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The Tequila splitfin, aka Tequila fish, gets its specific epithet from the Tequila Volcano, which is situated nearby. They are endemic to the Ameca River basin in west-central Mexico. Their current distribution is restricted to a single spring pool in Teuchitlán, only 13 feet in diameter. These fish face the […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Welcome in 1 of the world’s most endangered turtles, the Burmese roofed turtle, which appears to be constantly smiling. They are freshwater turtles that are endemic to the rivers of Myanmar. Once abundant throughout their range these terrapins suffered a rapid decline to the point that they were once considered […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The dire wolf once thrived in the Americas during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs (125,000 – 10,000 years ago). However, the challenges they faced brought them to extinction. Attempting to stave off hunters and fighting the drastic effects of climate change proved too much for these canids. Fast […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Spix’s macaw, aka little blue macaw, is a beautiful parrot species that was originally found only in Brazil. Due to the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of farming, ranching, renewable energy, and logging (both legal and illegal); hunting; trapping; and invasive species, that lead to […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Burchell’s zebra, aka bontequagga, Damaraland zebra, and Zululand zebra is an eastern & southern subspecies of the plains zebra, and the only zebra that can be legally farmed for human consumption. They, like other zebras face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of farming and […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The dromedary camel, aka dromedary, Arabian camel, or one-humped camel, is a semi-domesticated species that has been extinct from the wild for over 2,000 years. These camels have a single hump on their back. They are the tallest of the 3 camel species. Due to being domesticated for so long, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The rufous hare-wallaby, aka mala, once roamed throughout western Australia but now only resides on Bernier Island and Dorre Island off the coast of western Australia, with more populations to come. These macropods (marsupials) face the threats of habitat destruction at the hands of fires and fire suppression; and invasive […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The scimitar-horned oryx, aka horned oryx or Sahara oryx, hails from northern and central Africa. They prefer deserts, semi-deserts, and grassy steppes. These oryx face the threats of habitat loss at the hands of farming and ranching; hunting; trapping; invasive species, and with them disease and competition for food; and […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Itatiaia highland frog is a small frog species native only to the Itatiaia Mountains of Brazil. These anurans prefer to dwell in leaves, mulch, and stones in sparse forests, open grasslands, and even in burrows. Sadly, due to the ever-spreading threat of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) these frogs have, for […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The baiji (pronounced by-jee) is considered to be the first dolphin species to possibly go extinct do to human interaction. There are believed to be fewer than 10 specimens left. In the 1800s, this species numbered up to 5,000 individuals. Sadly, pollution, dams, bycatch (getting caught in nets), habitat destruction, […]

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