White-winged Vampire Bat

Happy Halloween everyone! I figured that, in the spirit of the holiday, we would learn about one of the iconic animals associated with it-- the Vampire Bat!

Now, there are actually three different species of Vampire Bat, all of which below to their own genus, but the same subfamily, Desmodontinae. The White-winged Vampire Bat is one of the three, which can be found in both the wet and dry forests of South and Central America.

White-winged Vampire Bats have not been studied very closely, so the exact extent of their range is still a bit of  a mystery. We also know very little about their reproductive habits, but since their two cousins are polygynous and give birth to just one offspring at a time, they probably do too.

We do know about their eating habits-- like all Vampire Bats, this species feeds nocturnally on the blood of other animals. Their favorite prey are birds, interestingly enough. They sneak up on roosting birds and bite into their feet with their razor-sharp teeth. Their saliva contains an anti-coagulant, so the blood flows quickly. Amazingly, the sleeping birds may not even notice the feeding happening, since the bats will drink for up to 15 minutes!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Central and South America
Size : Body length around 8.5cm

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Chiroptera
Family : Phyllostomidae -- Genus : Diaemus -- Species : D. youngi

Image : Jude Hirstwood

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Glaucous Macaw

Anodorhynchus glaucus

Today's animal is one of those creatures that is probably extinct... but we don't 100% know for sure. It is the Glaucous Macaw, a tropical Parrot related to both the Hyacinth and Lear's Macaws. It hasn't been reliably sighted since the 1960s, so even though it is listed as Critically Endangered, there is a good chance it is already gone for good.

These birds once lived in the forests of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Their habitat was remote, and they were typically seen near bodies of water.

The blue-feathered Macaws declined in number due to hunting, collection, and habitat loss. Their decline started back in the late 19th century, and continued on until the mid 20th, when official reports ceased all together. A few searches have been undertaken, but none have turn up evidence of the birds. It seems like they may be gone for good, especially since no elderly locals can even remember seeing them in their lifetimes.

But of course, there is always that small shred of hope. Unconfirmed sightings pop up from time to time, as do rumors of hidden populations in hard-to-reach areas. Fingers crossed that they are still out there!

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : South America
Size : Length up to 28in (70cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Psittaciformes
Family : Psittacidae -- Genus : Anodorhynchus-- Species : A. glaucus
Image :  Bourjot Saint-Hilaire

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Yellow-backed Duiker

Cephalophus silvicultor

Today we'll learn about the largest, and the most widespread of the Duiker species-- the Yellow-backed Duiker. Identifiable from the patch of yellow fur on their otherwise brown backs, these Antelope can weigh over 100lbs-- ten times that of their tiniest cousin.

You'll find the Yellow-backed Duikers in Central and Western Africa. They live in dense forests, forming monogamous breeding pairs and marking off small territories by using scent marks and vocalizations. Each year one or two uniformly brown calves are born, and their parents hide them in the vegetation for the first 1-2 weeks of life. After that they grow quickly, and are weaned by 6 weeks. It will take about seven months for their yellow back stripe to appear.

Yellow-backed Duikers have an interesting diet. They eat mostly fruit (about 75% of their diet), but they will also forage on leaves, nuts, bark, and even other animals! They have been observed eating birds and lizards in the wild, though other animals make up a very small percentage of their overall intake.

The IUCN has the Yellow-backed Duikers listed as "Least Concern," though their population is under strain for habitat loss and hunting. They require very dense forests in order to stay hidden, and those are frequently being thinned out to make room for agriculture.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : West and Central Africa
Size : Length up to 4.5ft (1.4m), Weight up to 130lbs (59kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Cephalophus -- Species : C. silvicultor 
Image : KCZoofan

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Northern Hawk-owl

Surnia ulula

The Northern Hawk-Owl has a range that spreads across North America, Europe, and Asia, yet they are one of the least studied birds-of-prey out there. They live only in the far north, in remote areas, and a single bird can live quite far away from its nearest neighbor. So even though their three subspecies circle the Arctic, we are unsure of what their actual population size is!

What we do know about these birds is that, like many Owls, the females are slightly larger than the males. They are also, interestingly, diurnal. This of course breaks the stereotype of Owls hunting only at night!

When it comes to their meals, the Northern Hawk-Owls feed primarily on rodents and rabbits. Because the small mammal populations spike every couple of years, the Owl populations fluctuate as well. Years with fewer rabbits, for example, mean that the Owls have less to eat and both produce less offspring, and decrease from starvation.

