Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

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Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

Image by infomatique
There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel. The red squirrel is native to Ireland while the grey squirrel is native to North America.

The red squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris) belongs to a large group of mammals called rodents (Rodentia), which includes rats and mice. They can vary hugely in all shades of red and brown to almost black, and their bushy tail at 20cm is nearly as long as their body. This tail helps them to balance as they climb and jump through trees.

A red squirrel is only half the size of a grey squirrel, and the long ear tufts are found only in red squirrels.

Their home (called a drey) is like a large bird’s nest lined with moss and twigs. Baby squirrels (kits) are born between February and August. There may be two litters in a year, with up to six kits in a litter. Few squirrels live beyond six years, due to starvation, disease, predation, or human interference with their habitat.
They do not hibernate, but rely in winter on buried nuts and small seeds.

The grey squirrel is also a rodent. Rodents are one of the most successful groups of mammals, with 1700 species. Most rodents are small, and all have strong sharp front teeth (incisors) which grow throughout the animal’s life. So rodents have to gnaw constantly at their food, which helps keep their teeth at the right length.

The grey squirrel is a good bit larger than a red squirrel. Measuring up to 48cm from nose to tip of tail, and about half a kilogram in weight, there is little difference between males & females. The thick coat is greyish-brown, with a slight reddish tinge in summer. The tail is grey, very long and bushy. The ear tufts are also much less visible than on the red squirrel.


The Grey Squirrel, introduced into Ireland , from North America remains the greatest single threat to current red squirrel populations. Competition from the grey squirrels generally result in the displacement of red squirrels from broadleaved habitat within 15 years.

In Ireland, the current population originates from a few individuals that were introduced into Castleforbes Estate, Co Longford in 1911.

Fortunately, dispersal of grey squirrels in Ireland has been slower than that experienced in England and Wales. This may be attributed to the existence of much smaller areas of broadleaved habitat, and fewer mature hedgerows which act as corridors along which the grey squirrels can travel. Both squirrels compete largely for the same food in a broadleaved woodland. Grey squirrels hold an advantage where food is limited, due to their ability to consume unripe food such as hazelnuts in October. The red squirrel, however, can only ingest ripened nuts, and therefore it is more likely to suffer from food shortages over the winter months. Red squirrel densities tend to be lower than greys, particularly where food shortages exist. This may be a direct result of lower breeding rates when the prevailing conditions are unfavourable. Where food supplies are plentiful, red squirrels appear to breed at similar densities to greys.

Red squirrels are one of the oldest native Irish species, in that they pre-date human history and were common at the end of the ice age when forests covered most of the landscape. However, it is widely believed that the red squirrel became extinct in Ireland in the early 1700's. Tree cover in this period had dwindled from 80% of the land area which occurred after the last ice age 10,000 years ago, to below 2% of the land area. Fragmentation of the remaining broadleaved habitat was probably one of the main reasons for the red squirrel's disappearance. The red squirrel was re-established at ten sites throughout Ireland, between 1815 and 1856, and these were derived from squirrel populations in England. They did very well and became common again in woodlands. However, in recent years, competition from the grey squirrel has pushed them once more down the road towards extinction.
There are 250,000-300,000 grey squirrels in Ireland, but only 50,000-100,000 red squirrels: the red squirrel is disappearing by 1% every year.

There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel.

Image by infomatique
There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel. The red squirrel is native to Ireland while the grey squirrel is native to North America.

The red squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris) belongs to a large group of mammals called rodents (Rodentia), which includes rats and mice. They can vary hugely in all shades of red and brown to almost black, and their bushy tail at 20cm is nearly as long as their body. This tail helps them to balance as they climb and jump through trees.

A red squirrel is only half the size of a grey squirrel, and the long ear tufts are found only in red squirrels.

Their home (called a drey) is like a large bird’s nest lined with moss and twigs. Baby squirrels (kits) are born between February and August. There may be two litters in a year, with up to six kits in a litter. Few squirrels live beyond six years, due to starvation, disease, predation, or human interference with their habitat.
They do not hibernate, but rely in winter on buried nuts and small seeds.

The grey squirrel is also a rodent. Rodents are one of the most successful groups of mammals, with 1700 species. Most rodents are small, and all have strong sharp front teeth (incisors) which grow throughout the animal’s life. So rodents have to gnaw constantly at their food, which helps keep their teeth at the right length.

The grey squirrel is a good bit larger than a red squirrel. Measuring up to 48cm from nose to tip of tail, and about half a kilogram in weight, there is little difference between males & females. The thick coat is greyish-brown, with a slight reddish tinge in summer. The tail is grey, very long and bushy. The ear tufts are also much less visible than on the red squirrel.


The Grey Squirrel, introduced into Ireland , from North America remains the greatest single threat to current red squirrel populations. Competition from the grey squirrels generally result in the displacement of red squirrels from broadleaved habitat within 15 years.

In Ireland, the current population originates from a few individuals that were introduced into Castleforbes Estate, Co Longford in 1911.

Fortunately, dispersal of grey squirrels in Ireland has been slower than that experienced in England and Wales. This may be attributed to the existence of much smaller areas of broadleaved habitat, and fewer mature hedgerows which act as corridors along which the grey squirrels can travel. Both squirrels compete largely for the same food in a broadleaved woodland. Grey squirrels hold an advantage where food is limited, due to their ability to consume unripe food such as hazelnuts in October. The red squirrel, however, can only ingest ripened nuts, and therefore it is more likely to suffer from food shortages over the winter months. Red squirrel densities tend to be lower than greys, particularly where food shortages exist. This may be a direct result of lower breeding rates when the prevailing conditions are unfavourable. Where food supplies are plentiful, red squirrels appear to breed at similar densities to greys.

