Hobbies And Interests
Endangered Species
An endangered species is a specific plant or animal that has been deemed highly vunerable to extinction. Various organizations and government agencies serve as authorities in selecting and monitoring endangered species. Many times, these entities work together in developing programs geared toward increasing endangered populations.
Numerous endangered species make their homes in temperate deserts throughout the world.
Mammal
One of the many endangered mammal species distributed in temperate deserts is the Bactrian camel. Bactrian camels, or Camelus ferus, live in the rocky regions of the Central Asian desert. They have a shaggy, thick, brown coat and two humps on their backs. Bactrian camels grow more than 7 feet in height and weigh 1800 pounds. With possibly fewer than 1,000 left in their population, Bactrian camels live up to 50 years in captivity. These herbivores are categorized in the order Cetartiodactyla, family Camelidae.
Fish
Numerous endangered species of fish inhabit temperate desert regions, including the Devil's Hole pupfish. Devil's Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is exclusive to the Devil's Hole pool in the Amargosa Desert region of California and Nevada. Growing up to 1.2 inches in length, the male pupfish is iridescent blue, whereas the female is yellowish-brown in color. Devil's Hole pupfish primarily live among limestone shelves in the upper regions of the body of water. They have a lifespan of up to 12 months and are categorized in the class Actinopterygii, order Cyprinodontiformes, family Cyprinodontidae.
Reptile
Doumergue's fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus spinicauda) is an example of a temperate desert endangered reptile. It is indigenous to Algeria, with a small population in South America. Doumergue's fringe-fingered lizard primarily inhabits flat sandy and open rocky areas. This multi-colored lizard produces a clutch of approximately eight eggs. Doumergue's fringe-fingered lizard is categorized in the class Reptilla, order Squamata, family Lavertidae.
Insect
As of 2011, Anormogomphus kiritshenkoi is one of the three insects living in temperate deserts worldwide that is considered to be a threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This member of the dragonfly and damselfly order Odonata is found in the Asia desert, in the region of Turkey. Anormogomphus kiritshenkoi is categorized in the class Insecta, family Gompidae.
Amphibian
One of the endangered amphibian species occurring in temperate deserts is the Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus californicus). It is found in deserts of South America and the United States, with its largest populations in California. Growing up to 3 inches in length, this toad is has a color range that spans from olive to gray to brown. Arroyo toads primarily inhabit sandy streambeds, but can also be found in pools of water among coniferous forests. Arroyo toads are categorized in order Amphibia, class Anura, family Bufonidae.