Yellow-billed Kingfisher

Syma torotoro

Yellow-billed Kingfishers are medium-sized members of their family, and have a very distinctive yellow coloration that gives them their name. Their heads and bills are a very bright yellow, while the rest of their bodies are blue (on the backs) and white (on the undersides).

Yellow-bellied Kingfishers live in New Guinea and in the northern, rainforested areas of Australia. They are solitary and live on the lower trees and mangroves.

Despite the name, Yellow-bellied Kingfishers don't fish! They actually feed on insects and small reptiles. Other species of Kingfisher actually consume fish, but this one (and a few others) have branched out to other meals.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia, New Guinea
Size : Body Length 8in(20cm), Wingspan 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Halcyonidae -- Genus : Syma -- Species : S. torotoro

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

The American Kestrel (another suggestion from a reader, yay!) is the smallest Falcon in North America. For a comparison to other Birds of Prey, their maximum body length is around half that of a Red-Tailed Hawk, and less than 1/3 the length of a Bald Eagle. Unfortunately, their small size means that they can become prey for these larger cousins, as well for other large birds like Crows and Ravens.

American Kestrels live in both North and South America. Some populations live year round (in the warmer climates) while others migrate seasonally. They prefer to live in open grassland areas that have a sparse smattering of trees. They've also taken to man made habitats as well, and can be seen in suburbs and around sports stadiums. (The bright lights attract the insects that the Kestrels love to munch on!)

Interestingly, another name for the American Kestrel is the Sparrow-Hawk. But they don't really eat too many Sparrows. It is true that they will occasionally feed on smaller birds, small mammals, and reptiles, but they mainly dine on invertebrates.

When it comes time to nest, American Kestrels settle down in preexisting tree holes and cavities. The females select their mates, and the pair will remain monogamous through that season. 2-4 chicks are born at a time, and they leave the nest when they are a month old, though the family unit may remain together for a bit longer.

American Kestrels are listed as being of Least Concern, as they have a very wide range and high population. They are believed to be the most abundant Falcon in North America, with the population well over 1 million birds.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North and South America
Size : Body Length around 12in (30cm), Wingspan up to 24in (60cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Falconiformes
Family : Falconidae -- Genus : Falco -- Species : F. sparverius

Two-toed Amphiuma

Amphiuma means

The Two-toed Amphiuma is actually one of the longest Salamanders in the world, and the longest in the United States, capable of reaching lengths of 3-4ft! You can find these long, eel-like Amphibians in the slow moving, often stagnant waters of the southeastern parts of the country. Though they are sometimes referred to as "Conger Eels" or "Congo Snakes," they are still Amphibians.

The species gets its common name from their odd little feet. They have four tiny little vestigial legs, each one ending in two toes. These legs are pretty much useless, which is good, cause they don't particularly need them for anything. Two-toed Amphiumas are almost exclusively aquatic.

Their underwater lifestyle explains their tiny legs, their long bodies, lidded eyes (as juveniles), and their incredibly slippy skin. Curiously though, they have no external gills as adults, and they posses fully formed lungs!

If you see one of these interesting Amphibians, leave it alone! Though not venomous, they have really nasty bites if handled incorrectly.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Southeast United States
Size :  Length up to 4ft (1.2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Amphiumidae -- Genus : Amphiuma -- Species : A. means

Thalassomedon

Thalassomedon hanningtoni

Thalassomedon is one crazy looking sea reptile! These members of the Plesiosaur order lived 95 million years ago and have necks that make up half of their overall body length and contain 62 vertebrae!

Thalassomdeon means "Sea Lord," and while they weren't the most frightening creature of the late Cretaceous (I'm looking at you Mosasaur) they certainly looked to be great ambush hunters.

The eyes of the Thalassomedon were very large and were located on the tops of their heads. They used those large eyes and long skinny necks to ambush schools of fish that were swimming above them. Interestingly, it is unlikely that the Thalassomedon could stick its head far above water; air does not support the weight the same way that water does.