Red squirrels are one of the oldest native Irish species, in that they pre-date human history and were common at the end of the ice age when forests covered most of the landscape. However, it is widely believed that the red squirrel became extinct in Ireland in the early 1700's. Tree cover in this period had dwindled from 80% of the land area which occurred after the last ice age 10,000 years ago, to below 2% of the land area. Fragmentation of the remaining broadleaved habitat was probably one of the main reasons for the red squirrel's disappearance. The red squirrel was re-established at ten sites throughout Ireland, between 1815 and 1856, and these were derived from squirrel populations in England. They did very well and became common again in woodlands. However, in recent years, competition from the grey squirrel has pushed them once more down the road towards extinction.
There are 250,000-300,000 grey squirrels in Ireland, but only 50,000-100,000 red squirrels: the red squirrel is disappearing by 1% every year.

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Waiting for giant sloths on 17th St.

Image by rockcreek
An Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) on the SE corner of Seventeenth and Monroe Streets, NW, 9/1/08. Its fruit probably evolved to be eaten by animals that are now extinct.

Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

Image by infomatique
There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel. The red squirrel is native to Ireland while the grey squirrel is native to North America.

The red squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris) belongs to a large group of mammals called rodents (Rodentia), which includes rats and mice. They can vary hugely in all shades of red and brown to almost black, and their bushy tail at 20cm is nearly as long as their body. This tail helps them to balance as they climb and jump through trees.

A red squirrel is only half the size of a grey squirrel, and the long ear tufts are found only in red squirrels.

Their home (called a drey) is like a large bird’s nest lined with moss and twigs. Baby squirrels (kits) are born between February and August. There may be two litters in a year, with up to six kits in a litter. Few squirrels live beyond six years, due to starvation, disease, predation, or human interference with their habitat.
They do not hibernate, but rely in winter on buried nuts and small seeds.

The grey squirrel is also a rodent. Rodents are one of the most successful groups of mammals, with 1700 species. Most rodents are small, and all have strong sharp front teeth (incisors) which grow throughout the animal’s life. So rodents have to gnaw constantly at their food, which helps keep their teeth at the right length.

The grey squirrel is a good bit larger than a red squirrel. Measuring up to 48cm from nose to tip of tail, and about half a kilogram in weight, there is little difference between males & females. The thick coat is greyish-brown, with a slight reddish tinge in summer. The tail is grey, very long and bushy. The ear tufts are also much less visible than on the red squirrel.


The Grey Squirrel, introduced into Ireland , from North America remains the greatest single threat to current red squirrel populations. Competition from the grey squirrels generally result in the displacement of red squirrels from broadleaved habitat within 15 years.

In Ireland, the current population originates from a few individuals that were introduced into Castleforbes Estate, Co Longford in 1911.

Fortunately, dispersal of grey squirrels in Ireland has been slower than that experienced in England and Wales. This may be attributed to the existence of much smaller areas of broadleaved habitat, and fewer mature hedgerows which act as corridors along which the grey squirrels can travel. Both squirrels compete largely for the same food in a broadleaved woodland. Grey squirrels hold an advantage where food is limited, due to their ability to consume unripe food such as hazelnuts in October. The red squirrel, however, can only ingest ripened nuts, and therefore it is more likely to suffer from food shortages over the winter months. Red squirrel densities tend to be lower than greys, particularly where food shortages exist. This may be a direct result of lower breeding rates when the prevailing conditions are unfavourable. Where food supplies are plentiful, red squirrels appear to breed at similar densities to greys.

Red squirrels are one of the oldest native Irish species, in that they pre-date human history and were common at the end of the ice age when forests covered most of the landscape. However, it is widely believed that the red squirrel became extinct in Ireland in the early 1700's. Tree cover in this period had dwindled from 80% of the land area which occurred after the last ice age 10,000 years ago, to below 2% of the land area. Fragmentation of the remaining broadleaved habitat was probably one of the main reasons for the red squirrel's disappearance. The red squirrel was re-established at ten sites throughout Ireland, between 1815 and 1856, and these were derived from squirrel populations in England. They did very well and became common again in woodlands. However, in recent years, competition from the grey squirrel has pushed them once more down the road towards extinction.
There are 250,000-300,000 grey squirrels in Ireland, but only 50,000-100,000 red squirrels: the red squirrel is disappearing by 1% every year.

Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

Image by infomatique
There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel. The red squirrel is native to Ireland while the grey squirrel is native to North America.

The red squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris) belongs to a large group of mammals called rodents (Rodentia), which includes rats and mice. They can vary hugely in all shades of red and brown to almost black, and their bushy tail at 20cm is nearly as long as their body. This tail helps them to balance as they climb and jump through trees.

A red squirrel is only half the size of a grey squirrel, and the long ear tufts are found only in red squirrels.

Their home (called a drey) is like a large bird’s nest lined with moss and twigs. Baby squirrels (kits) are born between February and August. There may be two litters in a year, with up to six kits in a litter. Few squirrels live beyond six years, due to starvation, disease, predation, or human interference with their habitat.
They do not hibernate, but rely in winter on buried nuts and small seeds.

The grey squirrel is also a rodent. Rodents are one of the most successful groups of mammals, with 1700 species. Most rodents are small, and all have strong sharp front teeth (incisors) which grow throughout the animal’s life. So rodents have to gnaw constantly at their food, which helps keep their teeth at the right length.

The grey squirrel is a good bit larger than a red squirrel. Measuring up to 48cm from nose to tip of tail, and about half a kilogram in weight, there is little difference between males & females. The thick coat is greyish-brown, with a slight reddish tinge in summer. The tail is grey, very long and bushy. The ear tufts are also much less visible than on the red squirrel.


