Red Panda
(Aliurus Fulgens)
(Above: (Western)Red Panda says "Puh!" by Ange)
The Red panda is mostly an herbivorous mammal that is slightly larger than a domestic cat. It has semi-retractile claws and a "false thumb" which is an extension of the wrist (like the Giant Panda). On the soles, it has thick fur to protect against cold and to hide the scent glands. Red Pandas are native in the Himalayas in Nepal and Southern China. "Panda" is derived from the Nepalese word "Ponyo" which means plant and bamboo eating animals in Nepal. Both species of panda carry the characteristics of both bears and raccoons, leaving their taxonomic classification under debate for many decades. There are two species of Red Panda, the Western Red Panda and the larger Styans Red Panda. The Styans Red Panda has more dramatic facial markings, while the Western Red Panda has a lighter pelt, especially in the face. Including the tail length, red pandas are about 31-47 inches in length, males weight in at 10-14 pounds and females at 6-10 pounds. Red Pandas are nocturnal.
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Orangutan
(Pongo Pygmaeus) (Pongo Abelii)
(Affectionate Mother and Child Orangs by Ian)
Orangutans are great apes known for intelligence, long arms, and rusty hair. They are native to Indonesia and Malaysia, they are only foundin rainforests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They are the most arborela of the great apes and spend nearly all of ther time in trees. At night, they make nests made from branches and foliage. They are more solitary than other apes, only coming together to mate. Females grow to 4.2 feet and weigh about 100 pounds, males can rech 5.9 feet and weigh 26o pounds. Males are distinguished by their large cheek phalanges and longer hair. Orangs eat mostly fruit-it maes up 60% of its diet. Figs are a favorite. They also eat: leaves, shoots, seeds, bark, insects, bird eggs, and sometimes small vertebrae.
Conservation Status: Borneo, Endangered. Sumatra, Critically Endangered
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Brown Bear
(Ursus Arctos)
(Above: Brown Bear by Ian)
The brown bear is a species of bear native to the Northern Hemisphere in Asia and North America. Adults weigh in at about 290-1500 pounds. North American Subspecies include: Grizzly Bears, Kodiak Bears, and Mexican Brown Bears. Brown bears have very furry coats that vary in color from blond, brown, balck or a combination of these. They have very short tails that look like little stubs. They have large muscle humps on their shoulders. They are very powerful anda powerful blow from a large brown bear can break the neck or spine of a buffalo. Their claws are massive, about 5.9 inches long. They have large, round heads with concave facial profiles. Their head-body length is 5.6-9.2 feet. Their shoudler height is 35-59 inches. The smallest sub species is the European brown bear, females of these sub species weigh only 200 pounds. The largest sub species is the Kodiak bear from Russia and Alaska, males can weigh as much as 1500 pounds. Bears raised in zoos are often heavier than bears in the wild. They mainly use claws for digging. Their claws are not retractable. They have been clocked at speeds of 56 mph. Borwn Bears are primarily nocturnal and can put on up to 400 pounds in the summer. They can be woen easily from hibernation, they like to hibernate in caves, crevices, or hollow logs in thw inter months.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
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Sumamatran Tiger
(Panthera Tigris Sumatrae)
(Above: Mother and 2 of 3 cubs by Ian)
Sumatran Tigers are a sub species of tiger found only on the island of Sumatra. There are only about 400-500 remaining in the wild. Habitat destruction is this sub species main threat. 20% of the population was recorded being shot and killed between 1998-2000. They are the smallest of all the tiger species, males average about 92 inches in length and weigh about 300 pounds. Females average 78 inches in length and about 200 pounds. Webbing between the toes make them fast swimmers. They are only found in Sumatra, as their name suggests. I can live in lowland forests and mountain forests. Only about 400 live in game reserves. Poaching remains an issue. Tigers have very acute senses of hearing and sight. They are solitary and hunt at night. They comma=only eat boar and deer, and will sometimes eat fowl and deer. Tigers will breed typically in the winter or spring months. gestation is 103 days. 2-3 cubs are normal but they can have as many as 6 cubs. They are born with closed eyes and weigh 3 pounds each. The consume milk for the first 8 weeks and eat solids and milk for the first 5-6 months. They learn to hunt at 5 months old. They can hunt for themselves at 18 months and are fully independant at 2 years. They cab live up to 15 years in the wild and up to 20 in captivity.
Conservation Status: Critcally Endangered
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Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo
(Dendrolagus Goodfellow)
(Above: Posing Goodfellow's Kamgaroo by Ian)
GTK belongs to the family which includes kangaroos and wallabies. They are native to New Guinea, Irian Java, and Indonesia. Over hunting and habitat loss have endangered these animals.They look different from terrestrial kangaroos, its legs are not disproportionately large compared to the forelimbs. They forelimbs are strong and their hands have hooked claws for grasping tree limbs and it has a long tail to help it balance. They have short wooly fur which is usually chestnut with a gray-brown face, yellow cheeks and feet, a pale belly, a long golden tail, and two gold stripes on the backside. They weigh in at about 15 pounds.They are slow and clumsy on land, but agile in the trees. They climb by wrapping the forelimbs around a tree trunk then hopping with its hind legs. It can jump to the ground from heights of 30 feet without harm. They mainly feed on Silkwood tree leaves, but they will eat fruits, cereals, flowers, and grasses.
