The Coconut Crab
The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper limit of how big terrestrial animals with exoskeletons can become in today's atmosphere. The species inhabits the coastal forest regions of many Indo-Pacific islands, although localized extinction has occurred where the crab is sympatric with man. Generally nocturnal, they remain hidden during the day and emerge only on some nights to forage. Their body is divided into four regions; the cephalic lobe, forepart, trunk, and opisthosoma. It is a highly apomorphic hermit crab and is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers to eat the contents. It is the only species of the genus Birgus.
It is also called the robber crab or palm thief, because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents. Another name is terrestrial hermit crab, due to the use of shells by the young animals; however, there are other terrestrial hermit crabs which do not get rid of the shell even as adults. These—typically in the closely related genus Coenobita—are the animals usually called "terrestrial hermit crab"; given the close relationship between Coenobita and Birgus, the term would generally refer to any member of the family Coenobitidae.
The coconut crab also has a range of local names, for example, unga or kaveu in the Cook Islands, and ayuyu in the Marianas where it is sometimes associated with taotaomo'na because of the traditional belief that ancestral spirits can return in the form of animals such as ayuyu.
Physical description
Reports about the size of Birgus latro vary, but most references give a body length of up to 40 cm (16 in), a weight of up to 4.1 kg (9.0 lb), and a leg span of more than 0.91 m (3.0 ft), with males generally being larger than females. There have been reports in the literature of specimens measuring 6 feet (1.8 m) across the thorax and weighing 30 pounds (14 kg) They can live more than 30 years .
The body of the coconut crab is, like that of all decapods, divided into a front section (cephalothorax), which has 10 legs, and an abdomen. The front-most pair of legs has large claws used to open coconuts, and these claws (chelae) can lift objects up to 29 kg (64 lb). The next two pairs, as with other hermit crabs, are large, powerful walking legs which allow coconut crabs to climb vertically up trees (often coconut palms). The fourth pair of legs is smaller with tweezer-like chelae at the end, allowing young crabs to grip the inside of a shell or coconut husk to carry for protection; adults use this pair for walking and climbing. The last pair of legs is very small and serves only to clean the breathing organs. These legs are usually held inside the carapace, in the cavity containing the breathing organs. There is some difference in color between the animals found on different islands, ranging from light violet through deep purple to brown.
Although Birgus latro is a derived type of hermit crab, only the juveniles use salvaged snail shells to protect their soft abdomens, and adolescents sometimes use broken coconut shells to protect their abdomens. Unlike other hermit crabs, the adult coconut crabs do not carry shells but instead harden their abdominal terga by depositing chitin and chalk. Not being constrained by the physical confines of living in a shell allows this species to grow much larger than other crabs in the family Coenobitidae. Like most true crabs, B. latro bends its tail underneath its body for protection. The hardened abdomen protects the coconut crab and reduces water loss on land, but has to be moulted at periodic intervals. After moulting, it takes about 30 days for the exoskeleton to harden, during which time the animal's body is soft and vulnerable, and it stays hidden for protection.
Respiration
Except as larvae, coconut crabs cannot swim, and even small specimens will drown in water. They use a special organ called a branchiostegal lung to breathe. This organ can be interpreted as a developmental stage between gills and lungs, and is one of the most significant adaptations of the coconut crab to its habitat. The branchiostegal lung contains a tissue similar to that found in gills, but suited to the absorption of oxygen from air, rather than water. This organ is expanded laterally and is evaginated to increase the surface area; located in the cephalothorax, it is optimally placed to reduce both the blood/gas diffusion distance and the return distance of oxygenated blood to the pericardium. Coconut crabs use their hindmost, smallest pair of legs to clean these breathing organs and to moisten them with water. The organs require water to properly function, and the crab provides this by stroking its wet legs over the spongy tissues nearby. Coconut crabs may also drink water from small puddles by transferring it from their chelipeds to their maxillipeds.