The Grey Squirrel, introduced into Ireland , from North America remains the greatest single threat to current red squirrel populations. Competition from the grey squirrels generally result in the displacement of red squirrels from broadleaved habitat within 15 years.

In Ireland, the current population originates from a few individuals that were introduced into Castleforbes Estate, Co Longford in 1911.

Fortunately, dispersal of grey squirrels in Ireland has been slower than that experienced in England and Wales. This may be attributed to the existence of much smaller areas of broadleaved habitat, and fewer mature hedgerows which act as corridors along which the grey squirrels can travel. Both squirrels compete largely for the same food in a broadleaved woodland. Grey squirrels hold an advantage where food is limited, due to their ability to consume unripe food such as hazelnuts in October. The red squirrel, however, can only ingest ripened nuts, and therefore it is more likely to suffer from food shortages over the winter months. Red squirrel densities tend to be lower than greys, particularly where food shortages exist. This may be a direct result of lower breeding rates when the prevailing conditions are unfavourable. Where food supplies are plentiful, red squirrels appear to breed at similar densities to greys.

Red squirrels are one of the oldest native Irish species, in that they pre-date human history and were common at the end of the ice age when forests covered most of the landscape. However, it is widely believed that the red squirrel became extinct in Ireland in the early 1700's. Tree cover in this period had dwindled from 80% of the land area which occurred after the last ice age 10,000 years ago, to below 2% of the land area. Fragmentation of the remaining broadleaved habitat was probably one of the main reasons for the red squirrel's disappearance. The red squirrel was re-established at ten sites throughout Ireland, between 1815 and 1856, and these were derived from squirrel populations in England. They did very well and became common again in woodlands. However, in recent years, competition from the grey squirrel has pushed them once more down the road towards extinction.
There are 250,000-300,000 grey squirrels in Ireland, but only 50,000-100,000 red squirrels: the red squirrel is disappearing by 1% every year.

Botanic Gardens - Resident Grey Squirrel

Image by infomatique
There are two types of squirrels in Ireland, the red squirrel and the grey squirrel. The red squirrel is native to Ireland while the grey squirrel is native to North America.

The red squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris) belongs to a large group of mammals called rodents (Rodentia), which includes rats and mice. They can vary hugely in all shades of red and brown to almost black, and their bushy tail at 20cm is nearly as long as their body. This tail helps them to balance as they climb and jump through trees.

A red squirrel is only half the size of a grey squirrel, and the long ear tufts are found only in red squirrels.

Their home (called a drey) is like a large bird’s nest lined with moss and twigs. Baby squirrels (kits) are born between February and August. There may be two litters in a year, with up to six kits in a litter. Few squirrels live beyond six years, due to starvation, disease, predation, or human interference with their habitat.
They do not hibernate, but rely in winter on buried nuts and small seeds.

The grey squirrel is also a rodent. Rodents are one of the most successful groups of mammals, with 1700 species. Most rodents are small, and all have strong sharp front teeth (incisors) which grow throughout the animal’s life. So rodents have to gnaw constantly at their food, which helps keep their teeth at the right length.

The grey squirrel is a good bit larger than a red squirrel. Measuring up to 48cm from nose to tip of tail, and about half a kilogram in weight, there is little difference between males & females. The thick coat is greyish-brown, with a slight reddish tinge in summer. The tail is grey, very long and bushy. The ear tufts are also much less visible than on the red squirrel.


The Grey Squirrel, introduced into Ireland , from North America remains the greatest single threat to current red squirrel populations. Competition from the grey squirrels generally result in the displacement of red squirrels from broadleaved habitat within 15 years.

In Ireland, the current population originates from a few individuals that were introduced into Castleforbes Estate, Co Longford in 1911.

Fortunately, dispersal of grey squirrels in Ireland has been slower than that experienced in England and Wales. This may be attributed to the existence of much smaller areas of broadleaved habitat, and fewer mature hedgerows which act as corridors along which the grey squirrels can travel. Both squirrels compete largely for the same food in a broadleaved woodland. Grey squirrels hold an advantage where food is limited, due to their ability to consume unripe food such as hazelnuts in October. The red squirrel, however, can only ingest ripened nuts, and therefore it is more likely to suffer from food shortages over the winter months. Red squirrel densities tend to be lower than greys, particularly where food shortages exist. This may be a direct result of lower breeding rates when the prevailing conditions are unfavourable. Where food supplies are plentiful, red squirrels appear to breed at similar densities to greys.

Red squirrels are one of the oldest native Irish species, in that they pre-date human history and were common at the end of the ice age when forests covered most of the landscape. However, it is widely believed that the red squirrel became extinct in Ireland in the early 1700's. Tree cover in this period had dwindled from 80% of the land area which occurred after the last ice age 10,000 years ago, to below 2% of the land area. Fragmentation of the remaining broadleaved habitat was probably one of the main reasons for the red squirrel's disappearance. The red squirrel was re-established at ten sites throughout Ireland, between 1815 and 1856, and these were derived from squirrel populations in England. They did very well and became common again in woodlands. However, in recent years, competition from the grey squirrel has pushed them once more down the road towards extinction.
There are 250,000-300,000 grey squirrels in Ireland, but only 50,000-100,000 red squirrels: the red squirrel is disappearing by 1% every year.

Cool Animals That Are Extinct images

A few nice animals that are extinct images I found:

HARLAN'S GROUND SLOTH (PARAMYLODON HARLANI)

Image by happy via
The Central and South American tree sloths of today look and behave quite differently than their relatives, the extinct ground sloths.

