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With only between 1,000 and 2,500 yellow-crested cockatoos remaining in the wild, these birds are critically endangered. Like other animals found on Indo-Pacific islands, habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to their survival.

Radiated tortoises are only native to the island of Madagascar but have been introduced to two other small islands to the east - Réunion and Mauritius. They are named for the yellow lined patterns on their shells. They are herbivores and much of their diet comes from grazing on grasses, which helps keeps plants trimmed back. The illegal pet trade and poaching are major threats, and conservation efforts are underway to save this critically endangered tortoise.

Meerkats are well-known to most people who enjoy animals because of their charismatic postures and social activities. They live in highly social groups, foraging together and dividing labor across the group, with one of the most important tasks being the lookout guard who will be vigilant to detect threats and alert the others.

Zebras are among the most recognizable of all animals, with their distinctive striped color pattern. They are closely related to our domestic horses.

These easily recognizable creatures are native to middle and southern Africa. They are some of the largest land-dwelling mammals in the world, reaching weights of up to 6,000 pounds. Like other rhino species, white rhinos are heavily poached for their horns. Powdered horn is used in traditional Asian medicine, supposedly curing a range of illnesses from fevers to cancer. Uncontrolled hunting in the colonial era was historically the major factor in the decline of white rhinos; however, hundreds of white rhinos are poached annually. They are particularly vulnerable to hunting due to their unaggressive nature and their occurrence in

Ring-tailed lemurs are named for the distinctive, alternating black-and-white bands along their tails. They reside in southern and southwestern Madagascar and are found in social groups called troops. This species uses both vocal and scent marking as tools of communication.

Their name refers to their cute, teddy bear-like appearance and the fact that the breed was developed in the South Down region of Sussex in England. This breed of sheep has a luxuriant coat that makes them very popular for their wool, which can be woven into similarly fine garments. Sheep were among one of the very first domesticated animals, and they have been part of human life as companions and sources of wool and food for millennia. Many thousands of years of selective breeding have produced a large of number of breeds specialized for different purposes and climates.

Drills are very distinctive primates that are related to baboons. They live in complex social groups led by a single dominant male. Social interactions are mostly focused around grooming, and communication comes in the form of visual displays and vocalizations. Deforestation and unsustainable harvest for the commercialized bushmeat trade are creating an uncertain future for this species.

Giant pandas are very unusual animals that eat almost exclusively bamboo, which is very low in nutrients. Because of this, they have many unique adaptations for their low-energy lifestyle. Giant pandas are solitary, with males and females coming together only briefly to mate. Habitat loss is the primary threat to this species. Its popularity around the world has helped the giant panda become the focus of successful conservation programs.

Black-and-white-ruffed lemurs are the largest of the lemurs, all of which are found only on the island of Madagascar. They are herbivores, primarily feeding on leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits. These lemurs typically live in the middle to upper part of the rainforest. Vocalizations and scent-marking are known methods of communication for these social primates.