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Status : Extinct for 95 million years
Location : North America
Size : Body Length around 40ft (12m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : †Plesiosauria
Family : †Elasmosauridae -- Genus : †Thalassomedon -- Species : †T. hanningtoni

Cowboy Beetle

Chondropyga dorsalis

Meet Chondropyga dorsalis, often referred to as the Cowboy Beetle. They can be found in southwestern Australia, inhabiting mostly forested areas and residential gardens. They are not considered to be a pest, even though they can spend their entire lives in one backyard.

As larvae, the Cowboy Beetles feast on rotting things, like dead wood and compost. Their eggs are actually laid in the rotting logs so that when the larvae hatch they have something to eat right away. Then then use that same material to construct their pupae.

As adults, Cowboy Beetles have a taste for food that is a bit more palatable to us non-rotten-debris eaters. They feed on the nectar of various flower species, and they use their newly acquired wings to move from different shrubs and bushes.

Their gold and black coloration actually helps them to avoid predators. When in flight they resemble the far more dangerous Wasp!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Australia
Size : Length up to 1in (2.5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Coleoptera
Family : Scarabaeidae -- Genus : Chondropyga -- Species : C. dorsalis

Indian Runner Duck

I did my yearly venture to the Wisconsin State Fair this past weekend, and through the masses of Beef Cattle, Dairy Goats, and Pigs, I stumbled upon an unusual breed of Duck that I hadn’t encountered before- Indian Runner Ducks! (Unfortunately they were roped off while I was there and could not get any good pictures. Alas.)

Indian Runner Ducks

These strange looking birds resemble bowling pins more than regular ducks. They stand upright, like Penguins do, and they conveniently were once referred to as “Penguin Ducks!” They are a hardy, but high-strung breed, and are excellent foragers.

The name “Indian Runner Duck” is a bit confusing, as there is no evidence that these birds actually came from India itself. Rather, it is believed that they originated in the East Indies, on the islands of Bali, Java, and Lombok. “Penguin Ducks” were brought to England by the 1830’s, and may have been in the Netherlands even earlier, due to the trade conducted by the Dutch East India Company.

The first standards for the breed were developed at the turn of the 20^th century, and have been changed and added to over the years. There are now nearly a dozen recognized color varieties, including Silver, Trout, Fawn & White, and Apricot. They are notable not only for their uprights posture and running movement style, but also because they are amazing egg layers. A single Duck can lay 200 eggs per year!

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Status : Domesticated

Location : Originated in the East Indies

Size : Diameter up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class: Aves -- Order : Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae -- Genus: Anas -- Species: A. platyrhynchos -- Subspecies: A. p. domestica

Andean Bear

Tremarctos ornatus

The Andean Bear is the only Bear species native to South America. It is also sometimes referred to as the Spectacled Bear, due to the lines and light coloration on on their faces than can sometimes resemble eyeglasses.

One really fascinating thing about Andean Bears is that they are the sole surviving member of their subfamily, Tremarctinae. Once upon a time that same subfamily contained the now extint genera of gigantic Short Faced Bears! Crazy to think that the relatively small Andean Bear is most closely related to some of the largest Bears to have ever lived! Though interestingly, even with their small size, they are one of the largest South American land animals, after the Tapirs.

Andean Bears are shy and live solitary lifestyles outside of the mating season. They tend to live up in the higher altitudes, and will come down sometimes to search for food. Though many farmers fear them as livestock predators, and consider them to be agricultural pests, Andean Bears rarely eat meat and consume a mostly vegetarian diet. When the need for meat arrives, they typically only take small creatures like rodents and birds.

Habitat loss has been hurting these bears, and as they are forced into more agricultural areas the bad rap that they get from farmers continues to spread. Hunting due to their perceived pest status, as well as for fur and meat, has led the Andean Bears to be listed as Vulnerable.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Location : South America

Size : Weight up to 340lbs (154kg) in males, 180lbs (82kg) in females

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Ursidae -- Subfamily : Tremarctinae -- Genus : Tremarctos -- Species : T. ornatus

Red-Billed Streamertail

So yesterday we learned about the National Bird of Singapore, a Sunbird that has many characteristics of the New World Hummingbirds. So today let's learn about a Hummingbird that also happens to have a National Bird designation!

Meet the Red-Billed Streamertail, also known as the Doctor Bird. It is endemic to the island of Jamaica, and is the country's National Bird. They are even found on stamps!