Harlan's Ground Sloth had a wide distribution across North America. It was a slow-moving plant-eater. This animal had a bone-studded hide, which, combined with its strong, sharp claws, and large size, protected it from predators.

The ground sloths are related to modern armadillos, anteaters, and tree sloths. They arrived in North America late in the Age of Mammals, crossing the land bridge of the Isthmus of Panama that formed about 3 million years ago and linked North and South America.

[Text from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History]

IRISH ELK (MEGALOCEROS GIGANTEUS)

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

IRISH ELK (MEGALOCEROS GIGANTEUS)

Image by happy via
Despite its name, the Irish Elk is neither an elk nor is it exclusively Irish. In fact, it is the largest known deer that ever lived. Although its lived in parts of Eurasia and North Africa, it is known by numerous remains found in Ireland.

The antlers of male Irish Elk are larger than any others in the deer family. These massive structures could reach a span of 12 feet (3.6 meters) and weigh over 100 pounds (45 kilograms). They probably mainly functioned as a display for attracting mates and for intimidating rival males. The antlers were shed and re-grown annually.

This animal became extinct about 11,000 years ago as climatic change eliminated the vegetation it depended on for food.

[Text from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History]

short-faced bear

Image by kurtrik
this was a display that asked "which of these animals are still alive and which are extinct?"

Cool Animals That Are Extinct images

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Black Rhino mother & calf

Image by Rainbirder
Not the best of images but this is now a very rare sight.
There are only a handful of breeding female Black Rhino in the Mara-Serengeti eco-system. The grassland/scrub mosaic covers a huge area and so the risk of these animals being poached is great. We saw this mother and calf on a few occasions and always the guys from the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) were never far away. Their presence helps protect against poachers but also prevents the rhino being pestered or approached too closely by the swarms of tourist vehicles that frequent parts of The Mara.

There are four subspecies of Black Rhino though recently the West African subspecies was declared extinct when none could be found in its last stronghold in Cameroon. Of the three remaining subspecies the East African (Diceros bicornis michaeli) is the rarest with only 700 individuals remaining across its range.
Masai Mara, Kenya

Re-worked and framed by a friend.

Tui in a tree

Image by Brenda Anderson
New Zealand / Aotearoa. A collection of islands in the South Pacific. A haven for many native, endemic, and naturalised birds. Native birdlife developed without fear of predatory mammals. This lack of mammals in New Zealand led to many bird species filling the niche of small mammals in the environment. As such, many birds in New Zealand were flightless ground dwellers. Sadly, today, many of these early NZ birds are extinct, whether from the effects of man or man's introduced animals such as possums, cats, ferrets, etc.

Despite increased predation over the past several hundred years, birdlife in New Zealand is still plentiful.

Among the noisiest of the birds in my garden is the Tui. Also known as a parson bird (see his white collar?), this mainly nectar-feeder can be hard to see amongst the gums but is often recognized by his melodic call (song of the tui).

Captain Cook while at Dusky Sound in 1773 on his second voyage to New Zealand, wrote of the Tui:
"Under its throat hang two little tufts of snow-white feathers, called poies, which being the Otaheitean word for ear-rings, occasioned our giving that name to the bird; which is not more remarkable for the beauty of its plumage than the sweetness of its note. The flesh is also most delicious and was the greatest luxury the wood afforded us."

I don't think that anyone these days enjoys "the flesh of the tui" as Captain Cook did, as the tui is a prized bird in everyone's garden and has become as much a Kiwi icon as the kiwi itself.

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Galapagos Land Iguana

Image by A.Davey
I'm sure some viewers have been waiting impatiently for their first glimpse of this Galapagos icon: the Galapagos Land Iguana (Conolophus subcristatus). Well, here it is!

So, what do you think? Pretty marvelous, eh?

Unlike it's distant cousin the Lava Lizard, or its Iguana relatives living outside the Galapagos, the Galapagos Marine Iguana does not beat it at the sight of an approaching human. As a photographer, I greatly appreciate this relaxed attitude.

I might at well get the natural history lecture out of the way right here and now, so viewers can enjoy subsequent photos of the Galapagos Marine Iguana a) better informed; and b) without having to wade through facts and figures.

That font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, has all this to say about the Galapagos Marine Iguana:

"The Galapagos Land Iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of three species of the genus Conolophus. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, primarily the islands of Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, North Seymour, Hood and South Plaza."

"The Galapagos Land Iguana varies in morphology and coloration among different island populations. There are two taxonomically distinct forms of Conolophus inhabiting the western part of the islands (C. rosada and C. pallidus) and one in the central part (C. subcristatus)."

"Its generic name, Conolophus, is derived from two Greek words: conos (κώνος) meaning "spiny" and lophos (λοφος) meaning "crest" or "plume", denoting the spiny crests along their backs."

"Its specific name subcristatus is derived from the Latin words sub meaning "lesser" and cristatus meaning "crested," and refers to the low crest of spines along the animal's back which is not as tall as in most iguanids." [Editor's Note: Don't mention this when you're within earshot of a Galapagos Marine Iguana, please.]

"Charles Darwin described the Galapagos Land Iguana as 'ugly animals, of a yellowish orange beneath, and of a brownish-red colour above: from their low facial angle they have a singularly stupid appearance.' " [Well, that piece of writing certainly secures Darwin's place on the long list of idols with feet of clay.]

"The Galapagos Land Iguana grows to a length of three to five feet with a body weight of up to twenty-five pounds, depending upon which island they are from. Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun by basking on volcanic rock, and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat."

"These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with birds; the birds remove parasites and ticks, providing relief to the iguanas and food for the birds."

"Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous; however, some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Galapagos Land Iguana obtains the majority of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet: fruit, flowers, pads, and even spines."

"During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the genus Portulaca."

"It is estimated that the Galapagos Land Iguana has a 50 to 60-year lifespan."

"Galapagos Land Iguanas become sexually mature anywhere between eight and fifteen years of age, depending on which island they are from. Mating season also varies between islands, but soon after mating, the females migrate to sandy areas to nest, laying 2-25 eggs in a burrow 18 inches deep. The eggs hatch anywhere from 90 to 125 days later."

"On South Plaza Island, where the territories of Marine Iguanas and Land Iguanas overlap, the two sometimes interbreed, resulting in a mixture of features from each species; resulting in what is known as a Hybrid Iguana."

"The most likely unions tend to be between male Marine Iguanas and Female Land Iguanas. Despite their long separation time and their being two distinct species from different genera, the offspring are viable, although likely sterile."

"It is estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 land iguanas are found in the Galapagos. These iguanas were so abundant on Santiago Island at one time that naturalist Charles Darwin remarked when it was called King James Island that '...when we were left at James, we could not for some time find a spot free from their burrows on which to pitch our single tent.' "

"In the years since then, entire populations (including all the animals on Santiago Island) have been wiped out by introduced feral animals such as pigs, rats, cats, and dogs."

"It has been suggested that a pink morph of the Galapagos population is actually a genetically distinct subpopulation. This would warrant a separate species designation for the pink subpopulation. Subsequent genetic analysis of the pink morphs have suggested that the subpopulation split off from the main C. subcristatus one at least five million years ago."

"Beginning in the early 1990s the Galapagos Land Iguana is the subject of an active re-introduction campaign on Baltra Island. These animals became extinct on Baltra by 1954, allegedly wiped out by soldiers stationed there who shot the iguanas for amusement."

"However, in the early 1930s, William Randolph Hearst had translocated a population of Land Iguanas from Baltra to North Seymour Island, a smaller island just a few hundred metres north of Baltra because he could not understand why no iguanas were present there. Hearst's translocated iguanas survived, and became the breeding stock for the Charles Darwin Research Station captive breeding program which has successfully reintroduced the species to Baltra and a number of other areas."

"Visitors today frequently see iguanas on both the runway of the Baltra airport or while they cross the road."

Chimpanzee Depression

Image by jcoterhals
I enjoy zoos, but visiting the chimpanzees always makes me a little sad. I always get the feeling that they're much too intelligent not to understand that they're prisoners for our amusement.

I'm not meaning to go all PETA here, or "Free Willy" if you will, but there's something very degrading with the whole experience: Watching these magnificent animals play out all their frustrations in public, just to have the spectators laugh at them. (I imagine that what we laugh of, is the fact that we recognize ourselves in them. But that doesn't make the experience any less degrading for the chimpanzees themselves).

This chimp looked depressed. Now, I don't know if chimpanzees can be depressed or if that's what this pose is about at all. But this one kind of looks what I felt when watching it.

I'm starting to feel that we should say no to large primates in zoos, had it not been for the fact that they'd probably become extinct if left all to themselves in the wild.

PhotonQ-Darkness Falls

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

PhotonQ-Darkness Falls

Image by PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE
A curious and beautiful being was exploring the door when I got home tonight. Spent some time looking at him and the incredible details and colours from his wings. Great visual way to start the night =)

About the title, he reminded me of the green insects in one episode of the X-Files (Darkness Falls)

MULDER: What do you know about insects, Scully?

SCULLY: Uh, just what I learned in my biology courses. That they're the foundation of our ecosystem. That there's lots of them, something like 200 million per person on this planet.

MULDER: And they've been around a long time, right?

SCULLY: Yeah, something like 600 million years, even before the dinosaurs. Why?

MULDER: And this tree is what, 5, 6, 700 years old?

MOORE: Yeah.

MULDER: And these rings represent a history of climatic changes, which means that in this year or season in the life of the tree, there was some kind of strange event that produced an abnormal ring.

SCULLY: Well, like what, exactly?

MULDER: A volcanic eruption. This whole chain of mountains running from Washington to Oregon is still extremely active. Remember Mt. St. Helens?

SCULLY: Yeah, but how does that explain the bugs?

MULDER: When Mt. St. Helens erupted, there was a large amount of radiation that was released from inside the earth. Strange things started to grow. There's actually this lake where they've discovered a kind of amoeba that can literally suck a man's brains out.

SCULLY: Oh, a brain-sucking amoeba.

SPINNEY: No, it's true. Spirit Lake. And there's documented cases of swimmers being infected.

SCULLY: But an amoeba is a single-celled organism. It can be mutated. An insect is a complex animal. It would take years and years to evolve.

MULDER: Well, then maybe what we're dealing with isn't a mutation at all. What if it's some kind of... extinct insect larvae in that ring, deposited during a period of volcanic activity, brought up through the tree's root system. Ancient insect eggs. Thousands, maybe millions of years old lying dormant until...

SPINNEY: Until those loggers cut down that tree. That would be rather poetic justice, don't you think? Unleashing the very thing that would end up killing them and your friend Humphreys?

-----------------

MULDER: Why did you say that darkness was our enemy?
SPINNEY: That's when they come.
SCULLY: When who comes?
SPINNEY: I don't know what it is. They come from the sky, take a man right off his feet and devour him alive. I saw it happen....

G is for Giraffe

Image by Hobo Matt
The Flushing Bay Promenade at the northern end of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is lined with black granite panels depicting one animal and one plant for each letter of the alphabet. (It's a pretty safe bet that ol' Henry Stern had something to do with this.) The artist didn't shy away from extinct or mythological beasts, including both "Dinosaur" and "Unicorn" in the collection. As I approached the end of the alphabet, I tried in vain to come up with an "X" animal or plant. The official selections were cop-outs: "Oxen" and "Oxalis".

