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Panamanian Golden Frog

Panamanian golden frogs are native only to central Panama, where they have been viewed as symbols of good luck for centuries. Unfortunately, an epidemic of chytrid, a fungus highly dangerous to amphibians, has eliminated their populations, and the Panamanian golden frog is considered extinct in the wild. Their species is now maintained in carefully managed survival-assurance breeding groups at facilities in Panama and in the U.S., including Zoo Atlanta.

Lappet-faced Vulture

Like all vultures and condors, these large birds are scavengers on carcasses. They soar over large areas searching for food using vision and scent, and when a carcass is found, many individuals may congregate upon it. After centuries of suffering relatively few conservation challenges, vultures in many areas are facing sudden and dramatic declines as a result of new threats caused by human activities.

Milky Eagle Owl

This is one of the larger owls in the world, and they prey on virtually any small to medium-sized animal. They generally hunt at night, and long-term pairs produce usually two eggs per year, often with only one surviving to fledge.

Bornean Orangutan

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. ...

Drill

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 Panda

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.

Golden Lion Tamarin

These small monkeys live only in the unique Atlantic Coastal Forests of Brazil, where they are endangered mostly because of habitat loss. They live in small social groups almost entirely in the trees, rarely coming down to the forest floor.

Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth

Sloths are arboreal animals and are slow and deliberate rather than swift and agile. Specialized, enlarged claws enable them to hang upside down below the branches they traverse. Sloths derive their entire diet of leaves and some fruits in the trees, and they do almost everything upside down.

Sumatran Orangutan

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. ...

Diamondback Terrapin

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.