Barbary Lion

Wild Barbary Lion, photographed in 1893

Barbary Lions are members of a Lion subspecies that once lived throughout northern Africa. They are now considered to be extinct in the wild. There may be some captive specimens left, but there is some controversy as to whether many are true members of the subspecies.

The history of the Barbary Lion is a storied one. They were once fought off by the ancient Egyptians, and they were captured by the Romans for use in gladiatorial events. They also lived in the English Royal Menagerie (and later in the Tower of London) as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries. Morroccan Kings and Sultans  kept Barbary Lions, and there are some captive individuals today who are said to be descendants of the "Royal Lions."

Barbary Lions were huge. Adult males could weigh as much as 600lbs, making them the largest of the subspecies. They also had shaggy manes that extended well beyond their necks, reaching to their backs and even covering their undersides. They also had a grayer coloration to their manes than other Lions.

Possible Captive Barbary Lion

Interestingly, Barbary Lions have more in common genetically with Asiatic Lions than with other African Lions. This may be because of the large Saharan divide between the Barbary Lions and their southern relatives. Another theory is that the now completely extinct European Lion helped to bridge the gap between the cats living in North Africa and Asia.

Once upon a time it was believed that any long maned lion could be a descendant of the wild Barbary Lions. This has been proven untrue. Lion mane size is actually dependent on outsides factors, including temperature. After the last Barbary Lions were killed, various zoos and organizations claimed to have these lions in captivity, including Lions related to the Royal Lions in Morocco. Genetic testing on museum specimens (and on skulls from the Tower of London!) has helped to identify markers of the subspecies, but there is still a great deal to be known about their genetic distinctness. Until everything gets sorted out, efforts are being made to keep the remaining lions in their own selective breeding group.

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IUCN Status : Extinct in the Wild since the 1920s

Location : North Africa
Size : Weight up to 600lbs (272 kg) in males, 400lbs (180kg) in females

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Felidae -- Genus : Panthera -- Species : P. leo -- Subspecies : P. l. leo

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Tithonus Birdwing

Male Tithonus Birdwing

The male Tithonus Birdwing is a stunning green butterfly found in Southeast Asia and Australia. Females are also pretty good looking, with a bold pattern of black, white, and yellow. They also happen to be larger than their male counterparts, which is already pretty big. Tithonus Birdwings can have wingspans that measure almost 8 inches!

As adults, they breed in the forest valleys, but they tend to do much of their actual courtship and mating higher up on the ridges.

Female

Tithonus Birdwings are prized by collectors for their size and beauty. Many of the Birdwing Butterflies are threatened or endangered. The data behind the Tithonus Birdwing is deficient according to the IUCN, but they are protected under CITES Appendix II.

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IUCN Status : Data Deficient

Location : Australia and South East Asia
Size : Wingspan up to 7.5in (19cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Papilionidae -- Genus : Ornithoptera -- Species : O. tithonus

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Guadalupe Fur Seal

Arctocephalus townsendi

We almost lost the Guadalupe Fur Seal. They were hunted commercially during the 1700s and 1800s, and were believed to be extinct by the beginning of the 20th century. Luckily, some survived and the species has been revived. The population is now nearing 7,500. Though they have been rebounding, they still remain the rarest of the Fur Seals.

Guadalupe Fur Seals breed exclusively on Guadalupe Island, off of the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The location is a protected sanctuary. When not breeding, the seals have occasionally been found up towards California and the Channel Islands.

Guadalupe Fur Seals exhibit incredible sexual dimorphism. Males can weigh nearly 4 times more than the females! However, females tend to live longer. Their life expectancy (around 23 years) is close to double that of a males (only 13 years).

During the mating season males will protect territories and mate with all females inside of their range (usually 4-12 in total). Interestingly, many of the seals will breed in caves rather than on the beaches. One theory is that the hunting of the past drove them to hide.

Fish and Squid make up the Fur Seal's diet. And though they are not truly migratory, they will make round trips that measure hundreds of miles in order to find food. They hunt mainly at night, and will dive to depths of around 55ft (17m).

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Guadalupe Island, Mexico
Size : Length up to 7ft (2.2m) for males, 5ft (1.5m) for females. Weight up to 415lbs (188kg) for males, 110lbs (49kg) for females

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Pinnipedia -- Family : Otariidae -- Genus : Arctocephalus -- Species : A. townsendi

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Alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

The Alewife is a member of the herring family that was originally found off of the Atlantic Coast. Though they are still exist in that range, over the last fifty years they have become an invasive species in the Great Lakes.