Bohol - The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Bohol - The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

Image by Erick )
The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.
If no action is taken, the tarsier might not survive. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat. Many years of both legal and illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture have greatly reduced these forests, and reduced the tarsier population to a dangerously small size. If no action is taken now, the Philippine tarsier can soon be added to the list of extinct species.

Bohol - The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

Image by Erick )
The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.

If no action is taken, the tarsier might not survive. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat. Many years of both legal and illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture have greatly reduced these forests, and reduced the tarsier population to a dangerously small size. If no action is taken now, the Philippine tarsier can soon be added to the list of extinct species.

The Marines I Have Seen

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The Marines I Have Seen

Image by B Tal
“The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!”
Eleanor Roosevelt

The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. This photo was taken during sunset of a very stormy and weird night. After a few bolts of lightning and a few more drops on the camera decided to call it quits for the evening.

The Marine Corps War Memorial stands as a symbol of this grateful Nation's esteem for the honored dead of the U.S. Marine Corps. While the statue depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II, the memorial is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in the defense of the United States since 1775.

The small island of Iwo Jima lies 660 miles south of Tokyo. One of its outstanding geographical features is Mount Suribachi, an extinct volcano that forms the narrow southern tip of the island and rises 550 feet to dominate the area. By February 1945, U.S. troops had recaptured most of the territory taken by the Japanese in 1941 and 1942; still uncaptured was Iwo Jima, which became a primary objective in American plans to bring the Pacific campaign to a successful conclusion.

The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

Image by Erick )
The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.
If no action is taken, the tarsier might not survive. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat. Many years of both legal and illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture have greatly reduced these forests, and reduced the tarsier population to a dangerously small size. If no action is taken now, the Philippine tarsier can soon be added to the list of extinct species.

Monkey Brains

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Monkey Brains

Image by elycefeliz
Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera)
Another very interesting member of the mulberry family is the osage orange (Maclura pomifera). Native to the midwestern and southeastern United States, this species is also known as the hedge apple because it was planted in thicket-like hedge rows before the advent of barbed wire fences.

The fruit is neither an orange nor an apple, although it approaches the size of those fruits. Like the breadfruit and jackfruit, it is a true multiple fruit composed of numerous separate ovaries, each arising from a separate female flower. In fact, the bumpy surface of the fruit is due to the numerous, tightly-packed ovaries of the female flowers. The black hairs on the surface of the fruit are styles, each arising from a separate ovary.

The wood of osage orange was highly prized by the Osage Indians of Arkansas and Missouri for bows. In fact, osage orange is stronger than oak (Quercus) and as tough as hickory (Carya), and is considered by archers to be one of the finest native North American woods for bows. In Arkansas, in the early 19th century, a good osage bow was worth a horse and a blanket.

A yellow-orange dye is also extracted from the wood and is used as a substitute for fustic and aniline dyes in arts and industry.

Osage-orange or Horse-apple en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage-orange
Maclura pomifera, known as Osage-orange or Horse-apple, is dioeceous plant species, with male and female flowers on different plants. It is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8-15 m tall. The fruit, a multiple fruit, is roughly spherical, but bumpy, and 7-15 cm in diameter, and it is filled with a sticky white latex sap. In fall, its color turns a bright yellow-green and it has a faint odor similar to that of oranges

Recent research suggests that elemol, one of the major components of oil extracted from fruit of Osage orange, shows promise as a mosquito repellent with similar activity to DEET in contact and residual repellency.

The fruits are sometimes torn apart by squirrels to get at the seeds, but few other native animals make use of it as a food source. This is unusual, as most large fleshy fruits serve the function of seed dispersal, accomplished by their consumption by large animals. One recent hypothesis is that the Osage-orange fruit was eaten by a giant ground sloth that became extinct shortly after the first human settlement of North America.

The Osage-orange is commonly used as a tree row windbreak in prairie states, which gives it one of its colloquial names, "hedge apple". It was one of the primary trees used in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Great Plains Shelterbelt" WPA project, which was launched in 1934 as an ambitious plan to modify weather and prevent soil erosion in the Great Plains states, and by 1942 resulted in the planting of 30,233 shelterbelts containing 220 million trees that stretched for 18,600 miles.

The fruit from this tree is sometimes called "Monkey Brains" due to its resemblance to a small brain.

IMG04480

Image by Arno Meintjes Wildlife
10 Facts about White Lions

1.White Lions are not albinos, but a genetic rarity unique to one endemic region on the globe: the Timbavati region.
2.The Genetic Marker that makes White Lions unique has not yet been identified by science.
3.The White Lions are currently classified under the general species classification Panthera leo, although this is likely to change after the genetic research undertaken by the Global White Lion Protection Trust reveals important reasons for sub-speciation of this rare phenotype.
4.The earliest recorded sighting of white lions in the Timbavati region was in 1938. However, the oral records of African elders indicate that these unique animals survived in this region for many centuries.
5.The unique white lion gene is carried by certain of the tawny coloured lions in the region, and white cubs occurred in numerous prides in the region.
6.Since their discovery by the West, white lions and those lions carrying the unique gene have been hunted, and forcibly removed from their natural endemic habitat.
7.The last white lion was seen in the wild in 1994, after which time they were technically extinct in the wild.
8.The idea that white lions are genetically inferior to ordinary tawny lions has not been scientifically tested.
9.The idea that White Lions cannot survive in the wild due to perceived lack of camouflage has not been scientifically tested.
10.Currently, there is no law nationally or internationally that protects the White Lions from being wiped off the face of the earth.