Female

Male Trochilus polytmus

As a Hummingbird, the Streamertails are small little guys. The males' tail feathers are actually longer than the rest of their bodies! As with many birds, males and females have different appearances. Males have the name-inspiring tails, red bills, and bright green bodies. The name "Doctor Bird" is also a reference to the tails, as they resemble old fashioned coat tails. Females have no streamers, dark bills, and greyish, brownish green coloration.

Red-Billed Streamertails feed on nectar and small insects, and live in a variety of habitats throughout the island. They are common and widespread, and are in no immediate danger as a species.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Jamaica
Size : Length 7in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Apodiformes
Family : Trochilidae -- Genus : Trochilus -- Species : T. polytmus

Waterbuck

Female Waterbuck

Can you believe that we haven't talked about an antelope since June? And did you know there are around 90 different species, and that almost 3/4 of those live in Africa? I should do an all Antelope theme week... it's been a while since we've had a theme week...

Anyway, today we will learn about one of those 70 or so African Antelope species, the Waterbuck. Waterbuck, not surprisingly, live close to water sources. They feed on the long grasses surrounding various bodies of water, and then use the water to escape from predators if needed. They considered to be strong swimmers. However, of the half dozen members of the Kobus genus, the Waterbuck isn't even the most water dependent. Crazy.

Male Waterbuck are very territorial, and will guard their stretch of land and the cows within it. Females live in loose herds that overlap the males' territory, which means that the bulls with more land will end up having larger harems.

One really neat fact about these guys is that they have really tough, musty, stinky meat. This means that when other prey is available, predators will more of less leave the Waterbuck alone.

There are several different subspecies of Waterbuck, and at one time they were classified under two separate species. However, they are now all lumped under one species, due to the fact that they interbreed with one another when ranges overlap.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Sub-Saharan Africa
Size : Shoulder height 50in (1.3m), Weight 500lbs (227kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Kobus -- Species : K. ellipsiprymnus

Yellow Bittern

Ixobrychus sinensis

The Yellow Bittern is a small species of Heron that lives in southern and eastern Asia. They only grow to sizes of around 15in (about a quarter of the size of the largest Heron-- the Goliath Heron!) The name comes from the coloration of the male, who is a dull yellow-brown with lighter undersides. Females are streaked brown. They are difficult to spot while not in flight, as their colors camouflage them in the reeds and other aquatic plants.

Yellow Bitterns are, on the whole, resident birds, though some that live further north will seasonally migrate small distances. They live in freshwater wetland areas like marshes and ponds, and even near man-made canals and reservoirs. There they feed on fishes, amphibians, and insects.

In places closer to the equator, where the temperatures remain more consistent, the Yellow Bitterns breed year round (elsewhere they have more defined seasons). Males attract females by hunching up their necks, puffing out their chests, and performing a series of calls (their bills also take on a reddish color at the base). The parents will construct a nest together, built near water using reeds and other plants. 3-5 eggs are laid at a time, and incubation duties are shared by both the mother and father.

Yellow Bitterns have a very large range and a large population size, so they are currently listed as being of Least Concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Asia
Size : Length up to 15in (38cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Pelecaniformes
Family : Ardeidae -- Genus : Ixobrychus -- Species : I. sinensis

Georg Steller

If you are a frequent reader of Animal a Day, you'll recognize today's featured naturalist. That is because, in the past, we've featured several of the different animals species that were named after him! Hmm... just doing a quick search we have:

• Steller's Eider
• Steller's Sea Cow
• Steller's Sea Eagle
• Steller's Sea Lion

So if those animal names didn't give it away already, Georg Wilhelm Steller was a naturalist and explorer who that did his work while on Ocean Expeditions.

No images of Steller exist. So let's look at a drawing he did of Sea Otters!

Steller was born near Nuremburg Germany in 1709, and was later educated at the University of Wittenburg. Though he was German by birth, he moved to Russia in 1734, and it is with Russian expeditions that he did his major studies.

After finding work at Saint Petersburg's Academy of Sciences, Steller joined Vitus Bering's expedition to the ocean east of Siberia in 1740. Bering himself may also sound familiar- the strait between Russia and Alaska bears his name! 

