Although pandas have gained recent popularity ever since Jack Black personified one in the movie Kung Fu Panda, results show that these lovable bears keep disappearing.

In fact, the giant pandas have been on the endangered species list for over 25 years and there still hasn’t been a dramatic increase in their numbers.

What Is Limiting Pandas’ Growth?

Unlike some animals on the endangered species list, the giant panda isn’t necessarily limited by humans.

Most, if not all, of their diet comes from eating shoots of bamboo, which unfortunately is very low in nutrients.

Because bamboo only grows in the highlands of Asia, the panda is forced to live on the steep slopes of the high mountain ranges.

This means that when winter comes around and the rest of the animals descend to lower ground, the panda is forced to stay in the snowy mountain tops to forage for bamboo.

Bamboo also makes very poor milk for young panda cubs and most pandas who grow up in the wild only have about a 1 in 2 survival rate.

Pandas Live A Solitary Life

Excepting those that are in confinement, most pandas roam on their own for most of their time, coming together only when it is time to mate.

When the baby pandas are born they are blind and hairless, weighing only a couple pounds. These cubs are utterly defenseless and depend upon their mothers for about 18 months.

After a cub is weaned, the panda will then have to establish its own territory, using scent glands beneath their tails for marking territory borders.

Pandas Are Not Fierce

Despite the fact that pandas are indeed a bear and can weigh over 300 pounds, these bears are very docile and avoid their predators by climbing trees.

Pandas are also quite stealthy and can quickly move through tunnels of bamboo without being seen or heard.

Since most pandas are threatened more by starvation than by predators, it seems most of them don’t need to learn Kung-Fu.

Information about the Whale

The Bowhead whale thrives in the Arctic and never leaves the cold waters. They have a thick layer of blubber to protect them from the cold. They can weight over 6 tons and can grow up to 59 feet long. The reason they are called the bowhead is because of their ability to crash through 27 inches of ice. When they have to breath, the simply push up and break the ice. They are able to do this because of the touch ridge next to their two blowholes.

Their Endangerment

In 1970, the Bowhead Whale was officially put on the endangered list. Back in the early 1800′s there were over 50.000 whales in our seas. However, as it became sport to hunt these animals and as they have crashed into boats, that number has decreased to 10,000. These animals were hunted for their meat, blubber, oil, and bones. Because the Bowhead cannot swim terribly fast, they are unable to swim away from hunters very quickly.

People still Hunt them

Even though there are only around 10,000 of these whales left, people still hunt these magnificent creatures. In Alaska, it is a part of their culture to hunt and eat these animals. Because it is a tradition of the people, authorities have allowed them to hunt only a few whales at a time. However more and more countries in the north are starting to make hunting all whale illegal.

Simple Facts

These cats weight up to 30 pounds or as little as 15. Ocelots are in the middle cat range, and have short paws meant for pouncing on their prey. Ocelot’s necks are thicker than the norm to protect themselves from attack.

The Ocelot’s habitat is only in the Americas. They often dwell in Texas and Arizona. However, as the human population has increase, the Ocelots have started to become more and more extinct.

Unlike most cats, the Ocelot will walk far for their food. The diet of the Ocelot consists of birds, and small rodents. However the Ocelot will sometimes eat lizards and fish.

The Road of Endangerment

The sad journey of endangerment began when traders started shooting Ocelot for their fur. However, in 1930 the threat to the Ocelot changed tides. Not only where the Ocelot being hunted, their habit was being destroyed, their food supply diminishing, and inbreeding. Finally, people started to notice that the Ocelot was endangered and put them on the official endangered species list in 1982.

Unfortunately, the conservation efforts haven’t been as successful as the White Tailed Eagle. When researchers of the Ocelot attempted to put the cat back into the wild, the Ocelots would turn into roadkill. The amount of roads and highways have become the Ocelot’s number one killer.

A Way Out

There are ways for the Ocelot to fight back. With conservation efforts made by WildEarth Guardians: A force of nature, and other various charities, the Ocelot could be on the road to recovery. However, the Ocelot needs more land in order to increase their numbers.

True Love

Who says that animals can’t love? These eagles mate for life. Naturally if one of them dies a replacement can be found, but once they find a mate, they stay with them. They do not leave them like their other forest friends.

The mating ritual is very interesting for these birds. When in flight, the White-tailed Eagles wrap their talons around the potential mate and spin in circles. Whilst doing this, the birds will screech at each other, stating their interest in the other. Once they have established their connection, the birds will find a place to nest, often for the rest of their lives.

White-tailed Eagles can lay between 1 to 3 eggs each year. The first egg is most often the largest and most dominant out of the other hatch-lings.

The success of Europe

The White-tailed Eagle was targeted because farmers wrongly assumed that they would prey on their livestock. They would shoot, poison, or even capture these beautiful birds. Because of this, the White-tailed Eagle started to become extinct in various parts of Europe.

However, people started to notice this rapid decline and decided to do something about it. Researchers from Scotland worked to rebreed these birds and then release them into the wild. Through some serious trial and error, they were finally able to release these birds back into the wild. Now, they are no longer endangered. Keeping an eye on them is what researchers do now to ensure that the White-tailed Eagle does not fall prey to poachers and farmers again.