At present, the Northern Hawk-Owl is listed as being of least concern. However, it is believed that their population is declining, though there is little concrete evidence to back it up. More effective monitoring must be done to both learn more about these birds, and to prevent any major conversation concerns.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North America, Europe, Asia
Size : Body length up to 17in (43cm), Wingspan around 18in (45cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigidae -- Genus : Surnia -- Species : S. ulula

Image : BS Thurner Hof

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New Zealand Sea Lion

New Zealand Sea Lions, also sometimes called Hooker's Sea Lions, are the rarest and most vulnerable Sea Lions in the world. It is estimated that only 10,000 still remain, no thanks to decades of human hunting, being scooped up as bycatch for the commercial fishing industry, and bad-luck natural disasters.

Phocarctos hookeri

As the name states, these Sea Lions are found in New Zealand, specifically near the southern, aubantarctic islands. In fact, nearly the entire populations breeds at three colony sites on the Aukland Islands.

Breeding takes place from November to February. The males come ashore first to stake out spots, with the largest, strongest males claiming the most territory and the most number of mates. (Males can grow twice as large as females, if not bigger) Females (who are usually pregnant) arrive soon after. They give birth to a pup, and then breed again 1-2 weeks after.

One standout fact is that during this entire breeding season, the males do not feed. Females return to the water to bring food back for themselves and their growing pups, but the males risk losing their territory if they leave. This is another reason why the largest males tend to be more successful-- they have greater fat stores to sustain them during the summer.

New Zealand Sea Lions are listed as Vulnerable, and their are a handful of actions being taken to keep them safe. Their breeding grounds are now protected, hunting has been banned, and work is being done to prevent them from being captured in fishing nets. Unfortunately, disease has also stricken the Sea Lions-- several different bacterial diseases have spent through the colonies in the past 20 years. The worst, in 1998, killed 53% of all newborns and 20% of breeding females. There is a bright side though-- births in 2013 were the highest they had been in 5 years, and Sea Lions are starting to breed again on islands that had long been absent of colonies.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : New Zealand
Size : Male body length up to 11ft (3.3m), female up to  6.6ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Otariidae -- Genus : Phocarctos -- Species : P. hookeri

Image : Tomas Sobek  Brocken Inaglory

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Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin

Sousa chinensis

Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphins have a large range that stretches along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, as well as around Australia and the Western Pacific. They prefer shallow waters, usually sticking around depths of 60ft.

These Dolphins are named for the fatty humps on their backs, that rest just below their dorsal fin.  They are typically grey in color, but can also be white or even pink! In fact, a sub population near Hong Kong bay is famous for its pinkness!

Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphins live in small groups, usually of around a half dozen members. They feed on all kinds of different reef fishes, and can stay underwater for as long as 8 minutes.

These Dolphins are pretty slow moving, especially when compared to other members of their family. They move along at around 3mph, which is similar to a leisurely human walking speed. The fastest Dolphins can swim nearly ten times that pace! Interestingly though, the Humpbacked Dolphins can perform different aerial jumps and tricks, despite their slow swim times.

Sadly, these Dolphins are listed as Near Threatened, and could be in even more danger very soon. They live near very high human population areas, and those waters are becoming polluted and heavily trafficked. The aforementioned Hong Kong Bay group has declined by 60% in the past decade alone, and could very soon be completely wiped out.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatenend
Location : Indian and Pacific Oceans
Size : Length around 9ft (2.8m), Weight around 440lbs (200kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Cetacea
Family : Delphinidae -- Genus : Sousa-- Species : S. chinensis
Image : Mandy

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Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur

Cheirogaleus medius

The Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur is an amazingly fascinating Primate. Despite living in the tropics, it actually hibernates, and is the only primate, and only tropical-dwelling mammal to do so!

As with all Lemurs, these little guys are found in Madagascar. They live a nocturnal lifestyle, coming out at night to hunt insects and forage off of fruits and nuts. Socially, they live in small family groups led by a breeding pair and their offspring. Children from the previous 1-2 years often tend to stick around as well.

The name "Fat-tailed" comes from the fact that they store up fat in their tails, which they then live off of while in hibernation. Unlike temperate and arctic dwelling animals, the Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemurs do not hibernation when it gets cold out. Rather, they hibernate when it gets dry and when fun runs scarce. Their hibernation period can last half of the year!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Madagascar
Size : Body Length up to 9in (23cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Primates
Family : Cheirogaleidae -- Genus : Cheirogaleus -- Species : C. medius
Image : Virunga National Park

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