the day. Research by Dr. Craig Packer, at the Lion Research Center, on the reintroduction of lions into South African Parks, has found that lions will ambush prey at rivers or water holes. They prefer to hunt near river confluences that funnel prey into a small areas. He has found that highly attractive spots will remain so for generations. In two parks where lions were re-introduced, the released animals explored the entire reserve before selecting a specific area and developing a clearly defined home range.

The male rarely hunts with the pride, perhaps because its mane makes it too obvious. Lionesses hunt instinctively in a cooperative fashion. When hunting in a group they fan out to surround prey and attempt to drive it toward one another. Since lions can only run 36 mph., and some of its prey can run up to 50 mph., cooperation and stealth are vital. The females are expert stalkers and the color of their coat helps camouflage them. If a female is hunting alone, it is imperative that she gets a close as possible to her prey, which often has the ability to run faster than her. If an individual is hunting alone it will only be successful about 17% of the time. If two or more hunt together they will have a success rate of 30%.

The prey is eaten by all members of the pride. As each struggles to eat as much as possible, fights erupt, growling, hissing, and paw swiping. The strongest eats the most. Afterwards they all calm down and greet each other affectionately and the peaceful cooperative life of the pride continues.
DIET:

Adult females require an average of 11 pounds of meat per day and adult males, 15.4 lbs. The pride provides food to its sick and wounded members but not to the male. The male uses his size to take what he wants of the lioness' kill.

A typical diet will include zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, gazelles and impala. Lions are opportunistic and will readily scavenge the kills of cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas.
COMMUNICATION:

Lions communicate with each other in a wide variety of ways. The most important is through body contact. Passing lions of the same pride greet each other by rubbing their cheeks together. Sometimes this is prolonged into neck and body rubbing as well. 

Grooming serves social as well as physical needs of the pride. In grooming, the hard bumpy tongue combs fur clean, cleans off blood after feeding, and removes ticks, fleas and other parasites. Grooming also reinforces social bonds. 

Lions are also extremely aware of the subtle changes in posture of each other. Facial expressions are unusually varied from an antagonistic, defensive threat, with snarling or hissing to an aggressive threat with growls.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

After a gestation period of 100-119 days, the pregnant female leaves the pride and finds a place to deliver. Depending on the physical characteristics of their habitat, lions will hide their newborn cubs in marshes or kopjes. 

The number of cubs born depends on the age and dietary condition of the mother. The litter size is 1 to 4 offspring. The pride synchronizes its reproduction so they can rear their cubs together, each suckling the others' cubs as well as their own. For example, if a lioness is away hunting, her cub will be suckled by another lactating female. Cubs are nursed 6-7 months.

Cubs reach sexual maturity at 24 to 28 months in captivity and at 36 to 46 months in the wild. The difference here is one of nutrition. Overall cub mortality rates are high. In the wild as many as 80% die before they are 2 years old. Because the cubs are not able to compete with larger ones during feeding, some of them starve. Even in times of abundance cubs may starve if all the kills are small. 

If a pride is taken over by a new male who has defeated the top resident male, he will most likely kill any existing cubs that are under 2 years old. This rapidly brings the females into breeding condition, ensuring that the strongest male gets to breed and continue his genetic line. 

The average lifespan of a lion in the wild is up to 16 years. In captivity, they often live 10 years beyond that.
DISEASE

From 1993 to 1997, more than 1,000 lions (1/3 of the entire population of the Serengeti Parks) died from canine distemper which was spread from Masai dogs to hyenas, which acted as primary carriers. Hyenas travel long distances and mix with other predators at kills. A vaccination program was set up for 10,000 dogs in villages surrounding the parks to stop the disease at its source. There is an ongoing program for vaccinating the dogs, to prevent parvo virus, rabies and canine distemper which can all be passed to wild animals.

