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Species Survival Plan
The American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the (American) Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the wild. SSP program SSP programs focus on animals that are near threatened, threatened, endangered, or otherwise in danger of extinction in the wild, when zoo and zoology conservationists believe captive breeding programs will aid in their chances of survival."Species Survival Plans help preserve wildlife" on the Central Florida Zoo website. These programs help maintain healthy and genetically diverse animal populations within the Association of Zoos and Aquari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Clemente Island Fox (Urocyon Littoralis Clementae) At Santa Barbara Zoo 2016-01-27
The island fox (''Urocyon littoralis'') is a small fox that is endemic to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. There are six subspecies, each unique to the island it lives on, reflecting its evolutionary history. They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed. Island foxes played an important role in the spiritual lives of native Channel Islanders. They have been likely semi-domesticated as pets, used as pelts, or for other functions, like pest control. Taxonomy and evolution The island fox shares the genus ''Urocyon'' with the mainland gray fox (''U. cinereoargenteus''), the species from which it is descended. Its small size is a result of insular dwarfism, a form of allopatric speciation. Because the island fox is geographically isolated, it has not acquired immunity to parasites and diseases brought in from the mainland and is especially vulnerable to those that the domestic dog may carry. In addition, predation by the golden eagle ('' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Endangered Species Programme
The EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) is a population management and conservation programme by European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) for wild animals living in European zoos. The programme was formerly known as the European Endangered Species Programme. Each EEP has a coordinator who is assisted by a species committee. The coordinator collects information on the status of all the animals kept in EAZA zoos and aquariums of the species for which he or she is responsible, produces a studbook, carries out demographic and genetic analyses, produces a plan for the future management of the species and provides recommendations to participating institutions. Together with the EAZA Species Committee, recommendations are made each year about relocating and breeding animals, and the conditions of such a move (breeding loan, exchange, term free disposition, etc.). Even though EEP participation is mainly reserved for EAZA zoos, it is possible for non-EAZA collections to be included in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Three-banded Armadillo
The southern three-banded armadillo (''Tolypeutes matacus''), also known as La Plata three-banded armadillo or Azara's domed armadillo, is an armadillo species from South America. It is found in parts of southwestern Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia, at elevations from sea level to . The southern three-banded armadillo and the other member of the genus ''Tolypeutes'', the Brazilian three-banded armadillo, are the only species of armadillos capable of rolling into a complete ball to defend themselves (volvation). The three characteristic bands that cover the back of the animal allow it enough flexibility to fit its tail and head together, allowing it to protect its underbelly, limbs, eyes, nose and ears from predators. The shell covering its body is armored and the outer layer is made out of keratin, the same protein that builds human fingernails. They are typically a yellow or brownish color. They are among the smaller armadillos, with a head-and-body length of ab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Six-banded Armadillo
The six-banded armadillo (''Euphractus sexcinctus''), also known as the yellow armadillo, is an armadillo found in South America. The sole extant member of its genus, it was first described by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The six-banded armadillo is typically between in head-and-body length, and weighs . The carapace (hard shell on the back) is pale yellow to reddish brown, marked by scales of equal length, and scantily covered by buff to white bristle-like hairs. The forefeet have five distinct toes, each with moderately developed claws. Six-banded armadillos are efficient diggers and form burrows to live in and search for prey. The armadillo is alert and primarily solitary. An omnivore, it feeds on insects, ants, carrion, and plant material. Due to their poor eyesight, armadillos rely on their sense of smell to detect prey and predators. Births take place throughout the year; gestation is 60 to 64 days long, after which a litter of one to three is born. Weaning o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Screaming Hairy Armadillo
The screaming hairy armadillo (''Chaetophractus vellerosus'') is a species of armadillo also known as the small screaming armadillo, crying armadillo or the small hairy armadillo. It is a burrowing armadillo found in the central and southern parts of South America. The adjective "screaming" derives from its habit of squealing when handled. Taxonomy The animal was first described by J. E. Gray in 1865 from a specimen in the British Museum collected from Santa Cruz de la Sierra in eastern Bolivia as ''Dasypus vellerosus''. Two subspecies are currently recognized (''C. v. vellerosus'' (Gray, 1865) and ''C. v. pannosus'' (Gardner, 2007)) although the taxonomic validity of the split has been called into question. Description This is one of the smallest and slenderest species of the genus ''Chaetophractus'', but it has longer ears than others in its genus. The male armadillo has a length ranging from with an average length of , while the length of the female ranges from with an a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Argus
