Endangered and Ignored

When it comes to endangered animals, our charismatic megafauna receive all the attention.  Humans are drawn to animals they can relate to--animals that have round faces and forward-facing eyes like we do, animals that remind us of our domestic pets or ourselves, and animals that appear in our mythology and popular culture.  We even love "ugly" megafauna like the California Condor because its size is inspiring.

:thumb260367396:

We should do everything we can to support our megafauna.  Our elephants, blue whales, pandas, polar bears, tigers, lions, our eagles, hawks and owls.  The space they need is disappearing as we expand and even their popularity won't save them from habitat loss, hunting and other perils unless we change the way we interact with the natural world.  However, there are many hundreds of critically endangered EQUALLY IMPORTANT animals out there who don't even receive the benefit of popularity.  Do anyone but the people who study them think about endangered insects?  Who cares about endangered plants?  Some of these unloved animals are fortunate enough to share habitat with a conservation "Poster Child," like the Takin, which lives in the same place as the Giant Panda.  Most are not.  They do not receive global support campaigns.  No one makes a documentary about them, but they still need your support.  This journal features a mere handful of ignored endangered animals.  Try googling endangered species in your area--sadly, I guarantee you have some.  Learn about what you can do to support them.  Maybe you can even grow some local endangered plants in your yard!

The Silversword, genus Argyroxiphium and the Monterey Cypress Cupressus macrocarpa

The beautiful silverswords are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.  Each species is found in only ONE location.  Argyroxiphium kauense, for example, can only be seen on the eastern and southern slopes of Mauna Loa, and fewer than 1000 individuals remain.  Argyroxiphium virescens was declared extinct last year.  They are slow-growing and sensitive to disturbance.  They cannot cope with predation.  Introduced goats and pigs--and careless tourists--have wrought most of their destruction.  The Monterey Cypress is endemic to the coast of Central California.  It is one of many rare conifers in California.  The oldest Monterey Cypresses are known to be over 2000 years old.  They thrive in the Bay Area fog, but are susceptible to a disease caused by the fungus Seiridium cardinale.  Like most conifers, the Monterey Cypress is slow-growing.  Not all endangered plants are large or spectacular.  There are many, many species of flower and herb that are in decline.

Archey's Frog Leiopelma archeyi and the Goliath Frog Conraua goliath

Of all animal and plant groups, amphibians are at the greatest risk of extinction.  Approximately 30% of all amphibian species are on the IUCN Red List.  Archey's Frog is found only on the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand.  Their decline is rapid--88% gone between 1996 and 2001.  Disease is thought to be the cause, but it is now hard to find frogs to study.  Captive breeding programs have so far been a failure, and this species is likely to be extinct in another few years.  The Goliath Frog is the largest frog species currently living on earth.  Habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade--all anthropogenic (human origin) causes--have led to its decline.  If you like keeping reptiles, amphibians and insects as pets, as I do, PLEASE do not purchase individuals trapped in the wild.  Even if the species is not currently endangered, by the time people notice decline, it has already happened.

The Scimitar Oryx Oryx dammah and Markhor Capra falconeri

The Scimitar Oryx, native to the deserts of North Africa, is currently extinct in the wild.  Approximately 4,000 exist in captivity.  This amazing animal can survives weeks without water and is thought to be a possible origin of the unicorn myth.  When viewed from the side, they appear to have only one horn.  Their horns do not grow back when broken, so there were also many one-horned Scimitar Oryxes out in the wild before they were nearly hunted to extinction.  The Markhor is a rare species of wild goat with extravagant horns.  Hunting for sport and the supposed medicinal properties of their horns are two of the main reasons for their decline.