Scientific Name: Branta sandvicensis
Phylum: Chordata.
Class: Aves.
Order: Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus: Branta 
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 
The Nene is one of 30 birds species in Hawaii classified by both the State and Federal government as an endangered species. It is Hawaii's state bird, which adds a special impetus to its preservation as a symbol of native Hawaiian wildlife. It is also the only goose endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago which exists; at least eight other endemic goose species are known to have become extinct.

As with all geese, the Nene is monomorphic. That is, the sexes are nearly identical in appearance, with the male being somewhat larger.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Recently discovered fossil deposits strongly suggest that the ancient distribution of Nene included Kauai, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island. The current distribution of Nene on the Big Island occurs primarily on the slopes of Mauna Loa, Kilauea, and Hualalai. The reintroduced population of Maui is currently centered in the Haleakala Crater area. These upland habitats frequently are vegetated areas among the more recent lava flows, generally with no natural standing water. Nene also utilize pasture and other grass lands.
BEHAVIOR:

The Nene or Hawaiian Goose is a member of the family that includes the whistling ducks, swans, and true geese. Unlike most other geese, Nene are non-migratory, in that generally only island wide movement is known to occur. Nene have also been called "semi terrestrial," in that the toe webbing is reduced. 

The Nene and the Canada Goose are probably derived from a common ancestor. However, there are some differences between the Nene and members of the goose family, including a "winter" breeding season in contrast to the typical "summer" season of North American geese and the reported ability to copulate out of water.
 DIET:

Nene are grazer/browsers which are associated with lava fields vegetated with a dry grass/native shrub ecosystem (less than 90 inches of rain a year). Most of their dietary water intake need is probably met via the consumption of berries. In the zoo, they eat bird chow and vegetables, and grass and herbs that grow in their enclosure.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

The breeding season (nest construction, egg laying, and incubation) of wild Nene in Hawaii generally begins in October and ends in February. This corresponds more or less with the wet winter season in Hawaii, when most plant growth occurs.
ENDANGERED STATUS:

A list of factors that limit Nene survival includes loss of habitats to development and agriculture, establishment of nonnative species (mammalian, predators, avian competitors, non-native plants, mosquitoes), and direct human disturbance. 

Human-caused ecosystem changes will probably always necessitate some degree of management for the Nene in order to "compensate" for severe ecosystem disturbances. 

Nenes used to be more common. Prior to 1778 (when Capt. James Cook arrived) there were about 25,000 Nene. By the mid 1900's, wild Nene numbered less than 30. Breeding programs at Slimbridge in England and Pohakuloa, Hawaii have helped bring the current population in Hawaii up to about 3,000 birds.

Scientific Name: Hylobatidae Hylobates lar
CLASS: MAMALIA
ORDER:PRIMATES
PHYLUM:CHORDATA
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The White-handed gibbon, like the gorilla, chimpanzee and orangutan, is an ape, not a monkey. The chief characteristics distinguishing apes from monkeys are the absence of a tail, their more or less upright posture and the high development of their brain. The White-handed gibbon (also know as the Lar gibbon) has a black to pale brown or yellowish-gray fur body, with white hair framing a black naked face. 

The palms of the hand and soles of the feet are also free of fur and white in color, hence its name. The animal's long arms and grasping hands with thumb, contribute to its ability to swing through the trees. 

Adult males weigh 10-20 lbs., females are slightly smaller. Dense fluffy fur keeps these animals cool in hot temperatures, and also presents a larger image to predators.

The tough, horny pads on their buttocks are fused to the hip bones and are indispensable to this animal that builds no nest. The pads provide some protection when the gibbon rests on bare tree limbs.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

These arboreal primates are found in the forests of Southeast Asia and 
Sumatra, from lower Burma south through the Malay Peninsula and east throughout Thailand.
BEHAVIOR:

White-handed gibbons brachiate, or swing by the arms, from branch to branch horizontally and vertically. Their long, strong arms enable them to quickly change direction in flight and to catch a handhold if they fall.