Our ancestors have long respected them as a fellow hunter, but lately, these amazing creatures have become endangered.

A little bit about them

• The gray wolf can grow up to 7 feet in length and weigh up to 175 pounds.
• When food is scarce, only the top couple will mate. The female will terrorize the other females into submission.
• The whole pack will take care of and raise the cubs together.
• They are all about gestures, and postures.
• The alpha male will hold his tail up higher than the rest of the pack.

How they became endangered

In ancient times, the people respected them as great hunters. When the farmers came, the gray wolf started to come after the livestock. Unfortunately this put a target on the gray wolf’s back. As the animals became endangered, people finally realized that the wolves were not around as much.

In 1974, American put the gray wolf on the endangered species list. But recently, a couple of populations have been recovered, such as the western great lakes area.

The gray wolves in the Movies

A lot of movies like to have a gray world in it. One of those is the beloved children’s tale Balto. A story about a wolf who doesn’t fit in with the other dogs. But when it comes time to save a little girl’s life, he come up to the challenge despite the adversary he faces.

Another movie the gray wolf is in is the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. These wolves are the police in the story that hunt down the children for the evil witch.

A Beacon of Hope

There is hope for these beloved creatures. All that is needed to be done is to increase awareness of the problem, and find a way to fix it.

We are all familiar with the lovable Po from DreamWorks Kung Fu Panda, but are we aware that the cuddly little animals are endangered? That there are actually less than 2,000 left in the world? People are starting to realize that these loveable creatures are in danger of going extinct unless we do something about it.

A little Information about the Panda

Pandas will spend their whole lives roaming the countryside looking for and eating bamboo. Pandas are also solitary creatures and only interact with one another to mate.

A Couple of Facts

• Pandas don’t roar, but bleat like a goat or even honk at each other.
• Scientists have yet to discover why pandas have the black and white coloration. Some think it is to help mates find each other.
• They are actually carnivores, but their diet consists mostly of plants and bamboo.
• Baby pandas are born small (about 4oz) and blind.
• A closer look at their genetic code has shown scientists that pandas are in the bear family.

What makes them so Endangered

Pandas struggle to breed in captivity, making it hard to increase the number of pandas in the world. But lately, scientists have finally discovered a way to get them to breed without putting on a video of pandas mating.

While hunters don’t always mean to catch a panda bear, they still get caught in a snare that was meant for a deer or another forest animal.

The growth of the human population and the expansion of cities have caused the pandas to lose their habitat.

Save the Pandas!

People all over the world are starting to notice these adorable animals. In China, these bears are revered and loved. It is now illegal to kill or harm a panda in China.

Many zoos are holding and helping the conservation effort for pandas, including the San Diego Zoo. With their reproductive programs, these zoos hope to eventually release Pandas back into the wild.

Computers can create some truly astounding digital effects these days. In fact, it’s almost common practice to digitally alter photos before printing, helping even the most amateur photographers look like a master when done right. Not surprisingly, many of us can’t help but be a little skeptical when we see something as ridiculous and humorously grotesque as the white albino Cyclops shark.

Looking like it popped out of a poorly funded science fiction film, this fetal shark is surprisingly real. Giant soulless eye, pasty white skin, and gaping toothless mouth, this poor animal is more easily related to Jim Hensen’s muppet creations rather than its dusky shark mother.

Researchers confirmed that the shark’s eye is made of functional optical tissue – so it’s definitely not a fake even though we squirm when we realize that we have the real deal on our hands. However, it is incredibly rare to find one in nature.

A Little More About the Shark

Although rare, Cyclopia is a real developmental anomaly. Even human fetuses are sometimes afflicted with this developmental disorder, but most fail to live longer than a few hours. According to shark expert Felipe Galvan Magana of Mexico’s Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias del Mar “This is extremely rare. As far as I know, less than 50 examples of an abnormality like this have been recorded.”

This creepy cute fetal shark was cut from the remains of a female dusky shark and has since attracted a huge internet following with these slightly disturbing and yet pleasantly engaging photos.

In nature, survival of the fittest plays a huge role in determining who survives and who thrives, and animals with such painful deformities have a very limited lifespan outside the womb. Such photos are an interesting reminder that the natural world is a very tough place to live.

In order to promote a greater understanding about animal anatomy, many schools require students to dissect worms, crawfish, and fetal pigs. However, the most popularly dissected animal is the frog.

When I was younger I was both horrified and fascinated by the inner workings of the amphibian lying stiff on my desk, its innards held open by pins. I couldn’t bear to think of cutting open an animal, so I made my partner do all the dirty work. Surely there was a way to get hands-on experience without having to participate in the murderous procedures.

Turns out, Mother Nature has provided us with this little biological wonder: the glass frog.

Learn a little more

This tiny frog is unique in that its skin is semi-transparent, displaying its intestines and vital organs for the world to see. You’d think that having see-through skin would make this frog more vulnerable to attackers, but not so! Glass frogs blend in easily with their environment, allowing the colors of the leaves to show through their skin and making them difficult to spot.