In July 1741 the expedition arrived in Alaska, and Steller became the first non-native to set foot upon Alaskan soil. Bering wanted only to stop and refill water, so he gave the naturalist only 10 hours to explore, but during that time he discovered a bird known as Steller's Jay (pretty much the only Steller's animal we haven't talked about here yet, go figure). He deduced that the bird was a close relative to the Blue Jay, which suggested that Alaska and the rest of North America were joined together.

On the way back to Russia the expedition was shipwrecked on a piece of land that would eventually be named Bering Island. Bering himself died on this island, along with several members of the crew who succumbed to Scurvy. The remaining crew hunted the local fauna, and worked on rebuilding a ship that would take them home. Among the animals consumed were the Steller's Sea Cows, massive relatives to the Manatees that were up to 30ft long. Steller discovered several other species during that year on the island, including his namesake Sea Lion, Eider, and a cryptid only he claims to have observed called the Steller's Sea Ape.

The expedition eventually made it off Bering Island, though only 46 of the original 78 remained. After arriving back in Russia, Georg Steller spent the next few years traveling throughout Siberia, collecting plants and animals and writing extensive journals. Unfortunately, his life was cut short. In 1746, on a trip from Siberia back to St. Petersburg, he contracted a fever and died at the age of 37. Though he never published a single paper in his lifetime, his journals did make it to Saint Petersburg where they were used by other scientists and explorers.

Hoki

So have you ever wondered where the fish in your sandwiches comes from? Would you be surprised to find out that one of the most popular commercially served species is a weird looking, skinny fish that lives at depths of around 3,300ft (1000m)?

Macruronus novaezelandiae

Meet the Hoki (or Blue Grenadier), the fish responsible for the McDonalds Filet O' Fish. Found around Australia and New Zealand, this slender, relatively deep sea dweller is considered by many to be a model of sustainable fishing. However, in 2009 a New York Times article questioned the Hoki fishing practices in New Zealand. While the country disputed the article, they did end up lowering the yearly quota by 2/3. Around 11 million pounds of Hokia re used by just McDonalds every year.

Hoki are actually related to Cod, which makes the food popularity less surprising. They live in schools and feed on other deep-ish sea creatures. They are also relatively longed lived for a fish, and have a lifespan of up to 25 years. When it comes time to breed, females can lay up to 1 million eggs at a time!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Australia and New Zealand
Size : Length up to 45in (114cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Gadiformes
Family : Merlucciidae -- Genus : Macruronus-- Species : M. novaezelandiae

Kagu

Rhynochetos jubatus

I couldn't talk about the Sunbittern yesterday without talking about it's interesting cousin, the Kagu, today. For a fast refresher, the Sunbittern and the Kagu appear to be the only extant members of the Eurypygiformes Order, and both are the only living species in their Families. Despite being relatives, they live in opposite parts of the world-- the Sunbittern in Central America, and the Kagu in New Caledonia.

New Caledonia is a French territory in the Pacific Ocean, an archipelago about 750 miles east of Australia. The Kagu currently lives only in the dense, mountainous forests of the island of Grand Terre, and even though they live among the trees, they are actually a terrestrial species, and are almost completely flightless (they have full sized wings and can glide, but do not actually fly). The hunt for insects on the forest floor, and even build their nests on the ground.

The wings of the Kagu are not used for flight, but they are used for mating, fighting, and defensive displays. When their wings are tucked in, they look like a plain, bluish-grey bird with long red legs. When their wings are out, however, they show a striking barred pattern. They also have a head crest the sticks out during these displays, and it is that crest that gives them their species name, jubatus (derived from Latin for "crested"). On a related note, the genus name Rhynochetos, means "nose corn" and refers to the skin flaps on their noses that keep dirt out while they forage for insects.

Kagu pairs will form monogamous bonds that can last throughout their lifetime. The couple will live alone in their territory, and will typically raise one chick per year. After fledging, chicks often hang around for several years, helping to defend the territory.

The Kagu is a national symbol of New Caledonia, and appears on various emblems. Sadly though, they are very Endagered, with less than 1,500 remaining in the wild. Their beautiful barred wing feathers made them popular targets for 19th century hat makers, and habitat loss and predation from cats and rats have led to a decline. Luckily they are now fully protected, and reintroduction and captive breeding efforts have been going well, allowing the population to stabilize.

