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Zebra, Kruger Park, South Africa

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Zebra, Kruger Park, South Africa
animals that are extinct
Image by Dimitry B
Zebras are several species of African equids (horse family) united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds. Unlike their closest relatives, horses and asses, zebras have never been truly domesticated.

There are three species of zebras: the plains zebra, the Grevy's zebra and the mountain zebra. The plains zebra and the mountain zebra belong to the subgenus Hippotigris, but Grevy's zebra is the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus. The latter resembles an ass, to which it is closely related, while the former two are more horse-like. All three belong to the genus Equus, along with other living equids.

The unique stripes of zebras make them one of the animals most familiar to people. They occur in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains, and coastal hills. However, various anthropogenic factors have had a severe impact on zebra populations, in particular hunting for skins and habitat destruction. Grevy's zebra and the mountain zebra are endangered. While plains zebras are much more plentiful, one subspecies, the quagga, became extinct in the late 19th century – though there is currently a plan, called the Quagga Project, that aims to breed zebras that are phenotypically similar to the quagga in a process called breeding back.
- wikipedia


Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) at Colchester Zoo, 24th July 2008
animals that are extinct
Image by schlechterwolf
The Fossa is a mammal endemic to Madagascar. A member of family Eupleridae, it is closely related to the mongoose. It is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island of Madagascar. (The largest carnivore on Madagascar is the Nile crocodile.)

Fossa males are 75–80 centimetres long, plus a tail which is 70–90 centimetres long; they weigh 6–10 kilograms. Females are 65–70 centimetres with a similar-sized tail; they weigh 5–7 kilograms.

The Fossa is a very agile animal. It can leap from tree to tree and display an agility similar to squirrels.

The Fossa is extremely catlike in appearance and behaviour; it is often likened to the Clouded Leopard, a felid native to southeast Asia.

Recent observations indicate the Fossa may not be as nocturnal as was once thought.

The rarity of this animal likely contributed to the belief that the Fossa is entirely nocturnal, but recent scientific study has found that it is active both during the day and at night, depending on season and prey availability.

Fossa pups are born blind and toothless. They are dependent on their mother for about 1 year, and do not even leave the nest until they are four months old.

The Fossa does not breed until it is about four years old. It has been known to live 20 years in captivity.

The Fossa is a carnivore.

It is a ferocious hunter that eats small to medium sized animals, from fish to birds, but is particularly adept at hunting lemurs, and is the predominant predator for many species, and only Madagascar's large snakes have any other significant predatory impact.

Malagasy folklore often exaggerates the ferocity of the Fossa, claiming that it will prey on cattle or even humans.

The fossil record of Madagascar has yielded the remains of a giant, recently extinct Fossa Cryptoprocta spelea. It was about 20% longer than big modern fossas and was about 6 feet long and weighed about 17kg.

This species was believed to have preyed upon the larger, ape-sized lemurs that inhabited Madagascar until humans settled on island. The Fossa has no natural predators, but may be consumed incidentally by the Nile crocodile.

The Fossa is only found on the island of Madagascar (like many other unique animals that have been found there).

In 2000, Luke Dollar (Mustelid, Viverrid & Procyonid Specialist Group) certified there were fewer than 2,500 mature individuals in fragmented areas in continuing decline.

This certification earned the Fossa the status of Endangered (EN – C2a) by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Previously, the Fossa was listed as 'vulnerable'.[1]

The Fossa is listed as a Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Appendix II animal, which puts restrictions on its export and trade.

1 A B Dollar (2000). Cryptoprocta ferox. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered

Taken from Wikipedia


050808orangred
animals that are extinct
Image by quadrapop
these are a WA native and come from the same family as the plant from which "1080" poison was originally extracted. 1080 is poisonous to introduced predators like cats and dogs and foxes but native preditors (at least in WA) are immune as they are marsupials and have been eating animals that graze on plants with this poison in them for 100 000s of years.

1080 is used in fox baiting in our SW forests, so that small marsupials can be reintroduced where foxes and dogs have made them extinct.

see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080_(poison)

or:
www.calm.wa.gov.au/projects/west_shield_article.html

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