Category Biology

            The Grevy’s zebra is an important member of the horse family. Also known as the imperial zebra, they are the most endangered of the zebra species. Historically, they were seen in the semi-arid scrublands and plains of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Kenya in East Africa. But now, their range is confined to a few parts of Southern Ethiopia, and Northern Kenya.

            Compared to its relatives, Grevy’s zebras have larger ears and narrower stripes. They feed mostly on grass, roots, and tree bark, and also on hard seeds. It is believed that these zebras can live without water for about three days.

            During the 1970s, the population of Grevy’s zebras was thought to be 15,000. But at the start of the 21st century, this number came down to 3500.

            Today, there are estimated to be around 2500 in the wild. In captivity, there are around 600 individuals surviving. The main reason for the fall in population is poaching. The skin of these zebras is of great value in the global market.

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               The giant otter is a carnivorous mammal native to South America. It is a social animal that lives with family groups, supporting up to eight members. They are mostly seen in freshwater rivers and streams that are seasonally flooded. Sometimes, these animals are also spotted in freshwater lakes and springs.

               The primary cause of the decline of the giant otter population is poaching. They have been hunted for decades, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, bringing their number to less than 5000. It is the velvety pelt that makes a giant otter an attractive target. Besides, the animals are extremely easy to hunt as they are active throughout the day. And by nature, otters are inquisitive and fearless towards human beings. This makes it even worse for them.

               Other factors are habitat loss and degradation caused by mining, logging, and over-fishing. Quite a lot of giant otters are killed by fishermen who consider them to be a menace.

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            The Rothschild’s giraffe is a subspecies of Northern giraffes. It is also known by the names Baringo giraffe and Ugandan giraffe.

            With just around 1500 individuals in the wild, it is yet another animal that has an endangered existence. Isolated population of this animal can be seen in savannah, grasslands, and the open woodlands of Uganda and Kenya. The strange name of these animals comes from zoologist Walter Rothschild, who was the first to describe the species.

            What makes a Rothschild’s giraffe different from others in the family is its appearance. It has a specific type of coat pattern, with light brown patches and creamy lines in between. Also, it has no markings below the knees, making one feel that the animal is wearing white stockings!

            The biggest threats to the lives of Rothschild’s giraffes are poaching, expansion of human population and habitat loss.

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               Iberian lynx is a wild cat native to the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the most endangered animals on Earth, as classified by the IUCN Red List. Lynxes were once seen throughout the Iberian Peninsula, and the South of France. But since the mid 1990s, only fragmented populations have survived that too in Central and south-western parts of Spain, and in a few areas of Portugal.

               This wild animal is distinguished with a bobbed tail, spotted coat, muscular body and long legs. By nature, they are solitary and nocturnal. European rabbits alone form the diet for an Iberian lynx. In the 20th century, there was a sharp fall in the number of these rabbits. This in turn, caused a decline in the population of lynx too. Besides, there are other human-induced reasons like the destruction of forest habitat and its conversion to agricultural land, hunting, accidental killings, construction of dams highways and railways.

               By the start of the 21st century, the number of Iberian lynx came down to around 100, and the animal was on the verge of extinction.

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            The wild water buffalo is a large bovine native to South-east Asia, particularly India. They are seen mostly in wet grasslands, swamps, and river valleys in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia. With a wild population of less than 4000 individuals, these animals are now a rare sight.

            In general, wild water buffaloes are larger and heavier than domestic ones, and weigh up to 1200 kg.

            The major challenge for the survival of water buffaloes is habitat loss. Besides, the degradation of wetlands due to exotic species like stem twiners and linas, diseases and parasites transmitted from domestic livestock etc. have contributed largely to the decline of the water buffalo population.

            In countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar these animals are hunted on a large scale. This happens despite the fact that hunting and killing of these endangered animals are prohibited in many countries including Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan and India.

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            The Przewalski’s horse is quite a strange name for an animal, isn’t? Not many of us have heard of the animal, mainly because not many exist today. Also known as the Dzungarian horse, these are a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horses, native to the steppes of Central Asia.

             It is a relatively small member of the horse family, with a stiff, dark, upright mane and a height up to 1.4 metres. They were once found throughout Mongolia, Northern China, and some parts of Siberia. But at present, they can be spotted only on the plains and prairies of Mongolia. There is no evidence to show that the animal was ever domesticated, and so one can say a Przewalski’s horse is the only wild horse in the world today.

            In the 1960s, the species was almost extinct in the wild, but was saved after a few individuals were reintroduced to their native habitats at the Khustain Nuruu National Park, Takhin Tal Nature Reserve, and Khomiin Tal in Mongolia. The main reasons for the disappearance were hunting for meat, and interbreeding with domesticated horses. Today, there are many zoos in the world where these horses are seen in small numbers.

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