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IUCN Status : Endangered

Location : New Caledonia
Size : Length up to 22in (55cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Eurypygiformes
Family : Rhynochetidae -- Genus : Rhynochetos-- Species : R. jubatus

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad

Bombina orientalis

Oriental Fire-bellied Toads are aquatic amphibians that cane be found in China, Korea, Japan, and parts of southern Russia. They are referred to as Toads not because they belong to the Toad family, but because they have warty, toad-like skin. Isn't animal naming confusing sometimes?

On any normal viewing, the Fire-bellied Toad will appear green with a black mottle pattern. However, once they are threatened they will rise on their hind legs and present their smooth, bright red and black underside to the predator, sometimes doing a near back-flip in the process! The red color warns against the dangerous toxin that the Toad secretes from its skin.

Oriental Fire-bellied Toads are very common throughout most of their range, and they are also kept as pets in captivity. They are very hardy, require only a 10 gallon aquarium, are considered to be suitable for beginning Frog keepers, and can live ten years or more!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : East Asia
Size : Length 2in (5.5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Anura
Family : Bombinatoridae -- Genus : Bombina -- Species : B. orientalis

Tasmanian Mock Walrus

Why not spend April Fools learning about an animal that doesn't even exist? Meet the Tasmanian Mock Walrus, a hoax animal that caused quite a bit of confusion way back on Aprils Fools Days, 1984.

As a joke, the Orlando Sentinel ran a story about the Tasmanian Mock Walrus, a 4in long creature that was the absolute perfect pet! It looked like a tiny Walrus! It could be littler box trained! It purrs like a cat and can even keep your house Cockroach free!

The story even contained a photo of one of the little guys, who were being bred in the United States for the first time by a couple down in Florida. Allegedly, the Pest Control industry was harassing this couple, as they were afraid they would lose business because of these new miracle pets!

So what was the little animal behind the newspaper prank? Just a regular old Naked Mole Rat. The story resulted in a flood of calls and letters to both the newspaper, and to Florida pet stores. It even made its way around the world! The demand was quite high for a creature that was completely made up!

Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle

Palea steindachneri

Wow, this week is becoming an unofficial Mascarene Islands theme week, and sort of by accident too! I came across today's animal while browsing around a site that listed the reptiles and amphibians of Hawaii. I zeroed in on a Softshell Turtle, as they are very interesting looking creatures... and what do you know, they've been introduced to Mauritius!

And though I found the animal in a Hawaiian context, they aren't native Hawaiians. The Wattle-necked Softshell Turtles are actually native to Vietnam and southern China, and were introduced to islands elsewhere. Interestingly, most of what we know of their biology and behavior comes from those Hawaiian individuals.

Wattle-necked Softshell Turtles belong to an entire family of Softshell Turtles, Trionychidae, but they are the only species in their genus. Like their cousins, they have flat shells covered with leathery skin rather than bony scutes. They also have long, retractable necks that have wattle clusters around the base (hence the name).

Unfortunately, like many other Softshell Turtles, the Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle is Endangered. This is due in part to their desirability in the food trade in Asia. Captive breeding farms have been set up to keep the wild Turtles from being hunted. But those farms may actually be hurting the Turtles, as they make the food more popular. The introduced populations in Hawaii and Mauritius may some day be the only populations left.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Southeast Asia, Hawaii, Mauritius
Size : Length up to 10in (25cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Testudines
Family : Trionychidae -- Genus : Palea -- Species : P. steindachneri

Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna

Zaglossus attenboroughi

Of the four extant species of Echidna, only one is named after one of the greatest naturalists alive-- Sir David Attenborough. Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna is also referred to as Attenborough's Echidna, and as teh Cyclops Long-beaked Echidna. "Cyclops" comes from the mountain range they live in-- the Cyclops Mountains in Papua, Indonesia.

The Sir David's Echidna is literally only found in that tiny region, so it is unsurprising that they are listed as Critically Endangered. They were actually thought to be extinct, since the last specimen was collected way back in 1961. However, local people claim that they have spotted the small Monotremes recently, and scientists have located "nose pokes" which are evidence that they are still around somewhere.

