Endangered Earth

  Tasmanian Devil The Tasmanian Devil is not just a looney toons character. These fiesty animals have  a coat of coarse brown or black fur and a stocky profile that gives them the appearance of a baby bear. Most have a white stripe or patch  on their chest and light spots on their sides or rear end. They have long front legs and shorter rear legs, giving them a lumbering, piglike gait. They can reach up to 30 inches long and weigh around 26 pounds. The Tasmanian Devil species have plummeted from 140,000 to as few as 20,000 since the mid 1990s.  Habitat and Range Once abundant throughout Australia, Tasmanian devils are now found only  on the island state of Tasmania. Their Tasmanian range encompasses the entire island, although they are partial to coastal scrublands and forests. Biologists speculate  that their extinction on the mainland about 400 years ago may be linked to the introduction of Asian dogs—or dingoes . Role in Ecosystem Tasmanian Devils play an important role, by  eating

 *Note: I was not able to upload any pictures, I'm not sure why, I tried every possible way but nothing was working* Hawksbill Turtle The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae.  Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated-look on the edges. There colored and patterned shells make them highly-valuable and commonly sold as "tortoiseshell" in markets. They can way anywhere from 90-150 pounds and can grow from 30-35 inches. These turtles globally have declined 80% during the last century.  There are difficulties in accurately assessing population size, but a recent estimate of adult nesting females of 8,000+ has been made. There are only 5 populations worldwide with more than 1,000 females nesting annually. Habitat/Range Hawksbills are found mainly throughout the world's tropical oceans, predominantly in coral re

  Sunda Tiger The Sunda Island tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The name refers to the: Javan tiger (the extinct tiger population of Java Bali tiger). The average life span of these tigers are around 15-20 years. They are a very majestic species that can weigh around 310 pounds. As of now, there are less than 400 Sunda Tiger's left in the world. The Sunda Tiger is also considered th e most critically endangered tiger subspecies.  Habitat and Range Sunda Tigers were once found on multiple Indonesian  islands. Today they can only be found in patches of forests located on the island of Sumatra; from the   coastal lowland forests of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park on the southern tip of the island to the dense mountainous forests of the Gunung Leuser National Park in the north. Role In the Ecosystem   The island of Sumatra is the only place where tigers, rhinos, orangutans, and elephants live together in the wild. The presence of the Sunda tiger

The red panda, also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal that has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 and fewer than 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild. Researchers believe that the total population of Red Pandas has declined by 40% over the past two decades. The Red Panda can be found in the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. This species are very skillful and acrobatic, predominately living in rainy mountain forests, specifically in the trees. Red Pandas play a vital part in our ecosystem because of numerous reasons. Their consumption of bamboo,  which is a plant that is not only a problem for humans but for other animals as well. They are important to the environment because their size and diet mean they eat a lot of bamboo leaves every day.  These pandas help to keep bamboo forests healthy by eating the plant’s new sprouts, which is crucial

  Hi everyone! My name is Haley Jones and I am currently a Communications major getting certificates in Digital Engagement and Public Relations. My favorite animal is, of course, dogs and I also love giraffes! I have always loved dogs, I grew up with them and they are so therapeutic for me. I also really like giraffes because they were my favorite animal to see at the zoo, I think they are super unique and I love the gentle vibe they give off.  My favorite plant/flower is a blue violet. I think they are super vibrant and beautiful, it is also the Illinois state flower which is where I'm from! My interest in wildlife started with my  grandparents, who live in the forests of Pennsylvania, taking me and my cousins out to hike and explore the forests. Ever since then I have always loved and admired nature and being surrounded by it.  I'm looking forward to this class and working with everyone virtually!