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The little owl, aka owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, hails from Europe, Asia, and Africa. They’ve also been introduced to New Zealand’s South Island. Population levels can suffer dramatic decreases after severe winters. Their range has shrunken locally in numerous locales in Europe, which is thought to be […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Pacific marten was once considered conspecific with the American marten, however several studies using molecular genetics indicate that they are a distinct species. They face the threats of habitat loss, destruction, and degradation at the hands of logging and industrial clearcutting. Catastrophic forest fires and severe pest infestations—such as […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Cuban boa, aka Cuban tree boa or Majá de Santa María, is 1 of the largest snakes in North America. They are a member of the family Boidae. These snakes face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, ranching, mining […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The European tree frog is widespread throughout most of Europe. They are a small sized, green in color, tree frog. In the UK, this species’ status is legally classed as non-native. They have been introduced, yet are now thought to be extinct there. The drainage and drying up of ponds, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Haida ermine hails from several islands off the Pacific Northwest of North America, primarily Haida Gwaii in Canada and the southern Alexander Archipelago in the U.S. state of Alaska. Introduced deer have caused overbrowsing on the islands, stripping away understory plants and ground-level vegetative cover. This understory destruction removes […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The red-shouldered hawk hails from North America–primarily the west coast and eastern half of the United States as well as Mexico. These raptors migrate from the northern parts of their ranges to central Mexico. They face the threat of deforestation via the clearing of large, mature, contiguous forests for timber, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The tilcayo is the first extant species of wild cat formally described since 1923. While already known to the locals, it is new to science. Their native range is Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests is disappearing rapidly due to agricultural expansion, logging, and mining operations. The clearing of trees breaks up […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The redtail catfish, aka cajaro, banana catfish, or pirarara is the only extant species of its genus, Phractocephalus, that hails from South America. These fish face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of deforestation, agricultural runoff, and large-scale basin alterations that disrupt the slow-moving tributaries and […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The kultarr, aka jerboa-marsupial or marsupial jerboa, is a diminutive insectivorous marsupial that hails from the arid interior of Australia. They face the ongoing threat of predation by feral cats and red foxes. Overgrazing by cattle and sheep degrades and compacts their preferred open desert and woodland habitats. Intense bushfires […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The sand goanna, aka Gould’s monitor, sand monitor, and racehorse goanna, is a large monitor lizard found throughout most of Australia. These lizards face the threat of predation by the invasive species known as the red fox. They also fall victim to consuming the deadly cane toad. Habitat loss and […]

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