Endangered Animals

Endangered Animals
Crocodiles
(subfamily Crocodylinae) or true crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live
throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americasand Australia.
Crocodylinae, in which all its members are considered true crocodiles, is
classified as a biological subfamily. A broader sense of the term
crocodile, Crocodylidae that includes Tomistoma, is not used in this article. The
term crocodile here applies only to the species within the subfamily of
Crocodylinae. The term is sometimes used even more loosely to include
all extant members of the order Crocodilia, which includesTomistoma,
the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae),
the gharials(family Gavialidae), and all other living and
fossil Crocodylomorpha.
Although they appear to be similar to the untrained eye, crocodiles, alligators
and the gharial belong to separate biological families. The gharialhaving a
narrow snout is easier to distinguish, while morphologicaldifferences are more
difficult to spot in crocodiles and alligators. The most obvious external
differences are visible in the head with crocodiles having narrower and longer
heads, with a more V-shaped than a U-shaped snoutcompared to alligators and
caimans. Another obvious trait is the upper and lower jaws of the crocodiles are
the same width, and teeth in the lower jaw fall along the edge or outside the
upper jaw when the mouth is closed; therefore all teeth are visible unlike an
alligator; which possesses small depressions in the upper jaw where the lower
teeth fit into. Also when the crocodile's mouth is closed, the large fourth tooth
in the lower jaw fits into a constriction in the upper jaw. For hard-to-distinguish
specimens, the protruding tooth is the most reliable feature to define the family,
the speciesbelongs to.[1] Crocodiles have more webbing on the toes of the
hind feetand can better tolerate saltwater due to specialized salt glands for
filtering out salt, which are present but non-functioning in alligators. Another
trait that separates crocodiles from other crocodilians is their much higher
levels of aggression.[2]
Crocodile size, morphology, behavior and ecology somewhat differs
betweenspecies. However, they have many similarities in these areas as well.
All crocodiles are semiaquatic and tend to congregate in freshwater habitats
such as rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water andsaltwater.
They are carnivorous animals, feeding mostly on vertebrates such
as fish, reptiles, birds and mammals, and sometimes on invertebrates such
as molluscs and crustaceans, depending on species and age. All crocodiles
are tropical species that unlike alligators, are very sensitive to cold. They first
separated from other crocodilians during the Eocene epoch, about 55 million
years ago.[3] Many species are at the risk of extinction, some being classified
as critically endangered.
Crocodiles:
Orang-utans:
The orangutans are the two exclusively Asian species of extant great apes.
Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are currently found in only
the rainforests ofBorneo and Sumatra. Classified in the genus Pongo,
orangutans were considered to be one species. However, since 1996, they have
been divided into two species: theBornean orangutan (P. pygmaeus) and
the Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii). In addition, the Bornean species is divided
into three subspecies. The orangutans are also the only surviving species of the
subfamily Ponginae, which also included several other species, such as the
three extinct species of the genusGigantopithecus, including the largest known
primate Gigantopithecus blacki. Both extant species had their genomes
sequenced and they appear to have diverged around 400,000 years ago.
Orangutans diverged from the rest of the great apes 15.7 to 19.3 million years
ago (mya).
Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes and spend most of their time
in trees. Their hair is typically reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black
hair typical of chimpanzees and gorillas. Males and females differ in size and
appearance. Dominant adult males have distinctive cheek pads and produce
long calls that attract females and intimidate rivals. Younger males do not have
these characteristics and resemble adult females. Orangutans are the most
solitary of the great apes, with social bonds occurring primarily between
mothers and their dependent offspring, who stay together for the first two years.
Fruit is the most important component of an orangutan's diet; however, the apes
will also eat vegetation, bark, honey, insects and even bird eggs. They can live
over 30 years in both the wild and captivity.
Orangutans are among the most intelligent primates; they use a variety of
sophisticated tools and construct elaborate sleeping nests each night from
branches and foliage. The apes have been extensively studied for their learning
abilities. There may even be distinctive cultures within populations. Field
studies of the apes were pioneered by primatologist Birutė Galdikas. Both
orangutan species are considered to be Endangered, with the Sumatran
orangutan being Critically Endangered. Human activities have caused severe
declines in the populations and ranges of both species. Threats to wild
orangutan populations include poaching, habitat destruction, and the illegal pet
trade. According to the World Wildlife Fund, orangutan habitat has been
slashed by at least 55 per cent in the last 20 years alone.[1]Several conservation
and rehabilitation organisations are dedicated to the survival of orangutans in
the wild.
Dinosaurs,
[1] a type of Archosaur reptile, were the dominant land animalsof
the Mesozoic era. Over 500 different genera of dinosaurs have been found.
Fossils of dinosaurs have been found on every continent, and there are still
frequent new discoveries.
Dinosaurs became the top land vertebrates in the Upper Triassic, 230 million
years ago. By the early Jurassic they dominated most environmentson land.
They continued until the sudden K/T extinction event 65 million years ago.
[2] Birds are the descendants of theropod dinosaurs; all the terrestrial dinosaurs
are extinct.[3]
Dinosaurs had adaptations which helped make them successful. The first
known dinosaurs were small predators that walked on two legs.[4] All
theirdescendents had an upright posture, with the legs underneath the body.
This transformed their whole life-style. There were other features. Most of the
smaller dinosaurs had feathers, and were probably warm-blooded. This would
make them active, with a higher metabolism than modern
reptiles. Social interaction, with living in herds and co-operation seems very
likely for some types.
The first dinosaur fossils were found in the early 19th century. They are major
attractions at museums around the world. Dinosaurs also became part
of popular culture. There have been many best-selling books and movies. New
discoveries are widely covered in the media.

Endangered Animals

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