In the 1950s, Alewives used the Welland Canal in Ontario to get around Niagara Falls and enter the Great Lakes. Around that same time, Sea Lamprey also invaded, killing off many of the large prey species that would have normally consumed the Alewives. Lack of predation allowed the species to spread, and they are now most abundant in Lake Michigan and in Lake Huron.

Though they are still abundant in the Great Lakes, the population is more in check than it once was. This is due to the introduction of predator species like stocked Trout and Salmon. Unfortunately, the Alewives still vie for food (mostly zooplankton) with other fish, and have negatively affected other populations because of that competition.

Atlantic Alewives are anadromous, a term that means the fish live at sea, but come into freshwater to spawn. Great Lakes Alewives obviously live their entire lives in freshwater, though they spawn in more shallow areas, depositing up to 12,000 eggs! The larvae hatch after only a week, and the fish can live 6 to 7 years.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : North America
Size : Length up to 6in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Clupeiformes
Family : Clupeidae -- Genus : Alosa-- Species : A. pseudoharengus

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Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

The Channel Catfish is the most common, and most frequently angled, Catfish in North America. Their range stretches from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and they'll live in just about any fresh body of water that provides them with adequate food and water temperature.

You can identify a Channel Catfish by taking a look at its tail. They have very deep forked tails when compared to other Catfish species. They also tend of have dark spots on the top side, though in older fish they may merge together.

Channel Catfish can grow to pretty large sizes over their 40 year lifespan, and the food that they eat changes with their size. As young fish they are more omnivorous, eating small critters and plant matter. But as they grow larger they are more and more carnivorous, eating fish, reptiles, and even birds! The Channel Catfish themselves are preyed on frequently when they are in the egg to juvenile phases, but full grown adults have far fewer predators.

Did you know that Channel Catfish are monogamous, breed only once a year, and are pretty good parents? Males and females pair up before the breeding season begins. When it comes time to mate they will swim with their tails wrapped around each other's heads, which stimulates spawning. Once the fertilized eggs are laid the male chases the female off, but she remains nearby to protect her new offspring from a distance. The male sticks around in a much closer proximity, and eventually helps to feed the juvenile fish when they hatch by thrashing in the mud to loosen food bits into the water. The young fish will be independent from their parents within two weeks. Quite the interesting fish!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : North America
Size : Weight up to 50lbs (23kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Siluriformes
Family : Ictaluridae -- Genus : Ictalurus -- Species : I. punctatus

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Hyacinth Macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

The Hyacinth Macaw is a stunning member of the Parrot family that can be found in parts of Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. They are the longest Parrots in the world, and the largest flying species. But they do not take the top prize for heaviest- that honor of course goes to our flightless Kakapo friends.

You can tell you are looking at a Hyacinth due to its vibrant blue coloration accented by yellow around the eyes and beak. There is another parrot species, the Lears Macaw, that has the same colors but a much smaller in size.

Hyacinth Macaws might look like jungle dwelling birds, but they are actually more common in grasslands and semi-wooded areas. They feed on different types of seed and nut, using their strong bills to crack them open. But interestingly, there are some palm nuts that the Macaws will eat only after they have soften... by going through the digestive tracts of livestock.

Hyacinth Macaws are an endangered species, and are protected by law in Bolivia and Brazil. Their commercial export is also banned through CITES Appendix I, but that hasn't completely stopped illegal traders from snatching them from the wild. Their size and coloration has made them very sought after in the pet industry, and can be legally purchased, though they sell for as much as $10,000.

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IUCN Status : Endangered

Location : South America
Size : Length up to 3.3ft (1m), Weight up to 3.5lbs (1.6kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Psittaciformes
Family : Psittacidae -- Genus : Anodorhynchus -- Species : A. hyacinthinus

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Australian Swamp Rat

Rattus lutreolus

The Australian Swamp Rat is a species that is common throughout its range in south and eastern Australia. They prefer areas of dense vegetation that may or may not be swamp related, so don't let the name fool you! They need for vegetation is twofold; Swamp Rats needs to hide from predators (they even cut complex tunnels in the vegetation!), and the females need enough food to have the energy to reproduce.

Speaking of reproducing... The Australian Swamp Rat breeding season can last the entire year, though spring to autumn is more common. The gestation period lasts only 3-4 weeks, and a female can produce multiple litters during a single season.

And did you know that a female rat born at the beginning of the season can herself breed by the end of it? They reach sexual maturity after less than 3 months, and only have a life expectancy of around 18 months.

Australian Swamp Rats are both nocturnal and diurnal (basically they feed when they want), and they are herbivores that dine on seeds and grasses.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Australia
Size : Body Length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Rodentia
Family : Muridae -- Genus : Rattus -- Species : R. lutreolus

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