The Cougar
A very famous animal that is endangered without many people
being aware of it is the cougar. Other names include the puma, or the mountain
lion. There are three subspecies of the cougar that are endangered and are
found in different places including North America, Central America, and South
America. Cougars thrive well in captivity, and are very similar to the average
house cat. FACT: cougars cannot roar like most big cats; the loudest sound they
can make is a “purr” like the common cat. Cougars can sprint up to 43 miles per
hour and can jump 20 feet from a standing position. In general, cougars are a
dark yellow-ish color and have black tipped ears. North American cougars can
weigh up to 150 pounds, but the size of a cougar depends on its subspecies. The
average cougar diet consists of large mammals such as deer and elk; however,
smaller animals can be eaten including porcupines, beavers, or in some cases,
even mice. Cougars usually like to avoid humans and are quite shy animals. Only
about 30 to 50 Florida Panthers remain in the wild today and there are about 20
to 100 Eastern Puma populations said to be. Overall, there are only about
24,000 to 36,000 cougars remaining because people are settling in their
habitats and the population growth is requiring more homes and buildings to be
built. In addition, some cougars are being killed through vehicular crashes and
about fifteen percent of them are being killed by hunters every year. Cougars
are very important animals and their population should not continue to decline!
And that’s a wrap, so until next time,
SVR
The Jersey pine,well, in New Jersey
A close up of the branches, needles, and it's fruit
Scarlet leaves
Wolves(Canis Lupus)
A pack of wolves in their native habitat of Montana
To learn more on how to help the cougar, visit www.cougarfund.org .
In this post, the topic of chimpanzees will be covered.
Chimpanzees are an endangered species of monkeys whose lives can span longer
than fifty years. They are officially the human race’s closest relative because
they share ninety-eight percent of the same genes that humans do and while
humans have twenty-three chromosomes, chimps have twenty-four. Chimpanzees live
in forests and are native to many countries including (but not limited to): the
tropical forests of Africa, Senegal to Tanzania, along the river Zaire, and in
other grasslands, swamplands, and woodlands. They enjoy living in humid rain forests.
In addition, Chimpanzees can range from three to four and a half feet tall when
standing up on two legs. They can also be from fifty five to one hundred and
fifty pounds. About thirty to eighty individuals are found in a chimpanzee
“troop” which are the groups that they travel in. Chimps are omnivorous so
their basic diet consists of fruits, nuts, seeds, insects, and the occasional
hunting of other smaller animals. But the cute primates are becoming extinct
due to habitat destruction, poaching (hunting), and some disease. Because
Chimps are genetically engineered so similarly to humans, they are prone to
many of the illnesses that we humans are infected by. Only 170,000 to 300,000
chimps are estimated to be populating the world as of now, and that number is
gradually decreasing. This calls for some action to be taken!