Additionally, some rainforests have high enough elevations that their treetops are covered in cloud. Glass frogs living in the canopy will be almost invisible with their semi-transparent skin.

Quick Facts

• Glass frogs are small-between 1.4 and 3 cm in length
• They live in the rainforests of Central and South America
• Unlike tree frogs, glass frogs’ eyes face forward rather than at the side
• There are over 134 species of glass frogs – and 60 of them are threatened!
• Glass frogs are nocturnal
• They lay their eggs on leaves that overhang pools, so when the eggs hatch they’ll drop into the water

Victims of Global Warming?

Glass Frogs are considered to be bioindicators, meaning that as the climate changes, frog behavior can indicate how the other flora and fauna are coping with the changes as well. For many years, the amphibian population has dramatically declined due to changes in the environment.

Although many suspect that widely dispersed fungal outbreaks are killing the off these amazing creatures, it’s global warming that triggers the growth of deadly fungus. According J. Alan Pounds, a biologist at Costa Rica’s Tropical Science Center, “Diseaseis the bullet that’s killing the frogs, but climate change is pulling the trigger.”

Cutest Bat Ever?

Arguably the world’s smallest mammal, the Bumblebee Bat (also known as Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat) is a vulnerable species found in western Thailand and southeast Burma. Growing to a whopping 1.3 in (33 mm) in length, the Bumblebee Bat roosts in the caves of Limestone hills. Although many caves contain only 10 to 15 of these adorable flying rodents, the average group size closer to 100 members (with a maximum of nearly 500).

The Bumblebee bat is typically reddish-brown or grey in color, though its wings are generally darker. Interestingly, its wings have long tips which enable the bat to hover much like a hummingbird.

Quick Facts

• The bat was almost entirely unknown until 1974, until discovered by Kitti Thonglongya
• It weighs less than 2 grams (about the weight of a penny)
• Unlike other bats, they do not have visible tails or elongated anklebones
• They primarily eat small insets on the wing, though occasionally they glean small spiders and beetles from plant leaves
• Females give birth to a single young per year
• There are supposedly around 2,000 bats remaining in Thailand, but that number is declining due annual burning of forest areas.

Conservation Efforts

Conservation efforts have been proposed by IUCN/SSC Chiropteran Specialist Group to help keep this bat from extinction. It is suggested that cave disturbances can be minimized and key roosts can be protected with fences or grills.

Additional research is being conducted to see if the species can be distributed to a wider area, and monitoring programs are being developed to identify population changes in relation to environmental factors.

To find out more about the Bumblebee Bat and conservational efforts, you can visit the EDGE website (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered). If you’re feeling generous, you can even donate to EDGE’s fundraising program to aid these adorable creatures.

Hello, Bumbleebee Bat

Additionally, if you have any small children that are interested in bats, then you might want to check out Darrin Lunde’s picture book, Hello, Bumbleebee Bat from your local library.

This adorably written book poses a series of questions which the bat answers. Although this book is obviously written for a much younger audience, it provides unique information that can be enjoyed by young and old readers alike.

Also known as frog-fish, goosefish, and even sea-devil, the monkfish has a flat slim body and makes surprisingly good eating when available (or so I’ve heard).

About the Monkfish

With its wide mouth full of sharp pointy teeth, the monkfish is more like a demon from a nightmare than a monk from a cathedral. But despite its seemingly ugly appearance, the monkfish is being overfished in some areas almost to the point of becoming endangered.

Monkfish can be classified as a type of anglerfish, and they use lures to attract unsuspecting fish for their next meal. When a fish comes in contact with the esca (an irregular growth of flesh on the top of its head), the monkfish’s jaws are triggered into action. Like a spring-loaded trap, the Monkfish will then swallow its prey whole.

Monkfish Facts

• Can grow to more than 5 feet (1.5m) long
• Largest recorded monkfish weighed 219 lbs (99.4 kg)
• Females can live to be over 13 years old
• Natural predators: swordfish, sharks, and thorny skate
• Are capable of eating prey as long or longer than themselves
• Typically live along the ocean floor

Monkfish Recipes?

In Europe and North America, the tail of the Monkfish is often dubbed “the poor man’s lobster.” In some areas, Monkfish is considered an excellent delicacy, and you’re more likely to find articles on how to cook a monkfish rather than information about the fish themselves.

For all their menacingly large size, the unfortunate fact about monkfish is that they’re mostly mouth. The meat used for these marine meals is found mostly in the tail and liver. For a 20 lb. fish, after all is said and done, you can only use about 5 to 7 pounds of meat.

Considered to be a trash fish

Unfortunately, despite the wide variety of recipes for cooked monkfish, many local fishermen often refer to it as a “trash fish.” Monkfish are typically caught on the side by scallop dredgers and groundfish draggers who happened to scoop up monkfish along with the rest of their haul.

A prayer for a monk

Although in some areas the monkfish is considered relatively stable, we should be careful not to let this frightening fish take a turn for the worse. Monkfish may be ugly, but let’s give them some love.