White-handed gibbons live in peaceful family troops of 8-15 members, within a territory ranging in size from 30-100 acres.
 
This territory is marked by a whooping, piercing "song," which broadcasts precise information on the species and sex of individuals, the area occupied by the adults and the presence of sub-adults ready to form a new pair. A different bark-like call is used to warm troop members of danger.
DIET:

White-handed gibbons live on leaves, buds and blossoms, tree ants and other insects, snails, small vertebrates, nestlings, and bird eggs. In the Zoo they are fed fruit, vegetables, monkey chow and water
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH: 

A single offspring is born after a seven month gestation period. The young clings to the mother night and day, developing slowly. At six months, it begins to brachiate and only later learns to walk.

When the animal reaches sexual maturity in 6-10 years, it meets other gibbons in common feeding grounds, where after courtship, new family groups are formed.
ENDANGERED STATUS:

The White-handed gibbon is declining in numbers as man enters its forested territory, often killing the mothers in capturing the young for a lucrative pet market. Some areas, such as Thailand have provided protection for this species. The Honolulu Zoo and other zoos are also engaged in breeding programs of the endangered gibbon

Scientific Name: Pongidae, Pan troglodytes
SWAHILI NAME: Sokwe
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Of the several subspecies of chimpanzees in the wilds of Africa. the Common, and bonobo, are more prevalent. The bonobo, has in the past, been referred to as the "pygmy chimpanzee and this is a misnomer. Even though they have a more slender body and different shaped head than the common chimpanzee, they weigh as much as the smallest of the subspecies. Both have stout bodies with backs sloping evenly down from shoulders to hips. They have highly mobile shoulder joints and long arms, opposable thumbs and opposable big toes that make it easy for precision gripping. Their arms extend below the knees when the animal is standing and has a spread that is about 50% greater than the animal's height. Both species have large brains (300-400cc) and are equally relative to their body size.What do they sound like?
 


The face is usually bare and generally black in color. Younger animals have flesh-colored ears, nose, hands, and feet, and a white patch near the rump. At maturity, the overall skin color is dark, and the fur varies from deep black to light brown. After about the age of 20, they will develop gray hair on their backs. The hair on the head may grow in many directions, and both sexes are prone to partial baldness early in maturity. Both sexes will often have a short white beard.

Males of both species are 20 to 30% larger than females, and have bigger canine teeth which they use in severe fights. Body proportions are otherwise similar and both sexes have prominent genitals. Chimpanzees and bonobos can stand upright and are well adapted for arboreal activities where they do most of their feeding and sleeping.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

The Common chimpanzee occupies a broad range compared to the bonobo and can be found in 21 African countries. They are found north of the River Congo in humid closed-canopy forests, montane forest (up to 6,500 ft.), seasonally dry forests and savanna-woodlands. Population densities vary from area to area. When occasionally seen on flat savannas it is only while moving from one forest patch to another. Because they have quite varied tastes, it allows the common chimpanzee to live in a wider variety of habitats compared to gorillas, bonobos and orangutans.
BEHAVIOR:

Common chimpanzees are very social animals and have a male-bonded society. All adult males are dominant over all females. Females do not develop strong social bonds with each other like the males do. Community size can range from 15 to 150 members; all seeming to share some social bond. Communities tend to get along reasonably well with each other; however the Common chimpanzee tends to show more antagonism toward outsiders than do bonobos. Extreme aggression leading to death by male coalitions in the mammal world is unusual; among primates it occurs only in chimpanzees and humans. The only members of a group that are able to move freely between communities are adolescent females who haven't yet given birth. Males stay with their natal family for life. 
 
Males of a community regularly patrol their boundaries in search of intruders and depending on a number of circumstances, encounters can sometimes lead to brutal attacks. When foraging or hunting for food, large communities are broken up into smaller parties (of about 3 to 10 members). These parties will vary in size and composition, according to the time of year and availability of food. For example a large party will be formed when there is an abundance of fruit in their range. During foraging, a chimpanzee group might cover up to 9 miles (15km) in a single day when food is scarce.

