A few nice endangered species of animals images I found:
NYC - Bronx - Bronx Zoo: Dromedary Camel
Image by wallyg
Although there are several other camelids, the only other surviving species of true camel today is the Bactrian Camel. The Bactrian camel was domesticated sometime before 2500 BC in Asia, well after the earliest estimates for the dromedary.
The stronger and more durable Bactrian Camels first began to arrive in Africa in the fourth century. It was not until the Islamic conquest of North Africa, however, that these camels became common. While the invasion was accomplished largely on horseback, the new links to the Middle East allowed camels to be imported en masse. These camels were well-suited to long desert journeys and could carry a great deal of cargo. For the first time this allowed substantial trade over the Sahara.
The Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius), often referred to simply as the "Dromedary", is a large even-toed ungulate. According to the Oakland Zoo: "The name "Dromedary" is properly reserved for the Arabian racing camel such as those used in the various military camel corps." Sometimes called an Arabian Camel, it has one hump on its back, in contrast to the Bactrian Camel which has two.
The dromedary is taller and faster than its Bactrian counterpart. With a rider they can maintain 8-9 mph for hours at a time. Adults grow to a length of 10 feet, height of 6-7 feet. amd weights in the range of 1000-1500 pounds.
Dromedaries were first domesticated in central or southern Arabia some thousands of years ago. Estimates range from around 4000 BC to as recently as 1400 BC. Around the second millennium BCE, the dromedary was introduced to Egypt and North Africa. Domesticated camels were used through much of North Africa, and the Romans maintained a corps of camel warriors to patrol the edge of the desert. The Persian camels, however, were not particularly suited to trading or travel over the Sahara.
There are currently almost 13 million domesticated dromedaries, mostly in the area from Western India via Pakistan through Iran to northern Africa. None survive in the wild in their original range, although the escaped population of Australian feral camels is estimated to number at least 500,000. Modern domesticated dromedaries are used for milk and meat and as beasts of burden for cargo and passengers. Unlike horses, they kneel for the loading of passengers and cargo.
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The Bronx Zoo, located within the Bronx Park, is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, comprising 265 acres of parklands and naturalistic habitats and home to over 4,000 animals. Focused on conservation, it opened on November 8, 1899, with 22 exhibits, 843 animals. The zoo's origins date back to 1895, with the establishment of the New york Zoological Society (NYZS), renamed Wild Conservation Scoiety (WCS) in 1993. Only the outer structure of the World of Reptiles remains much as it was in 1899. With the 1941 opening of African Plains, the Bronx Zoo was one of the first U.S. zoos to move away from cages and exhibit animals in naturalistic habitats.
Speke's Gazelle (Gazella spekei)
Image by 5of7
Speke's Gazelle (Gazella spekei) is the smallest of the gazelle species. It is confined to the horn of Africa where it inhabits stony brush, grass steppes, and semi deserts. Severe habitat fragmentation means it is now impossible to assess the natural migratory or nomadic patterns of G. spekei. Its numbers are under threat, and despite an increase in population it was announced by the IUCN in 2007 that its status had risen from vulnerable to endangered. Captive population is maintained, and the wild population exists in the lower ten thousands. This photo was taken at the Phoenix Zoo on March 12, 2011.
