Amazon River Dolphin

The Amazon River Dolphin is one of the four (possibly five) species of freshwater Dolphin found in the world. They live in the Amazon basin and go by a handful of other names, including Boto and Boutu.

Inia geoffrensis

"Pink Dolphin" is yet another name for the species, due to the coloration that many of the individuals exhibit. The precise cause of the pinkness is not known, but Dolphins in murkier water tend to be more pink than those in clearer areas. Some are even as bright as flamingos!

Amazon River Dolphins differ from other freshwater Dolphins in that they have unfused neck vertebrae. This trait allows them to turn their heads from side to side and give them extra maneuverability. They can also paddle their fins in different directions, which gives them the ability to move around submerged tree roots and through very shallow spots when the rivers flood over areas that are normally above water.

The social structure of the species is dependent on the time of year. During the flood season they tend to be solitary hunters. This is because the fish are able to disperse much farther through the new marshes, giving the Dolphins more hunting area. When the waters recede, some dolphins come together in small groups in order to share the more concentrated hunting areas. Adult Dolphins have no major predators (besides humans) and thus do not need to rely on large pods for safety and protection.

Amazon River Dolphin

Amazon River Dolphins are prominent in local legends. One popular story tells that the Dolphin turns into a handsome young man at night, who always wear s hat to cover his blowhole. He comes ashore and seduces young women, often impregnating them. During the daytime he returns to the river and the women are left under a magical spell.

Legendary or not, the Dolphins are facing some problems. Some fisherman deliberately kill them so that they do not need to compete for catches, while other Dolphins get inadvertently tangled in fishing equipment. They are also facing habitat destruction, fragmentation due to dam building, and troubles arising from the chemical runoff of mining operations. A full population survey has not been done, and the species is listed as Data Deficient.

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IUCN Status : Data Deficient
Location : South America
Size : Body Length up to 8ft (2.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Cetacea
Family : Iniidae -- Genus : Inia -- Species : I. geoffrensis

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Humboldt Penguin

Humboldt Penguin at the
Milwaukee County Zoo

 The Humboldt Penguin shares its namesake with a Squid, a Skunk, a Dolphin, several plants, a handful of geological features, a few cities and counties, and more parks than I can even quantify (I have actually lived within in mile or so of two Humboldt Parks in two different states... weird). The Mr. Humboldt in question is Alexander von Humboldt, a late 18th-early19th century German naturalist and explorer who traveled extensively throughout South and Central America from 1799-1804. But his entire biography is something to perhaps be covered another day (Theme Week: Famous naturalists perhaps?)

Humboldt Penguins are a relatively warm weather species. They live off of the coasts of Peru and Chile (and are sometimes referred to as "Peruvian Penguins." They can be identified by the black band of feathers that run across the chest, and the splotchy pink skin patches on the face. Like all Penguins they have hydrodynamic torpedo-shaped bodies, powerful paddle-like wings, and webbed feet that allow them to move underwater at speeds of up to 30mph. They eat small fish, squid, and crustaceans.

The species has a pretty interesting nesting habit... they build their burrows in dried guano (poop!) that is left on the rocks by other seabirds. They breed throughout the year, and many pairs remain monogamous through their lifetimes. Two eggs are laid at once, and both parents incubate them and feed the hatched chicks.

Sadly, the Humboldt Penguin is on the decline. Though they have lived on the South American coast for thousands of years, this last century has been particularly unkind to them. Overfishing of the area, introduced predators, habitat loss, and climate change have all played a part in reducing the population. In addition to these factors, the harvesting of guano for fertilizer has damaged the breeding sites. It is estimated that there are around 12,000 breeding pairs in the wild. Thankfully the local governments and international organizations are working to protect the breeding colonies, and to breed the Penguins in captivity.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : South America
Size : Body Length around 28in (70cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Sphenisciformes
Family : Spheniscidae -- Genus : Spheniscus -- Species : S. humboldti

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Common Brushtail Possum

Trichosurus vulpecula

The Common Brushtail Possum is a species of Marsupial found in Australia. As the name probably suggests, they are a common animal, and have the largest range and most abundant population of any Australian Marsupial.

The Brushtails do in fact have very bushy tails, though the underside had a naked patch. This is because the Possum's tail is prehensile, and that patch allows them to grip things better. They feed on a variety of plants, including fruits and Eucalyptus, and have also been known to eat the occasional animal. The species is also nocturnal, meaning that they need to find dark places to sleep in during the daytime- possibly even inside a house roof!