Male chimpanzees tend to share food or possessions mostly with other males who are allies or grooming partners. There will be dominant possessors in any group and they decide who gets what and how much, if any. These possessions may have been garnered personally or stolen from a subordinate chimp. Reciprocity has often been observed between males when meat is involved and females seem to have more success in getting meat from a males when in estrous.

Physical contact is an important part of maintaining good relationships in the group; with grooming being the most important social activity. Being a male bonded society, you will see males grooming each other, more often than males and females grooming one another. Grooming serves to improve and strengthen friendships and calm members that are upset. Females tend not to groom as much as males. 

Chimpanzees travel mostly on the ground, where they "knuckle-walk," like gorillas. They have physiologically adapted to this by developing a ridge of bone that keeps the wrist from buckling under the weight of the body. They sleep in "nests," that are leafy beds made fresh each night. Adults sleep alone and infants with their mothers until the next sibling is born.

Chimpanzees use tools to solve a greater range of problems than any other animal, apart from humans. Sticks or plant stems are used to get ants and other insects by inserting them into holes. They also use sticks or rocks to break open fruits and seeds with shells too hard to bite open.
Communication:
Posturing, facial expressions and gestures are used to convey specific messages between individuals. Social bonding is extremely important to chimpanzees and they will use a number of facial expressions to communicate what they are feeling. You may recognize some of the following facial expressions when visiting chimps at a zoo. 

The play face is when the mouth is slightly open and in a relaxed position, meaning all is calm.

The pout is when the lips are puckered as if offering a kiss and is commonly used when begging for food. A horizontal pout indicates a show of submission, often after an attack and may be accompanied by a whimpering sound.

The display face is a hostile expression showing teeth in an wide open mouth with facial hairs erect and is used during attacks or when it needs to display aggression. When lips are pulled back horizontally, it indicates fear and when they are pulled back vertically, it indicates hostility. These expressions may also be accompanied by screams.

A full open grin is an indication of intense fear or some other form of excitement. A fear grin might be seen when a lower ranked chimp is approached by a higher ranking animal. Lip smacking greetings are used by chimps as a sign of friendly submission.

Chimpanzees have similar sensory abilities to people. Their large brains reflect a consistently high performance on all intelligence tests devised by humans and have shown an ability to engage in symbolic communication while in captivity. In the wild they communicate using a variety of visual and vocal signals, but this type of communication doesn't appear to use symbols. Individual chimpanzees have his or her own distinctive pant-hoot call, which enables the caller to be preciously identified. No two chimps have the same call. Both species are very adept at manipulating the behavior of others, whether it be another chimp or a human. Zookeepers who work with chimpanzees know this all too well!  
DIET:

Chimpanzee diets are composed mainly of ripe fruits but vary according to the time of the year and abundance of specific food items. They will spend many hours a day eating about 20 different species of plants and up to about 300 different species during a one year period. They do not store food and will eat it at the place they find it. They also enjoy eating young leaves particularly in the afternoon. In long dry seasons when fruit is scarce, tree seeds, flowers, soft pith, galls, resin and bark become an important part of their diet. 

They also eat many different types of insects, however termites are the most nutritionally important. Termites are collected either by hand or with tools which are modified by the chimp and specifically used for this purpose. Many zoos, including the Honolulu Zoo, have built termite mounds to simulate this natural behavior of feeding. See our termite mound enrichment. Females spend twice as much time eating insects as males do. Birds are occasionally eaten. Mammals such as monkeys, pigs and antelope are also eaten, particularly by males, but along with termites only account for about 5% of their diet.

