This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The southwestern water vole, aka southern water vole, is a large amphibious species of vole hailing from France, Portugal, and Spain. They only thrive where the banks and vegetation haven’t been drastically altered by human activity. Consequently, habitat loss and degradation (as a result of drainage, dredging, canal-building, infrastructure development, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The European water vole, aka northern water vole or water rat, is an aquatic rodent found throughout Europe and northern Asia. These critters face the threat of predation by the introduced American Mink. They also face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The rainbow trout, aka steelhead or steelhead trout, is an anadromous (migrates from saltwater to freshwater) species of fish that originally hails from the Pacific Ocean regions. These fish have been introduced to every continent, sans Antarctica. They migrate from saltwater to freshwater after living from between 2 – 3 […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Snares penguin, aka Snares crested penguin, Snares Islands penguin, or Pokotiwha (Māori), hails from the small island chains of New Zealand. These penguins face the threats of commercial fisheries, primarily squid fisheries, that these critters have to compete with for food. Pollution, mainly from oil spills, is another challenge […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The green frog hails from eastern Canada and the eastern half of the United States. These frogs are known for their territoriality towards other frogs. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, as well as wetlands conversion for various uses. […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The pickerel frog is a curious looking frog with a pattern of seemingly “hand-drawn” squares on its back. These frogs can be found in southeastern Canada and throughout the eastern half of the United States. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Chinese softshell turtle hails from mainland China (Inner Mongolia to Guangxi, including Hong Kong) and Taiwan, with reports of escaped individuals who have established introduced populations in a variety of other Asian countries, as well as in Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, mainland United States, and more. In their native China […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The lesser siren, aka two-legged eel, dwarf siren, and mud eel, hails from central and eastern United States as well as northern Mexico. These salamanders face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments; and disease, in the form of the deadly Batrachochytrium […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The western swamp turtle, aka western swamp tortoise (although it isn’t a tortoise at all), is a species of freshwater turtle that hails from Perth, Australia. These turtles face the threats of habitat destruction and fragmentation; predation by introduced invasive species like foxes; climate change which causes drier winters from […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The wild bactrian camel is closely related but not ancestral to the domestic bactrian camel. They hail from Northwest China and southwestern Mongolia. Sadly, these creatures face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, ranching, mining, and quarrying; hunting; trapping; the […]

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