The great argus (''Argusianus argus'') is a species of pheasant from Southeast Asia. It is not to be confused with the two species of closely related crested argus, genus ''Rheinardia''. Taxonomy Carl Linnaeus gave the great argus its specific name (from which its common name and genus name are derived) because of the intricate eye-like patterns on its wings, in reference to Argus, a hundred-eyed giant in Greek mythology. There are two subspecies recognized: Nominate ''argus'' of the Malay peninsula and Sumatra, and ''A. a. grayi'' of Borneo. William Beebe considered the two races to be distinct species, but they have since been lumped. Double-banded argus The double-banded argus (''Argusianus bipunctatus''), known only from a portion of a single primary flight feather, was long considered a potential second species. It was described in 1871 from this feather piece, found in a millinery shipment imported to London. Its origin was hypothesized to be from Java, Indonesia or T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green Aracari
The green araçari (''Pteroglossus viridis''), is a toucan, a near-passerine bird. It is found in the lowland forests of northeastern South America (the Guiana Shield), in the northeast Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the eastern Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela. At 30–40 cm. (12–16 in) long and weighing 110–160 grams (3.9–5.7 oz.), it is the smallest aracari in its range, and among the smallest members of the toucan family. Taxonomy and systematics The green aracari was originally classified in the genus '' Ramphastos''. The species is named for the green feathers covering its back. Description Males' crowns are black, while females' are reddish brown. Behaviour and ecology Breeding Breeding occurs from February to June. It nests in tree cavities, producing 2–4 white eggs. The parents cooperate in rearing their young. Food and feeding Its diet consists mostly of fruit, including the fruits of ''Cecropia'' trees and the palm ''Oenocarpus bacaba'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curl-crested Aracari
The curl-crested araçari or curl-crested araçari (''Pteroglossus beauharnaisii'') is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022 Taxonomy and systematics The curl-crested aracari was first described by Johann Georg Wagler in 1831 but the spelling of its specific epithet was not corrected until 2020. It had at times been placed in the monotypic genera ''Beauharnaisius'' and ''Ulocomus''.} The curl-crested aracari is monotypic. Description The curl-crested aracari is long and weighs . It gains its English name from unique curly, shiny, black feathers on the top of its head and nape; they resemble pieces of plastic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sable Antelope
The sable antelope (''Hippotragus niger'') is an antelope which inhabits wooded savanna in East and Southern Africa, from the south of Kenya to South Africa, with a separate population in Angola. Taxonomy The sable antelope shares the genus '' Hippotragus'' with the extinct bluebuck (''H. leucophaeus'') and the roan antelope (''H. equinus''), and is a member of the family Bovidae. In 1996, an analysis of mitochondrial DNA extracted from a mounted specimen of the bluebuck showed that it is outside the clade containing the roan and sable antelopes. The cladogram below shows the position of the sable antelope among its relatives, following the 1996 analysis: Subspecies ''Hipotragus niger'' has four subspecies: * The southern sable antelope (''H. n. niger''; also known as the common sable antelope, black sable antelope, Matsetsi sable antelope or South Zambian sable antelope) is regarded as the nominate subspecies, as it was the first one to be described and named in 18 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giant Anteater
The giant anteater (''Myrmecophaga tridactyla'') is an insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteaters, of which it is the largest member. The only extant member of the genus ''Myrmecophaga'', it is classified with sloths in the order Pilosa. This species is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to other living anteaters and sloths, which are arboreal or semiarboreal. The giant anteater is in length, with weights of for males and for females. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage. The giant anteater is found in multiple habitats, including grassland and rainforest. It forages in open areas and rests in more forested habitats. It feeds primarily on ants and termites, using its fore claws to dig them up and its long, sticky tongue to collect them. Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges, they are mostly solitary except during mother-offspr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Alligator
The Chinese alligator (; ), also known as the Yangtze alligator (), China alligator, or historically the muddy dragon, is a crocodilian endemic to China. It and the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') are the only living species in the genus '' Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. Dark gray or black in color with a fully armored body, the Chinese alligator grows to in length and weighs as an adult. It brumates in burrows in winter and is nocturnal in summer. Mating occurs in early summer, with females most commonly producing 20–30 eggs, which are smaller than those of any other crocodilian. The species is an opportunistic feeder, primarily eating fish and invertebrates. A vocal species, adults bellow during the mating season and young vocalize to communicate with their parents and other juveniles. Captive specimens have reached age 70, and wild specimens can live past 50. Living in bodies of fresh water, the Chinese alligator's range is restricted to six r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