Hunting style varies from one population to another depending upon the type of habitat. The amount of cooperation between males in a group will affect the hunting success. An abundance of fruit in a particular area where there are a large number of monkeys, will result in a higher hunting success rate; mostly because the chimps will have the highly needed energy from the fruit to pursue the monkeys. Most carnivores have a less than 50% success rate when hunting; however, the success rate for chimpanzees hunting red colobus monkeys is between 50 and 80%.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Longevity in the wild is 40 to 45 years with exceptional animals reaching 50. There are chimps in captivity that have lived more than 60 years. Weight varies greatly between wild populations and zoos. The animals in Zoo populations tend to be larger, with males weighing in at almost 200 lb(90kg) and females at about 175lb(80kg). Males in the wild may be as small as 88lb(40kg) and females 66lb(30kg). Males reach full adult size at about the age of 16, but females will reach adult size earlier.
SEXUAL MATURITY:

Mating success is positively correlated with the male dominance rank. Females in captivity mature earlier than wild females and might begin mating at 8 or 9 years old, but will go through adolescent sterility for about two more years before being able to conceive. Wild females mature 3-4 years later. There is an average of 5 to 6 year intervals between surviving births. A single young is born after a gestation of 230-240 days and twins are rare.

The newborn chimpanzee is helpless, with only a weak grasping reflex and needing support from the mother's hand during travel. Within a few days it clings to the mother's underside without assistance and begins riding on her back at 5-7 months. By 4 years of age the infant travels mostly by walking, but stays with its mother until at least 5-7 years old.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

The main threat to chimpanzees comes from habitat destruction, particularly commercial logging in Ivory Coast and central Zaire. Given their low reproductive rate, chimpanzees are highly vulnerable to loss of habitat or populations.

Jane Goodall says: "At the turn of the last century there were some 2 million wild chimpanzees in Africa. When I began my chimpanzee research in 1960, there must have been well over a million. Today at most an estimated 150,000 chimpanzees remain. And for other primates, the situation is even more alarming." To sustain the removal of wildlife for the dinner table, animals must be able to reproduce fast enough to replenish their number and this is not happening. In some areas of Africa the removal of wildlife for the bushmeat trade is a greater threat than deforestation. Read more about the "bushmeat" crisis in an article by the world's foremost authority on chimpanzees. Click here.

Bonobos are far less common than the common chimpanzees and they face similar population pressures. Unlike chimpanzees, bonobos do not have a viable captive breeding population. Many chimps and bonobos fall victim to snares that are set for other animals, habitat destruction, bush meat trade and military conflict.

Scientific name: Pyxicephalus adspersus
Family: Ranidae
Order: Anura
Class: Amphibia

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 

The most obvious characteristic that differentiates Pyxicephalus adspersus from other frogs is its size; its one of the biggest, second only to the Rana goliath of the Congo. They can weigh up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs). Unlike most other species of frog, the Pyxicephalus adspersus male is larger than the female. The male can be up to 24 cm (9.5 in.) long and the females are about 12 cm (4.45 in.). Their skin color is a dull green; the males have yellow throats and the females throats are cream-colored. Juveniles differ in that they are bright green and have a yellow stripe down their back. This stripe fades away as they mature in about one and a half to two years. Also, older frogs have more obvious skin folds than the younger ones. 

The body of the frog is very broad, with a short rounded snout, protruding jaw, and tooth-like projections in its lower jaw. It has a large mouth, sharp teeth and very little webbing on its feet. Another way that this bullfrog differs from other frogs is that it has very strong hind legs, which it uses to dig holes in ground, so that it can estivation during the dry season. It makes a dry, watertight cocoon for itself, which prevents the evaporation of 
body fluids; it loses approximately half of the water that a frog without a cocoon looses. The frogs can actually survive for several months in dry soil by absorbing water stored their bladder. Once the rainy season starts, the moisture will seep into the ground and soak the cocoon. Once it softens enough to split open, the frog eats it.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: 