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

Okapi

Image by shékum
Okay, the lack of animals disappointed me, but the fact that they had an Okapi made my day. Until very recently (2006), they were believed extinct so YES!

TOROSAURUS LATUS

Image by happy via
"Pierced Lizard"

Up to eight feet in length, the skull of the Cretaceous dinosaur Torosaurus is one of the longest known skulls of any land animal, living or extinct. Like its contemporary Triceratops, Torosaurus had horns above its eyes and nostrils and a bony frill covering its neck region. These horns, comparable to those of modern-day rhinos, may have been used for defense against predators , in competition for mates, and -- along with the imposing frill -- for display to members of their own kind.

[Text from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History]

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Check out these animals that are extinct images:

Monkey Brains

Image by elycefeliz
Osage-orange or Horse-apple en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage-orange
Maclura pomifera, known as Osage-orange or Horse-apple, is dioeceous plant species, with male and female flowers on different plants. It is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8-15 m tall. The fruit, a multiple fruit, is roughly spherical, but bumpy, and 7-15 cm in diameter, and it is filled with a sticky white latex sap. In fall, its color turns a bright yellow-green and it has a faint odor similar to that of oranges

Recent research suggests that elemol, one of the major components of oil extracted from fruit of Osage orange, shows promise as a mosquito repellent with similar activity to DEET in contact and residual repellency.

The fruits are sometimes torn apart by squirrels to get at the seeds, but few other native animals make use of it as a food source. This is unusual, as most large fleshy fruits serve the function of seed dispersal, accomplished by their consumption by large animals. One recent hypothesis is that the Osage-orange fruit was eaten by a giant ground sloth that became extinct shortly after the first human settlement of North America.

The Osage-orange is commonly used as a tree row windbreak in prairie states, which gives it one of its colloquial names, "hedge apple". It was one of the primary trees used in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Great Plains Shelterbelt" WPA project, which was launched in 1934 as an ambitious plan to modify weather and prevent soil erosion in the Great Plains states, and by 1942 resulted in the planting of 30,233 shelterbelts containing 220 million trees that stretched for 18,600 miles.

The fruit from this tree is sometimes called "Monkey Brains" due to its resemblance to a small brain

Speed!

Image by gainesp2003
Pronghorn antelope are the second fastest land animal after the cheetah. They probably evolved to be able to outrun speedy predators that are now extinct on the Great Plains, such as the American cheetah.

Edy Alvarez 1

A few nice animals that are extinct images I found:

Edy Alvarez 1

Image by Jeffrey Zide
Edy Alvarez is student at CSUN and a student activist who focuses on issues relating to the green party.

Transcribed Interview: The Green Party in California was established in 1990-1991, we modeled ourselves after the german green party after they established themselves, we were able to register 100,000 voters and we're now a ballot-qualified greparty in california. We've been able to qualify numerous states here in the U.S. The four key-pillars are: The first one is grassroots democracy, we get voters from the ground-up not top-down, we don't get money from corporations, we're funded by regular people and is local and self-funded, the second pillar is environmental stewardship, finding ways to reducing environmental degradation. combating global warming, finding solutions for sustainability for future generations. we are destroying ecosystems at the moment and many species are going extinct, the third key pillar is social justice, this refers to having a living wage compared to minimum wage, a living wage would be .50 now, animal rights, reducing animal experimentation and finding a better way to treat animals, increase living standards, full-employment for all, we have the money and resources, there are empty factories right now that need workers, tuition-free college, once again we have the money but' its the way funds are allocated, there are different reasons we've been squeezed out...healthcare for all, e.g, single payer, not Obama-care which mandates you to buy healthcare from a private insurance companies, healthcare means the government provides for healthcare for all citizens. The fourth pillar is non-violence and an end to wars, e.g, going to iraq on false premises and not finding nuclear weapons. How does this relate to CSUN students? Background on the green party being excluded in the united states and around the world: In the late 80's the League of Women voters used to hold the presidential debates every four years and then in 1988-1992 the democrats and republicans came together to form a corporation that would sponsor the debates that makes it impossible for other third party candidates to register and its why you don't see other candidates besides the democrats and republicans. Here in california we passed prop-14 which means you get to vote for either party but only the two top-vote getters are able to move-on and so you can have two democrats, or two republicans or one of which each and no other third party candidates. The assembly just passed a vote to eliminate write-in candidate, which means you can't write-in candidates if you don't agree with the candidates on the ballot. This brings me here to csun, where there is debate between incumbents Howard Berman and Brad Sherman. The way incumbents try to operate is to stifle competition and not debate if there is any third-party candidates and it amounts to an exclusionary undemocratic process. I'm trying to get a third party candidate at the CSUN debates, he is qualified congressional-candidate and is a former CSUN professor and I'm trying to get as much support as possible from everyone because if we can't get support at the local college level who can we have any support in california or at large, the U.S. audience.

Glyptodont Skull

Image by Travis S.
This is a skull of a Pleistocene megafauna creature called a Glyptodont. These mammals lived in South America and went extinct about 10,000 years ago. While in Mexico I was fortunate enough to see a nearly complete articulated skeleton of the animal.

The zygomatic arch of this creature is odd. It has that projection that runs vertically down to the mandible. The only other animal I've seen with this morphology is the Giant Ground Sloth, which also once hailed from South America. I have a feeling these animals did a lot of chewing.