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Asian Elephant
(Elephas Maximus)
(Above: Keeper training Asian Elephant by Ian)
Asian Elephants are found in India, Sri Lanka, Indochina and Indonesia. There are between 25600 and 32750 left in the wild. An easy way to diffeer between African Elephants and Asian Elephants are the smaller ears on Asian Elephants and the ears shaped like Africa on the African Elephant. Asian Elephants grow 7-12 feet in height and weigh up to 6500-11000 pounds. Females live in small groups, with a matriarchal society the group is led by the oldest female. Herds consist of relatives. They reach maturity at 9-15 years of age. gestation is 18-22 months, Mom will rarley give birth to twins and commonly ives birth to a single calf. They are fully developed when birthed so it can reach its mom to nurse. Calves weigh in at about 220 pounds and suckle for 2-3 years. Females are allowed to stay with the heard and males are chased away. Bulls are solitary and fight for breeding rightrs. They reach maturity in their 15 year and then become extremely aggressive for a period of time.
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Przewalski's Wild Horse
(Equus Ferus Przewalskii or Equus Caballus Przewalskii)
(Above: Mongolian Wild Horses by Ian)
Mongolian Wild Horses are the closest wild living relative to the domestic horse. They are stocky and have short legs. Their typical height is 13 hands and they weigh around 350 g. Their coloration is similar to that of dun colored horses. Colors vary from dark brown around the mane (manes stand erect) to pale brown on the flanks and off-white on the belly, the legs are often slightly striped. Social groups consist of a dominant stallion and mare, other mares and offspring. Herds travel between 3-6 miles a day, grazing, drinking, using salt licks, and snoozing.
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Snow Leopard
(Uncia Uncia or Panthera Uncia)
(Above: Ian's favorite cat-Snow Leopard)
Snow Leopards are big cats native to mountain ranges in central and southern Asia. They weigh 77-121 pounds. they have longer tails than other species, its tail is long to help with balance on unstable surfaces. The tail also serves a warmth, they cover their noses in extremely cold weather with their tail. A male's head is more square and large than that of a female. Their feet are very large and act as snowshoes. IN the summer they live in an altitude of 6000 m while they live at 2000 ,m in the winter. They are solitary but moms will raise cubs for extended periods of time. They have grey and white fur coloration with rosetttes and spots similar of that to the Jaguar. The tail is striped and can reach up to 90 cm long. They are opportunistic hunters, eating whatever it finds. It consumes ibex, bharal, markhor, urial, boars, marmots, and small rodents.
Conservation Status: Endangered
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Slow Loris
(Nycticebus coucang) (Nycticebus bengalensis) (Nycticebus pygmaeus)
(Above: Slow Loris by Essexjan)
Slow Lorises range in size from 21-38 sm, depending on the species. They can weigh up to 2 kg. Their tails are stumps. They are nocturnal and arboreal. They live alone or in small groups. They produce a toxin that they mix into their slaiva to fend of enemies. Moms lick the toxin on to babies before they leave the babies to hunt. They are carnivorous eating insects, bird eggs, and small vertabrates. They also rarley eat fruit. Gestation is 190 days and the females give birth to one (or two, rarely) offspring. Newborns latch on the the mothers belly of Mom or Dad. Life span is approximately 14 years.
Conservation Status: Data Deficient
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Rhesus Macaque
(Macaca mulatta)
(Above: Rhesus Monkey by Chi Liu)
Adult males Rhesus Monkeys measure about 53 cm and weigh about 5.3 kg. They have a lifespan of 25 years. The live in arid and open areas but can be found in grass and woodlands or in mountain regions up to 2500 meters in elevation. They are diurnal, and are both arboreal and terrestrial. They are mostly herbivorous and feed on pine needles, roots, and occasionally insects. Troops can have up to 180 monkeys, but usually only contain 20. Females can out number males 4:1. The hierarchy is matriarchal. Females cycle similar to human females, cycling every 28 days or so. Gestation can last from 135-194 days. Females are mature at 3 years. Lifespan is 15-20 years for males and 20-25 for females--in captivity.
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
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Lar Gibbon
(Hylobates lar)
(Above: Lar Gibbon by NPP)
Lar gibbons are very popular gibbons in zoos. In the wild, lar gibbons range from southwest China and eastern Myanmar to colr ranges from black/dark-brown to light brown/sandy. Thailand down the Malay Peninsula. The fur coloring of the Lar Gibbon varies from black and dark-brown to light brown sandy colors, hands and feet are white, like the ring surrounding the face. They have long hands and no tail. Lar gibbons are dirunal and are arboreal. Lar gibbons eat primarily fruits, but also leaves, buds, and insects. Gestation is 7 months long and they give birth to 1 baby. They nurse young for 2 years, they reach full maturity at 8 years. In the wild, their life expectancy is about 25 years.
>Conservation Status: Near Threatened
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Banded Langur
(Presbytis femoralis)
(Above: Picture Needed!)
The Banded Leaf Monkey, also known as the Banded Surili is a species of primate found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
>Conservation Status: Near Threatened
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