Yariguies Brush-Finch

The Yariguies Brush-Finch is a subspecies discovered only seven years ago. It remained hidden for so long because it lives in Yariguies Mountains, which hadn't seen any sort of biological survey until 2004.

Atlapetes latinuchus yariguierum

The Yariguies Brush-Finch differs from the other finches of it's species by its coloration. Their plumage is black on the back, yellow underneath, and they sport a pretty neat looking red mohawk! Other related finches have different colored backs with white markings on the wings.

It took several years to determine that these Finches were a whole new subspecies. DNA analysis helped to confirm the identification. And interestingly, they made actually become an entire new species! A. latinuchus, their current overall species, may be split up and reclassified.

Yariguies Brush-Finches, though newly discovered, are already protected. A few months after its confirmation, the Colombian government set aside its habitat as a protected area.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Colombia

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Emberizidae -- Genus : Atlapetes-- Species : A. latinuchus -- Subspecies : A. l. yariguierum

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Baird's Tapir

Tapirs are pretty sweet animals. For one, they look completely unlike just about any other thing you've ever seen... except maybe pigs. But here is the kicker- Tapirs are actually most closely related to Horses and Rhinos!

Tapirus bairdii

There are four species of Tapir, including the Bairds, and they can be found in both South AMerica and South East Asia. Their family, Tapiridae is one of only three living families in the entire Perissodactyla order; another dozen or so are now completely extinct. It's crazy to think that of all the Ungulates in the world, only Tapirs, Rhinos, and Horses remain to represent 55 million years of evolution!

Baird's Tapirs can be found in South and Central America, and are named for naturalism Spencer Fullerton Baird who described them in 1843. They are the largest of the three American Tapirs, and have dark coats with distinctive cream colored markings on the cheeks and neck. Like all Tapirs, they have an extended snout and upper lip that helps them the forage and feel around for food. You can always tell where a Tapir has been because they forage along Zig-Zagged paths of their own creation.

Despite their size, Baird's Tapirs are surprisingly agile, and are great swimmers, divers, and climbers. Their large size makes it difficult for them to dissipate heat, so they typically live around water for easy wallowing on a hot day. 

Sadly, Baird's Tapirs are Endangered, and only around 5,500 remain in the wild. Habitat loss has been their biggest threat, as forested areas continue to be torn down. They are currently part of a Species Survival Plan, and studbook is being kept for captive breeding purposes.

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IUCN Status : Endangered

Location : South and Central America

Size : Length up to 6.6ft (2m), Weight up to 850lbs (385kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Perissodactyla
Family : Tapiridae -- Genus : Tapirus -- Species : T. bairdii

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Nicobar Pigeon

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Nicobar Pigeons are large, colorful birds found on the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. They are, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful pigeons out there.  They have amazing iridescent blue and green feathers, with longer, pointed fringes around the neck. Both males and females have this vibrant plumage.

Though they can fly, Nicobar Pigeons spend most of their time on the forest floor, foraging for food. They are omnivores that feed on fruits, seeds, and insects.

Interestingly, though they live mostly on the ground, they do nest in trees. They mate for life and feed their young with "Crop Milk." Like many pigeon species. Nicobar Pigeons forage and roost in flocks.

Sadly, like many gorgeous island birds, Nicobar Pigeons are threatened due to predation by introducted species like cats and rats. They are also hunted for food and feathers, and are collected for the illegal pet trade.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Nicobar Islands

Size : Length up to 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Columbiformes
Family : Columbidae -- Genus : Caloenas -- Species : C. nicobarica

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Pygmy Sloth

The Pygmy Sloth is both the smallest and the most endangered sloth on the planet. There were only first discovered in 2001, and are found exclusively on the Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a small island off the coast of Panama. Their exact numbers are unknown, but estimates are less than 500 individuals.

Bradypus pygmaeus

Pygmy Sloths are smaller than other Sloths because they spent almost 10,000 years evolving in isolation on a small island. This biological process, called Insular Dwarfism, can also be seen in Florida's Key Deer and in Homo floresiensis from Flores Island, Indonesia. There are of course numerous other examples as well. Lack of space and a smaller supply of resources cause this evolutionary process to happen.