Humphead Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus and Beluga Sturgeon Huso huso

Fish are another group in serious danger.  Coral fish--25% of all marine species despite occupying less than 1% of the ocean's habitats--are at risk from global warming, pollution, overfishing, and the general anthropogenic destruction of coral reefs.  The Humphead Wrasse, also known as the Maori Wrasse, suffers from illegal spear fishing (including killing of juvenile fish) and collection for the pet trade in addition to the other dangers reef fish face.  While many counties have banned fishing and/or export of the Humphead Wrasse, it is hard to control what goes on in the ocean, where overfishing quotas can be easily ignored.  This is the root of the Beluga Sturgeon's peril.  If you are familiar with this fish at all, it is probably through the caviar (fertile, unhatched eggs) it produces.  Beluga caviar is the most expensive caviar in the world, at 10,000$ per kilogram (2.2 lbs).  Sadly, being critically endangered has only increased the value and demand for this delicacy.  CITES, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, attempted to ban the sale of Beluga caviar (except in Iran, which manages sustainable fisheries and uses methods to harvest caviar that do not kill the fish), but the ban was partially lifted in 2007 DESPITE continued population decline.  You can read more about it here: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/…

Also, I've just got to put this out there.  I know roe is tasty, but what the F@$# is wrong with you if you're willing to pay 10,000 a kilogram for any food, much less one that CONTRIBUTES TO EXTINCTION!?

Guam Rail Gallirallus owstoni and Socorro Dove Zenaida graysoni

These two birds are both extinct in the wild.  The brown tree snake and feral cats--both introduced species--decimated the Guam Rail, a flightless, ground-dwelling bird.  There are fewer than 150 Guam Rails alive in the world.  Zoologist Bob Beck has worked with the Guam Rail for nearly 30 years, establishing invaluable captive breeding programs and working to introduce it back into the wild.  He is credited with saving the species from sure extinction.  The Socorro Dove population was destroyed by a combination outdoor cats and habitat loss from sheep grazing.  Keep your cat inside, people.  There are less than 100 purebred Socorro Doves in the world.  It is hoped they can be returned to the wild once their numbers increase and their native habitat--Socorro Island--is cleared of sheep and cats.

Indian Gharial Gavialis gangeticus

The fearsome-looking gharial is one of the largest living crocodilians, and it is the only remaining member of the family Gavialidae.  This creature--which can reach 20 ft in length--is actually harmless toward humans.  The narrow, delicate jaw is only suitable for snatching fish and unlike crocodiles, the gharial cannot move quickly on land.  It is shy of people and will usually attempt to move away when disturbed.  Mammals get all the credit for parental care, but did you know that crocodilians are devoted mothers too?  Female gharials tend their nests for three months, then guard the babies when they hatch.  No one wants to mess with a crocodile mom!  Since they cannot carry their young in their mouth, gharials actually have a relatively short period of parental care compared to other crocodilians.  Entanglement in fishing nets, trophy hunting, egg-collection, habitat loss, poisoning and killing due to the perception that they harm humans (jewelry is sometimes found in their stomachs, which they may swallow because it glints like fish) have hurt gharials.  Their numbers have declined 96-98% over the last three generations.

Katipo Latrodectus katipo and Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula Brachypelma smithi
:thumb68816334:
There are many species of endangered spiders, but finding pictures of them is hard.  Here are two of these unloved, rare creatures: the Katipo and the Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula.  The Katipo is native to New Zealand and related to the more well-known North American Black Widow.  The name Katipo is derived from two Maori words, kakati (to sting), and po (the night).  Just as in the Black Widow spider, accounts of how deadly poisonous the Katipo is are exaggerated.  Bites are unpleasant and should be treated, but are not life-threatening.  The Katipo is a shy spider that prefers to hide rather than attack.  Habitat loss is the main reason for its decline.  There are approximately 1000 individuals left.  The Red-kneed Tarantula is a long-lived (20-30 years) spider with late maturity.  Their docility makes them popular in the pet trade.  They breed well in captivity.  Senseless persecution seems to be the reason these spiders are threatened.  Wild Mexican Red-knees do not like to take up residence in houses and pose no threat to humans, yet in their native habitat people spray them with pesticides, smash them, pour gasoline down their burrows and light them simply because they are "gross" and look scary.