Hobbies And Interests
Black Rhino
Potentially weighing more than a ton, the black rhino resembles a strange armour-plated creature from the dinosaur era. Its prehistoric appearance is truly striking. It is an aggressive beast that is all the more dangerous due to its size and power. A black rhino is easily provoked, which has helped to hasten its demise. It suffered a 96 percent loss in its population between 1970 and 1992. As of publication, about 3,600 of them are left from a population of about 65,000 in 1970, due to hunting and poaching.The horns are highly prized for various uses, including the making of traditional sword handles and medicines.
Pygmy Three-toed Sloths
These animals have bizarre habits. They spend most of their time hanging upside down in trees. They spend so much time upside down that their fur begins to grow in the opposite direction than it would if they were living right side up. The extreme lack of movement allows for green algae to cover their fur. This helps them hide from predators. In addition, they have the strange ability to turn their heads 360 degrees. Pygmy three-toed sloths are endangered due to the tiny habitat they occupy. This creature can be found on Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a small Island off Panama. It is host to the only remaining population in the world. Pygmy sloths live in mangrove trees that line the outer perimeter of the island. Encroachment through development is threatening the forest and, with it, the survival of the pygmy sloth species.
Glass Frog
This weird critter is called a glass frog because its underside is transparent, like glass. You can see all the internal organs, including the beating heart, blood vessels and bones. It is thought that this helps to camouflage the frog. They live in humid jungles and lay their eggs on leaves 10 to 20 feet above streams and rivers. When the tadpoles are ready to hatch, they safely fall into the water. Central and South America are home to 164 species of glass frogs, of which 60 are endangered. They are considered bioindicators, meaning that they are very susceptible to climactic changes.
Chinese Pangolins
Imagine a huge rat covered in bizarre-looking scales with a tongue 16 inches long and you'll have an idea of what a Chinese pangolin looks like. The large scales are made of fused hair and provide good protection against predators. When threatened, these creatures curl up into a ball like an armadillo. Chinese pangolins eat ants and termites. Its main hunting method involves ripping apart termite mounds with its claws and using its long tongue to scoop up its prey. It is also known as the scaly anteater due to its strange-looking armor plating. Chinese pangolins live in subtropical deciduous forests in eastern and southeastern Asia.