Common Brushtail Possums are arboreal creatures, and are excellent climbers. The females even have front-facing pouches for their offspring, in part so that they don't lose them. Some other marsupials, especially those that dig, have backwards facing pouches to keep dirt and debris away from their developing infants.

A baby Possum is only 1.5cm at birth, and will need to grow in the pouch for 5 months. Once they leave the pouch they will ride around on mother's back for an additional couple of months.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia
Size : Body Length around 23in (58cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Infraclass : Marsupialia
Order : Diprotodontia -- Family : Phalangeridae -- Genus : Trichosurus -- Species : T. vulpecula

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American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

The American Kestrel (another suggestion from a reader, yay!) is the smallest Falcon in North America. For a comparison to other Birds of Prey, their maximum body length is around half that of a Red-Tailed Hawk, and less than 1/3 the length of a Bald Eagle. Unfortunately, their small size means that they can become prey for these larger cousins, as well for other large birds like Crows and Ravens.

American Kestrels live in both North and South America. Some populations live year round (in the warmer climates) while others migrate seasonally. They prefer to live in open grassland areas that have a sparse smattering of trees. They've also taken to man made habitats as well, and can be seen in suburbs and around sports stadiums. (The bright lights attract the insects that the Kestrels love to munch on!)

Interestingly, another name for the American Kestrel is the Sparrow-Hawk. But they don't really eat too many Sparrows. It is true that they will occasionally feed on smaller birds, small mammals, and reptiles, but they mainly dine on invertebrates.

When it comes time to nest, American Kestrels settle down in preexisting tree holes and cavities. The females select their mates, and the pair will remain monogamous through that season. 2-4 chicks are born at a time, and they leave the nest when they are a month old, though the family unit may remain together for a bit longer.

American Kestrels are listed as being of Least Concern, as they have a very wide range and high population. They are believed to be the most abundant Falcon in North America, with the population well over 1 million birds.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North and South America
Size : Body Length around 12in (30cm), Wingspan up to 24in (60cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Falconiformes
Family : Falconidae -- Genus : Falco -- Species : F. sparverius

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Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Today's animal was recommended to me on the Suggestions page, and I'm so glad it was! What a beautiful bird! (Hint: I love getting suggestions!)

Lilac-breasted Rollers belong to the same genus as the Blue-bellied Rollers that we learned about last month. They also share a very similar range, spanning across sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. They inhabit open woodlands, grasslands, and acacia country, and are typically a sedentary species.

All Rollers are named for their stunning courtship flights, and the Lilac-breasted is no exception! The males quickly fly to a height of around 10m, and then dive with closed wings in a rocking, rolling motion. I hunted around for a video of this, but came up empty. Any leads?

At any rate, if the male is impressive enough he has found himself a mate. Lilac-breasted Rollers are monogamous and typically live in pairs, though small flocks are also seen. They lay 2-4 eggs at a time in nests build within pre-excavated tree holes (thanks Woodpeckers!) Juveniles are fully feathered after only 3 weeks, but they are a greyish brown color and won't receive their full colors till they are adults.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Africa
Size : Body Length around 14in (36cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Coraciidae -- Genus : Coracias -- Species : C. caudatus

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Pinterest

Hey friends! I've hopped on the Pinterest Bandwagon... though I've actually been on it for ages with a personal account...

Anyway, Check out the Animal A Day Pinterest boards. I'll be adding lots of cool animal pictures and videos- from the super cute, to the really weird, and the totally awesome.

http://pinterest.com/animaladay/

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Haikouichthys

Haikouichthys

Haikouichthys is quite a mouthful to say for such a tiny creature. (High-Koo-ICK-Thisss!) These prehistoric swimmers measured only about an inch long, and lived way back in the Early Cambrian around 530 million years ago!

Haikouichthys is one of the many, many animals that evolved during the Cambrian. This period, which lasted from 542-488 million years ago, saw rapid and diverse evolution and population growth. What makes this particular animal so interesting is that it could be considered one of the very first fish. They had skulls, designating them as some of the earliest craniates. However, the fossil record is unclear as to whether they had actual spines, or just primitive notochords.

Spine or not, Haikouichthys demonstrated several other traits that can be found in modern fish. They had relatively fish like shapes, complete with two eyes and a mouth at the front of their heads, fines, and bilateral symmetry.

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Status : Lived 530 million years ago
Location : Fossils found in China
Size : Length 1in (2.5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Superclass : Agnatha -- Family : Myllokunmingiidae
Genus : Haikouichthys

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