This type of frog is found mostly in open grasslands and at low elevations in the sub-Saharan African countries of Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, South Africa (except for the southwestern Cape Province), Kenya, Rhodesia, Tanzania and the Sudan.
BEHAVIOR: 

It is quite aggressive, and has been known to jump at things that it views to be a threat. Because of its sharp teeth, its bite can be quite serious. The male bullfrog will also aggressively defend his eggs if an animal or a human should approach. The males make calls only during the rainy season, which is when they come out of estivation to breed in pools of water. They tend to congregate around watering holes, including ones occupied by large animals like elephants. The call of Pyxicephalus adspersus is composed of loud, throaty bellows and deep grunts. These frogs can get rather territorial during mating and begin their mating calls only when they have established their territory.
DIET: 

The African bullfrog is carnivorous. It will feed on anything it can fit into its mouth; including insects, small rodents (such as mice), reptiles, birds, and amphibians (including other frogs).
REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH: 

The African bullfrog lays about three thousand to four thousand eggs in shallow water. The tiny eggs are only about 2 mm, are black and white and are encased in a 4 mm jelly capsule. These eggs hatch about 2 days after being laid. The tadpoles are fat, heart-shaped, grey to black in color and their eyes are very close to together, situated on the top of their heads. About 18 days after hatching, the small frogs are 20 mm long and are able to leave the water to live on dry land. After this happens, these frogs have occasionally been known to eat each other. Unfortunately, there is not a very good survival rate for these frogs; only about 20% of young adult females survive.
CONSERVATION STATUS: 

Pyxicephalus adspersus is not listed among the worlds endangered species. Even though many indigenous peoples consider them to be a delicacy, their hunting has not had a significant effect on the size of the population.

Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Phylum: Chordata
FAMILY: Bovidae
GENUS: Gazella
Scientific Name:Gazella dama ruficollis
SWAHILI NAME FOR GAZELLE: Kinokero, Vinokero (plural)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 

The Addra gazelles of both sexes usually have horns which are ringed and are medium to long in length and curved like an "S". Their heads are rather small with narrow muzzles, and their eyes are relatively large. Glands near the eyes are well developed.

Addra Gazelles fit this description well. The males' horns are about 14 inches long; females horns are much shorter. They have longer necks and legs than most gazelles, and a characteristic white spot under their chins. Their necks and most of the back and flanks are reddish or chestnut. Hindquarters and undersides of their bodies are white and the tails are short and white, with black tips. Dama or Addra gazelles are the tallest and largest of gazelle species. Their body lengths range from 36-68 inches, shoulder heights from 34-42 inches (88 - 108 cm), and body weights up to 160 pounds.

Their senses of sight and hearing are well developed
DIET:

Addra Gazelles migrate in response to seasonal changes in vegetation and climate. They feed on dry bushy plants and grasses and need more water than some of their desert relatives, although they can withstand fairly long periods of drought. Sometimes they graze, but they are basically browsers
DISTRIBUTION:

They range over the Sahara from Mauritania to Sudan. In rainy season they move north into the Sahara; in dry season they migrate back to Sudan.
BEHAVIOR

Addra Gazelles are active during the day. In former times they could be seen in herds of as many as 500. The average herd size is now 15-20 animals. The drastic reduction is due largely to poaching.

Gazelles have an unusual pronging gait. When they are playing or alarmed they bounce along stiff-legged with all four limbs landing together. Pronging may confuse predators and probably communicates alarm to other gazelles.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH

Males establish territories, and during breeding season they actively exclude other mature males. They mark their territories with urine and dung piles and secretions from glands near their eyes. The animals breed seasonally so that births peak with early spring rains, and the females have adequate feed while nursing.
NOTES:

This is an endangered species that has become very rare and is disappearing fast. All forms are listed as endangered by the IUCN. Of the five species of Addra or Dama gazelles, two have become extinct. Illegal poaching is the principal reason for their drastic decline in numbers

Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata 
Class: Mammalia
Order:Primates
Species: Lemur catta.
Family: Lemuridae
Scientific Name: Lemuridae Lemur catta
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The Ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta, is one of twenty-two species of lemurs. They share a common ancestry with Africa's monkeys and apes, but were isolated from those species probably 50 million years ago when Madagascar separated from the African continent.
All lemur species today are endangered due to the rapid destruction of their forest habitat for agricultural development, cattle grazing, and human settlement.