Like the Sloths on the mainland, Pygmy Sloths are arboreal, and feed off of leaves. Interestingly though, the Pygmy Sloths are found feeding near exclusively on Red Mangrove trees, which lives only near the island's coast. The Sloths have not been found in island forests. Their reliance on the Red Mangrove is one of the reasons for their decline; though the island is a marine reserve, indigenous people continue to harvest the plants.

Because Pygmy Sloths are so rare very little is known about their behavior. Detailed information on reproduction and parenting is not available, and scientists are only able to deduce information based on what other, larger Sloth species do. We do know, however, that they are solitary animals that live in a home-range of about 1.6Ha (4 Acres).

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Location : Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama

Size : Weight up to 7.7lbs (3.5kg), Length up to 20in (51cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Pilosa
Family : Bradypodidae -- Genus : Bradypus -- Species : B. pygmaeus

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Sulawesi Fanged Frogs

Fanged Frog

A few weeks back stories began popping up about new species of Fanged Frogs found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Nine of the thirteen species located there had not been previously known to science. These thirteen species, found within the genus Limnonectes, were able to evolve in amazing ways in order to fill specific niches on the island. This is due to the fact that they face no competition from frog species found in other areas.

But before we get into some of those adaptations, what is the deal with those fangs? Well you see, they aren’t actually teeth at all, but bony protrusions that extend up from the jaw. Because these species have only just been discovered, scientists aren’t completely sure about their purpose. One theory is that they help the frogs to catch fast moving aquatic prey. The rationale for this is that the frogs that have the largest fangs are the ones that feed on fish and tadpoles.

Fanged Frog guarding Jelly-Like Eggs

Interestingly, the some of the fish eating frogs are also incredibly large. Almost double the size of some other species. This may be because they need to swim against strong moving currents.
Large size is only one of the adaptations found in the Sulawesi Fanged Frogs. A different species, which dwells on land, lays thick jelly-like eggs so that their offspring can go through their early life phases without being near water. Foot webbing also varies across the frog species, with those living in watery habitats have larger webs than those who live more on dry land.

It’s pretty awesome when you realize that these thirteen related species all specifically evolved differently to satisfy niches on their little island. And they did it in only 15 million years!

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Location : Sulawesi, Indonesia

Size : Varies

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Dicroglossidae -- Genus : Limnonectes

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African Pied Crow

Corvus albus

African Pied Crows are medium sized Corvids (Crows and Ravens) that hail from sub-Saharan Africa. They are distinguishable from many other crows by the bright white feathers that cover the neck and chest. They are highly adaptable birds, and can found in a variety of habitats.

Like other Crows and Ravens, African Pied Crows are quite intelligent, and can be taughts to perform all kinds of tricks and tasks in captivity. In the wild they are very social birds, and live in small groups. They will even work together to mob prey from much larger birds of prey!

African pied Crows can be kept as pets, but they take a great deal of care to be properly raised. (Interestingly, native Crows and Ravens cannot be kept in the UNited States, but foreign birds like the Pied Crow can) Their high intelligence and craftiness means they can become destructive if not given proper socialization and enrichment. They are extremely active and require a good deal of space to stay happy. While they can make for exciting and enjoyable pets, they  are definitely not for everyone!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Africa

Size : Length up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Corvidae -- Genus : Corvus -- Species : C. albus

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African Spurred Tortoise

Geochelone sulcata

After the Galapagos and Aldabra Tortoises, the African Spurred Tortoise takes the title as third largest in the world. These land giants dwell in drier regions of central and northern Africa where they subsist on a diet of fruits and vegetables. During the driest times of the year, the Tortoises build burrows and enter states similar to hibernation in order to keep from dehydration.

Breeding occurs during rainier parts of the year, and males will fight for the right to breed with females. During the copulation itself, females will be unable to move due to the weight of the male Tortoises. About two months after mating the female will dig a large nest and deposit 15-30 eggs into. They will incubate for an additional 8 months before the 2" hatchlings emerge. It will take the Tortoises fifteen years to reach sexual maturity. But, like their large Tortoise cousins, they can live over 100 years.

African Spurred Tortoises have experienced some drastic population drops. They've been losing their habitats due to urbanization and the spread of livestock, and have also been hunted for meat. African Spurred Tortoises are also collected for the pet trade when they are in their younger years. This makes re-population difficult, as they take so long to mature.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Location : Africa

Size : Length up to 36in (90cm), Weight up to 200lbs (91kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Testudines
Family : Testudinidae -- Genus : Geochelone -- Species : G. sulcata

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