The aforementioned "nose pokes" are the holes created when the Echidnas stick their snouts into the soil in search of termites, worms, ants, and other underground invertebrates. Like all Echidnas, they lay eggs, and aside from breeding it is believed that they are solitary animals.

Scientists are working with the local peoples to preserve and protect the few Sir David's Long-beaked Echidnas left. There are only fives Monotremes in the world, and it would be very sad to lose one completely.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Location : Island of New Guinea, Indonesia
Size : Length around 40in (1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Monotremata
Family : Tachyglossidae -- Genus : Zaglossus -- Species : Z. attenboroughi

Upland Sandpiper

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Eleven Pipers piping...

Bartramia longicauda

Wow, only one more day to go! And after a few days' break we are back to the birds.

The Upland Sandpiper is an interesting little bird in that it doesn't inhabit shores like other Sandpipers do. Instead, they make themselves comfortably at home in open grasslands. In some areas of the American Northeast, they've even taken to nesting in Airports!

Upland Sandpipers are a migratory species that spend their summers up in the United States and Canada (sometimes as far north as Alaska!) and their Winters down in countries like Brazil and Argentina. They nest during the summer, scraping multiple depressions into the ground, but using only one to lay their eggs. This makes it more difficult to locate their actual nest, and keeps the eggs and young birds safe.

Though they are listed as being of Least Concern, Upland Sandpipers have faced a decline in numbers, and are  rare in some areas. They used to be abundant throughout North America, but hunting over the last hundred years has affected the species. Fortunately, they still have a very large population size, and their widespread range keeps the overall threat of extinction very low.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North and South America
Size : Length up to 1ft (31cm) Wingspan up to 21in (55cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Scolopacidae -- Genus : Bartramia-- Species : B. longicauda

West Caucasian Tur

Capra caucasica

The West Caucasian Tur might look very familiar to you, cause it definitely did to me! At first glance I thought it was an Ibex, and that guess wasn't too far off. Turs and Ibxes belong to the exact same genus, and there is even quite a bit of taxonomic uncertainty floating around about how genetically distinct all the Turs and Ibexes actually are.

As the name suggests, these Turs can be found on the western side of the Caucasus Mountains, and they occur primarily within Russia. They are alpine dwellers, and inhabit areas 2,600-13,000ft above sea level (800-4,000m). Males tend to live at higher altitudes than the females, possibly because those areas are harder to navigate with young calves.

West Caucasian Turs feed on over 100 different species of plant. They primarily graze during the summer and browse during the winter. This is because the snowfall can become quite dense, even at the lower altitudes that they travel to during that season, and digging for vegetation can be difficult, even with their strong legs.

Breeding season takes place during those winter months, and kids are born in late spring/early summer. While some ungulates go off and give birth in secluded, inaccessible areas, Tur mothers have their kids right out in the open, and their offspring are able to climb along with the rest of the group by the end of the day!

It is estimated that there are less than 6,000 of these goat-antelopes left in the wild. Hunting, competition from livestock, and habitat loss have all led to their population decline. They do occur in protected areas, but poaching continues.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Caucasus Mountains
Size : Height around 39in (1m), Weight up to 140lbs (65kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Capra -- Species : C. caucasica

Metoposaurus

Metoposaurus

Though amphibians today are small and tend to take a backseat to larger vertebrates in terms of dominance, they were once some of the top land animals on the planet! During the Carboniferous and Permian periods, before the dawn of the Dinosaurs, Amphibians were some of the largest land animals around, and the size even carried over for millions of years after the Permian ended.

Meet Metoposaurus, an amphibian that measured up to 10ft long and lived during the Triassic over 220 million years ago. Though unrelated, it did share some physical similarities to modern alligators and crocodiles- a long, broad snout, sharp teeth, and a long tail that helped to propel them through water.

Metoposaurus was an aquatic hunter, as evidence by the tail and by the fact that their limbs were relatively weak. Scientists think they may have even used their arms like flippers! Even so, I wouldn't want to mess with a 1,000lb tetrapod!

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Status : Extinct for 220 million years

Location : Europe and North America
Size : Length up to 10ft (3m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Temnospondyli
Family : Metoposauridae -- Genus : Metoposaurus