Search Results for: ki

These highly arboreal bears have exceptionally long claws and tongues to help them forage for honey, insects, and other small creatures inside logs. The name “sun bear” comes from the distinctive golden colored patch of fur on their chests, and every individual sun bear has a different patch. Commercial production of palm oil, as well as heavy poaching pressure for traditional medicines, are significant threats to this species.

These strikingly-patterned monkeys have very long tails that help them balance as they move quickly through trees. They feed primarily on leaves in a variety of forest types and live in social groups made up of a single dominant male and multiple females.

African lions are unique among cats in that they live in social groups called prides. Prides hunt together to bring down moderate to large-sized prey, which is shared with all members of the group according to strict social rules.

These birds, like all species of hornbill, have distinctively large, down-curved bills that they use to grab small animals from among the grasses and shrubs of their habitats. They can fly, but spend most of their time on the ground. Males and females differ in size and coloration, with females displaying bright-blue throat patches. The southern ground hornbill’s low-pitched booming sound is a simple territorial announcement.

Kookaburras are the largest members of the kingfisher family. Made famous by the Australian folk song “Kookaburra” by Marion Sinclair, kookaburras perch in trees and vocalize loudly. The birds’ loud, raucous call has been used in hundreds of “jungle” movies set in Asia, Africa and the Americans, although the birds are found only in Australia.

The seal salamander is one of a large group of species generally known as stream salamanders. Always secretive, and often nocturnal, they rarely stray from water. They do not have lungs. Adults have no lungs and absorb oxygen directly through their skin.

Kori bustards are very large, ground-dwelling birds that that eat a variety of insects, small animals and some plants. The males are among the heaviest of all flying birds. Recent threats from large-scale agriculture and the bushmeat trade have resulted in sudden declines in this species.

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.

The diamondback terrapin is unique among all turtles, except sea turtles, in that it lives in coastal brackish waters (mixture of fresh and salt water). Their large beak and jaw muscles help them crush hard-bodied prey such as clams or shrimp. Diamondback terrapins were once overharvested for human consumption; today, they are largely at risk because of automobile collisions on roads, boat strikes in the water, and unattended crab traps. Conservation programs have allowed their populations to recover.

The word “orangutan” comes from “Orang Hutan,” meaning “Person of the Forest.” They are unique among the great apes in that they do not live in social groups. Adults typically forage on their own, but mothers care for their offspring for years. Orangutans have complex cognitive and spatial skills, meaning that they have good memories and are outstanding problem-solvers. Orangutans are highly endangered as a result of habitat loss and black market trade for infants as pets. There are three species of orangutans: Bornean, Sumatran, Tapanuli (recently discovered, Tapanuliensis). Morphologically, the Tapanuli species has differing skull and teeth structure. ...