They, like their primate cousinsize="3"s the monkeys and apes, have binocular forward vision, but must turn their heads to see ahead because their eyes have limited movement in the socket. This gives them a wide-eyed, staring aspect that sometimes startles viewers.

LEMERS WORD:
The word Lemur comes from old Latin, and refers to ghosts or spirits. The staring eyes, haunting sounds, and nocturnal ways of the lemur inspired early observers to think of them as ghosts or forest spirits.

The Ring-tailed lemur's coat is black gray, the limbs and belly lighter, and the extremities white. Their are rings about the eyes, the muzzle is black, the tail is banded black and white.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT: 

Lemurs are found only on the east African island of Madagascar. They live in the dry woodland districts with a seven to eight month dry season.
BEHAVIOR:

Most lemur species are arboreal. But the Ring-tailed is different in that it 
frequently uses the ground for travel, more than any of the other lemurs. It is diurnal and gregarious, living in groups of 5-30. Females are generally dominant to males.

TAIL:
Its long, bushy, black-and-white banded tail is used by the species as a visual signal. In aggressive encounters, the Ring-tail will wave its scent-covered tail in the direction of a rival. Loud calls alert other members of the social group to danger and help to maintain comfortable spacing between groups.

Ring-tailed lemurs purr and mew like house cats. It loves to sunbathe with legs and arms spread wide. Living in an arid habitat, it quenches its thirst with juicy fruits. Sitting on its haunches holding fruit in its hands, a lemur delicately bites off pieces with its back teeth so the juice runs into its mouth and not on its fur.
Communication:
They communicate with short grunting sounds as a contact call within the troop, sometimes followed with a quick bark.
DIET:

Lemurs are generally herbivorous. Their diets consisting mainly of leaves, fruits, and berries -- although they occasionally take bird eggs, small mammals, and insects.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

After a gestation period of about 135 days, a single offspring is born. Occasionally they may have twins or even triplets. The young are grayish with a thin coat of hair. The entire group helps care for and play with the young. Young lemurs first begin to climb at about three weeks, and are usually independent by six months. They are sexually mature and fully grown at 11/2 years. In captivity lemurs have lived for 20-27 years.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the tiger subspecies as compared to the Siberian tiger which is the largest.

Sumatran male tigers average 8 feet in length (2.4 meters) from head to tail and weigh about 265 pounds (120 kilograms). Females average 7 feet in length (2.2 meters) and weigh about 200 pounds (90 kilograms).  

The smaller size of the Sumatran tiger makes it easier to move quickly through the jungle. Also, their stripes are narrower than other tiger species. The tiger's patterned coloring is an adaptation for camouflage in their natural habitat, which is often tall grass. The males, especially, have a more bearded and maned appearance — neck and cheek hair are well developed.

Webbing between their toes, when spread, enables the Sumatran tiger to be very fast swimmer. They will, if given the chance, run hoofed prey into the water who are much slower swimmers.


The white spots on the back of tiger's ears are called "eye spots" or "predator spots". These spots are believed to function as false eyes as well as to make it look larger to any predator approaching from behind. This is particularly helpful in keeping cubs safe.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

The Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat that ranges from lowland forest to sub mountain and mountain forest including some peat moss forests. According the the Tiger Information Center and the World Wildlife Fund there are no more than 500 of these tigers left in the wild with some estimates considerably lower.