Endangered Species Laws

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

Endangered Species Laws

Image by amareta kelly
A species (group of like organisms that can reproduce) is listed as endangered if it is in immediate danger of extinction throughout all or a significant part of its habitat. Fossils show that many plants and animals have become extinct over millions of years.

watersome.blogspot.com/2011/11/endangered-species-laws.html

Canavalia rosea/maritima

Image by wallygrom
From Wikipedia -
Canavalia rosea is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that has a pantropical distribution. Common names include Beach Bean, Bay Bean, Seaside Jack-bean, Coastal Jack-bean, and MacKenzie Bean.

Synonyms include -
Canavalia maritima
Canavalia obtusifolia
Dolichos maritimus
Dolichos obtusifolius
Dolichos roseus

Coastal Jack-bean is a trailing, herbaceous vine that forms mats of foliage. Stems reach a length of more than 6 m (20 ft) and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in thickness. Each compound leaf is made up of three leaflets 5.1–7.6 cm (2.0–3.0 in) in diameter, which will fold themselves when exposed to hot sunlight. The flowers are purplish pink and 5.1 cm (2.0 in) long. The flat pods are 10.2–15.2 cm (4.0–6.0 in) long and become prominently ridged as they mature. The buoyancy of the seeds allows them to be distributed by ocean currents.

C. rosea inhabits upper beaches, cliffs, and dunes throughout the world's coastal tropics. It is highly salt-tolerant and prefers sandy soils.

From Wikipedia -
Canavalia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) and comprises approximately 70-75 species of tropical origin. These vines have usually bright pea-flowers which are pollinated by insects such as solitary bees and carpenter bees (e.g. Xylocopa confusa).
They are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named ʻāwikiwiki by the Native Hawaiians. That name means essentially "the very quick one" and comes from the Hawaiian word for "fast" that has also been appropriated into the name "Wikipedia". The generic name is derived from the Malabar word for the species, kavavali, which means "forest climber."

Several species are valued legume crops, including Common Jack-bean (C. ensiformis), Sword Bean (C. gladiata) and C. cathartica. At least the first makes a beneficial weed- and pathogen-suppressing living mulch. The Common Jack-bean is also known as the plant from which the lectin concanavalin A, con A is produced. This lectin is of major commercial and scientific importance as a reagent in glycoprotein biochemistry and immunology. Also, the Jack-bean is a common source of purified urease enzyme for scientific research.

Bay Bean (Canavalia rosea) supposedly is mildly psychoactive when smoked - it is used in tobacco substitutes.

Some animals have adaptation to the defensive chemicals of jack-beans. Caterpillars for example of the Two-barred Flasher (Astraptes fulgerator) are sometimes found on Canavalia. The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella canavaliae was described from a jack-bean. Introduced herbivores have wreaked havoc on Canavalia on the Hawaiian Islands and made some nearly extinct; it may be that these lost their chemical defenses as no herbivorous mammals existed in their range until introduced by humans.

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Gil Myers, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: scimitar-horned oryx

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

# # #

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Jim Jenkins, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: Wattled Crane chick

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

# # #

Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Jim Jenkins, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: Sunbittern chick

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

# # #

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Jim Jenkins, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: kiwi chick

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

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Nice Animals That Are Extinct photos

Some cool animals that are extinct images:

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Jim Jenkins, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: Guam rail chick

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

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What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring

Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Gil Myers, Smithsonian's National Zoo

In this photo: scimitar-horned oryx

Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience. Below are just a few of the new critters and experiences visitors can expect. More than 30 animal demonstrations take place every day in which visitors can encounter fascinating creatures and chat with keepers about the Zoo’s conservation efforts. To view the demonstration schedule, visit nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/DailyPrograms/.

1.Baby Bird Bonanza Catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most endangered birds and their chicks up-close at the Bird House. A baby boom officially began March 7 when a brown kiwi hatched from his shell. The Zoo’s flock soon expanded to include a wattled crane, two Guam rails, three rheas and two sunbittern chicks. They’re growing fast, so bird watchers should plan to visit the Bird House in the next few weeks. Soon, the wattled crane chick will be six feet tall!

2.See Some Impressive Tortoises For the first time in its history, the Reptile Discovery Center will exhibit impressed tortoises. Not much is known about these reptiles, so Zoo biologists will study their growth and behavior. The two sub-adult males sport golden brown and black patterned shells, but this beauty has also made them vulnerable to extinction. Along with habitat loss, the pet trade contributes to the population decline of impressed tortoises in their native Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

3.Zoo-perior Food An entirely new dining experience awaits visitors at the National Zoo thanks to its new food partner, Sodexo. Cafés and concession stands will serve a wide variety of authentic ethnic cuisines, as well as healthier versions of traditional favorites. What’s more, ingredients are local, seasonal and sustainable. The menus for six food service stations are available on the Zoo’s website.

4.New Neighbors at the Cheetah Conservation Station Two young scimitar-horned oryx named Sweeney and Omar are the newest residents at the Zoo’s African savanna exhibit. These large desert antelope sport horns that are several feet long and resemble a long, curved scimitar—a type of Arabian sword. The half-brothers were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., last year. Native to northern Africa, scimitar-horned Oryx are considered extinct in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

5.The Inside Story For an in-depth perspective on why animals behave the way they do, stop by the Small Mammal House this May and check out its new exhibit: “The Inside Story.” Learn how anteaters eat without any teeth, how a Prevost squirrel nimbly jumps from branch to branch, and more. Artifacts and x-rays of animals’ skulls, muscles, and tails will show visitors how adaptations help animals survive in a changing world.

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation to the National Zoo. Parking lots fill up by mid-morning and then free up early afternoon during spring and summer. Last admittance to the Zoo is 7 p.m. To reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, call Friends of the National Zoo Guest Services at 202-633-4486 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking reservation fees of for FONZ members and for nonmembers apply.

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