Sun Bear

Adult Sun Bear

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Carnivora
Family : Ursidae
Genus : Helarctos
Species : malayanus

Height : 4ft (1.2m)
Weight : 65-130lbs (30-60kg)

IUCN Status : Vulnerable

The Sun Bear is the smallest of the bear species. They can be found in dense, forested areas of South East Asia, and are named for a bright patch on their chests which resemble the rising sun.

Sun Bears are, ironically, nocturnal. During the night they forage around in the forest, looking for berries, rodents, insects, and a whole plethora of other foods to eat. They have long claw that help to get inside termite nests, and amazingly long tongues which are used for extracting honey.

Sun Bears Have Really Long Tongues!

It is believed that Sun Bears are monogamous, since adults are often spotted in pairs. Because of the warm climate, Sun Bears do not hibernate, nor do they have a set breeding season. Cubs are born hairless and helpless, and require a great deal of care from their mothers. Mother Sun Bears will even stand on their hind legs and carry their cubs from place to place. They are one of only a few bear species that exhibit this type of behavior.

Sun Bears are incredibly elusive, and are listed as an endangered species. Their secretive nature makes it very difficult for us to study them in the wild and determine their total numbers. Deforestation and poaching have been major negative factors on the species.

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Some Color for a Winter Day

I've spent three days digging cars out of snow banks, thanks to the massive Blizzard that smacked the Midwest earlier this week. Everything is now shades of gray out there, so I found one of the most colorful pictures that I have, Chilean Flamingos at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

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Vicuña

(Image Source)

Phylum: Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Camelidae
Genus : Vicugna
Species : vicugna

Height : 2.75-3.25ft (84-99 cm)
Weight : 100-120lbs (45-55kg)

IUNC Status : Least Concern

(Image Source)

The Vicuña is one of two wild Camelids found in South America, the other being the Guanaco. They can be found in the high grasslands of the Andes Mountains, hanging out at elevations of 10,500-15,750ft (3,200-4,800m). Vicuñas are the smallest of all the Camelids, and it is believed that they are the descendants of the domesticated Alpacas.

Vicuña fibers are some of the rarest and most sought after in the world. The hairs are finer than cashmere are are warmer than wool, but only about 1lb per year is produced per animal and they can only be shorn once every two years. Vicuña fleeces have been harvested for centuries, but unrestricted hunting almost led to the extinction of the species in the 1960s and 1970s. Legal sheering is allowed today under careful watch to ensure that all captured Vicuñas are returned to the wild.

Vicuñas live in rather interesting social groups. Each group includes a dominant male and several females, who have a daytime feeding territory and a higher elevation nighttime territory. These groups are very close-knit, and juveniles are kicked out to prevent inbreeding and competition. Young males and females form bachelors herds along with other members of their sex. Vicuñas are very skittish animals, and will quickly flee from any hint of danger. Thanks to a large heart, they can run at speeds of 30mph (50kph) at high elevations.

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Chatham Black Robin

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Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Petroicidae
Genus : Petroica
Species : traversi

Height : 4in (10cm)

IUCN Status : Endangered

The Chatham Black Robin is found only on the Chatham Islands, which are situated east of New Zealand. Like many island species, the Chatham Black Robin became threatened by the introduction of invasive predators, most notably rats and cats. By 1980 there were only 5 Chatham Black Robins left.

Of these five, there was only one female capable of reproduction, "Old Blue." It is from Old Blue and her mate, Old Yellow, that all current Chatham Black Robins are descended. What is so amazing about this is that Old Blue was already nine years old when the conservation project remained, far beyond the typical four-year life expectancy!

Old Blue

In order to save the species, scientists employed a conservation method called "cross-fostering." When the Robins laid eggs, the first clutch was taken away and cared for for another bird species. Losing their eggs caused the Robin pair to produce a second clutch, doubling their offspring output each year. There are now over 200 Chatham Black Robins, confined to the islands of Mangere and Rangatira which are free of rats cats. Their conservation is a great success story, and the population continues to increase.

Pairs mate for life, and normally produce one clutch each year. They live in forested areas on lower tree branches in an effort to stay away from the high winds that hit the Chatham Islands. Black Robins are carnivores that feed off of a variety of invertebrates, including roaches, worms, and wetas.

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Steller Sea Lion

Bull Sea Lion

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Carnivora
Family :Otariidae
Genus : Eumetopias
Species : jubatus

Length : Males 11ft (3.25m), Females 8ft (2.5m)
Weight : Males 2,500lbs (1120kg), Females 1,000lbs (35kg)

IUCN Status : Endangered

Oh George Steller, you have so many species named after you! We've discussed his Sea Cow, his Sea Eagle, and now his Sea Lion! I had a cute little songbird planned for today, but I must admit that the massive Midwestern storm made me change up my post, so cold weather Sea Lion it is!

The Steller Sea Lion is the largest of all the "eared seals," which includes fur seals and sea lions. They can be found in the Northern waters of the Pacific, running from Hokkaido, Japan over to Alaska and sometimes even down as far as California. They are carnivores, and eat fish, squids, octopuses, crustaceans, and, on occasion, smaller seals. They are able to dive 1,300ft (400m) in search of prey.

Pup, Female, and Male

During Breeding Season, Steller Sea Lions congregate on beaches, or "rookeries," which get completely covered by the animals. Bulls fight of territories and the cows within them. Their single-mindedness also leads to the deaths of young pups, who get trampled over by the massive males.

Steller Sea Lions have seen a drastic decline in population since the 1970s. The number have dropped over75%. One likely cause of this is the increase of commercial fishing, which has reduced the Sea Lion's prey.

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The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives

By Alan Turner
Illustrations by Mauricio Anton
Harcover : 233 Pages
April 15, 1997

The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives is a book in a very similar vein to Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History, and it even includes illustrations by the same artist, Mauricio Anton. In this text Turner looks only at the big cats- Lions, Tigers, Leopards, etc.- and explains where they came from, who their now-extinct ancestors were, and how and why they have the specific adaptations that they possess. It gives a clear picture of the evolution of Big Cats, and explains nearly every function of their anatomy and how it corresponds to their social, mating, and hunting behaviors.

This book is not "light reading" but if you have an interest in feline evolution and physiology, definitely take a look. It also has some exceptionally beautiful illustrations and plates by Anton that help to visualize these creatures of the past.

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Electric Eel

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Phylum : Chordata
Class : Actinopterygii
Order : Gymnotiformes
Family : Gymnotidae
Genus : Electrophorus
Species : electricus

Length : Up to 6-8ft (2-2.5m)
Weight : 40lbs (20kg)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Did you know that despite the name, Electric Eels are more closely related to Catfish then they are to actual Eels? These curious creatures are actually members of an Order known as "Knifefishes" and they are found in the freshwater basins of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers.

Electric Eels are major predators within their watery domains. Unsurprisingly, this is due to the large amount of electricity that they can release to stun their prey. Their bodies are home to about 6,000 specialized cells known as electrocytes. They store up power than can be discharged quickly at a strength of about 600 volts. While swimming around, Electric Eels emit much lower, 10 volt shocks that help them to navigate and hunt in the murky water. They feed off of fish, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals. Due to their electric nature, they have very few predators of their own.

So are Electric Eels dangerous to humans? There have been some fatalities, but they are not at all common. Repeated shocks can induce heart attacks, while other shocks have lead to paralysis and drowning.

Electric Eels also have the interesting ability to breathe air outside of water. Almost 80% of their oxygen comes from gulping up air at the surface. The rivers that they live in are murky and have low oxygen levels, and this breathing method allows them to survive at their large sizes.

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