Sumatra has undergone much agricultural growth and as a result, tiger habitat has become fragmented with about 400 tigers inhabiting five National Parks and two Game Reserves. The largest population of about 110 tigers lives in Gunung Leuser National Park. Another 100 live in unprotected areas that will soon be lost to agriculture. The tigers that live in unprotected areas are very vulnerable to poaching as well as the killing of problem animals that come in contact with villagers encroaching upon the animal's habitat.  

The continuing loss of habitat is intensifying the crises to save this tiger. 
BEHAVIOR AND DIET: 

The extent of a tiger's range varies according to habitat and availability of prey. Its sight and hearing are very acute, accounting for the tiger being such an efficient predator. The tiger lives alone for the most part, and there is only occasional cooperation between different individuals. A male will not tolerate other males staying in his territory, but will permit other transient males to move through his area.  

A female uses her territory only for hunting, while the territory of a single male can overlap with those held by several females. The tiger emerges to hunt at dusk, and may travel more than 20 miles in a night.

The hunting method is slow and patient, stalking through often dense cover until close enough to spring. Tigers in general tend to attack prey from the side or rear at close range and when the prey weighs more than half that of the tiger, a throat bite is used and death is caused by suffocation. They will kill whatever they can catch, including fish, crocodiles and fowl, with the most common larger prey being wild pigs and deer.  

Interestingly, is has been learned that one of the main reasons orangutans spend a minimal amount of time on the ground is from fear of tiger attack.  

The tiger is one of only two cats that enjoys being in water (the other is South America's jaguar). The Sumatran tiger may often be found in a pool or stream, or standing in water to keep cool. 

Male and female tigers mark their ranges by spraying scent on trees or bushes.
ZOO DIET:

In the Zoo the tigers are fed an assortment of fish, meat and poultry parts.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Tigers can breed at any time of the year, but they typically mate in winter or spring. Tigers appear to reach maturity at about 4 years of age, although earlier maturity has been recorded. Gestation is normally 103 days. The usual number of cubs is two or three, though there may be as many as six. 

The cubs are blind and helpless at birth weighing about 3 pounds each. Their eyes usually open by the tenth day, although some zoo-born cubs have their eyes open as soon as they are born. During the first 8 weeks the cubs consume only their mother's milk. They are suckled for 5 or 6 months. 

The cubs leave the den for the first time when they are 2 months old. They are wholly dependent until they are about 6 months old when they learn how to kill. They can hunt for themselves by the time they are about 18 months old and are fully independent at two years of age. Longevity in the wild is 15 years and 20 years in captivity.
ENDANGERED STATUS:

Sumatran tigers are critically endangered. The Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Conservation Strategy has been established by the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and it outlines management strategies for both wild and captive tiger populations. 

Even without any further losses of these magnificent animals,, the present populations are so small that they are vulnerable to severe environmental catastrophes, as well as genetic problems typical of small populations.

Indonesia has 65 captive Sumatran tigers living in zoos, 85 in European zoos and 20 in Australian zoos. There are 70 tigers managed by North American zoos of which the Honolulu Zoo has three. Our younger male and female pair have had cubs at another zoo and we expect them to breed again starting in 2007. The entire captive population is descended from 37 wild-caught founders. To find out more about captive management of Sumatran tigers check out this site: Tiger Global Conservation Strategy.

It is now illegal to hunt tigers, however, this has not stopped the poaching of these animals for tiger products. China, by virtue of its large population, is the largest consumer and producer of manufactured products containing tiger parts.  

Outside tiger range countries, large numbers of bones ands other tiger products have been found in Taiwan and South Korea, many of which were from Indonesia. A great number of these medicinal tiger products are also consumed by Asian-Americans in North American cities, who can afford the expensive prices. The World Wildlife Fund has recently made progress working with the Schools of Chinese Medicine in North America to change attitudes toward the use tiger products.

At the turn of the century, there were probably over 100,000 tigers roaming the forests of central and southern Asia. There are now only about 6,000. Three of the eight sub-species of tiger are already extinct.