In addition to the branchiostegal lung, the coconut crab has an additional rudimentary set of gills. Although these gills are comparable in number to aquatic species from the families Paguridae and the Diogenidae, they are reduced in size and have comparatively less surface area. While these gills were probably used to breathe under water in the evolutionary history of the species, they no longer provide sufficient oxygen, reflecting a decreased dependence on the gills for gas exchange and the development of other respiratory surfaces.
Sense of smell
Another distinctive organ of the coconut crab is its "nose". The process of smelling works very differently depending on whether the smelled molecules are hydrophilic molecules in water or hydrophobic molecules in air. As most crabs live in the water, they have specialized organs called aesthetascs on their antennae to determine both the concentration and the direction of a smell. However, as coconut crabs live on the land, the aesthetascs on their antennae differ significantly from those of other crabs and look more like the smelling organs of insects, called sensilia. While insects and the coconut crab originate from different evolutionary paths, the same need to detect smells in the air led to the development of remarkably similar organs, making it an example of convergent evolution. Coconut crabs also flick their antennae as insects do to enhance their reception. They have an excellent sense of smell and can detect interesting odors over large distances. The smell of rotting meat, bananas, and coconuts, all potential food sources, catch their attention especially.
Reproduction
Coconut crabs mate frequently and quickly on dry land in the period from May to September, especially between early June and late August Male crabs have spermatophores and deposit a mass of spermatophores on the abdomen of the female; the abdomen opens at the base of the third pereiopods, and fertilization is thought to occur on the external surface of the abdomen as the eggs pass through the spermatophore mass. The extrusion of eggs occurs on land in crevices or burrows near the shore. Shortly thereafter, the female lays her eggs and glues them to the underside of her abdomen, carrying the fertilized eggs underneath her body for a few months. At the time of hatching, usually October or November, the female coconut crab releases the eggs into the ocean at high tide. The larvae are of the zoea type, as is usual for decapod crustaceans.
The crab larvae float in the pelagic zone of the ocean with other plankton for about a month, during which a large number of them are eaten by predators. Upon reaching the glaucothoe stage of development, they settle to the bottom, find and wear a suitably-sized gastropod shell, and migrate to the shoreline with other terrestrial hermit crabs. At that time, they sometimes visit dry land. As with all hermit crabs, they change their shells as they grow. After these 28 days, they leave the ocean permanently and lose the ability to breathe in water. Young coconut crabs that cannot find a seashell of the right size also often use broken coconut pieces. When they outgrow even coconut shells, they develop a hardened abdomen. About four to eight years after hatching, the coconut crab matures and can reproduce. This is an unusually long development period for a crustacean.
Diet
The diet of coconut crabs consists primarily of fleshy fruits (particularly Ochrosia ackeringae, Arenga listeri , Pandanus elatus, P. christmatensis), nuts (coconuts Cocos nucifera, Aleurites moluccana), and seeds (Annona reticulata). However, as they are omnivorous creatures, they will consume certain other organic materials such as tortoise hatchlings and dead animals. They have also been observed to prey upon other sympatric crabs like Gecarcoidea natalis and Discoplax hirtipes, as well as scavenge on the carcasses of dead conspecifics. During a tagging experiment, one coconut crab was observed catching and eating a Polynesian Rat (Rattus exulans). Recent discoveries suggest that the coconut crab may be responsible for the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, consuming her remains and hording her bones in its crab burrow. Coconut crabs often try to steal food from each other and will pull their food into their burrows to be safe while eating.
The coconut crab climbs trees to eat coconuts or fruit, to escape the heat or to escape predators. It is a common perception that the coconut crab cuts the coconuts from the tree to eat them on the ground (hence the German name Palmendieb, which literally means "palm thief," and the Dutch Klapperdief). Prehistoric looking, the crab can take a coconut from the ground and cut it to a husk nut, take it with its claw, climb up a tree ten metres high and drop the husk nut, to access the content inside. Coconut crabs cut holes into coconuts with their strong claws and eat the contents; this behavior is unique in the animal kingdom.
Thomas Hale Streets discussed the behavior in 1877—while doubting that the crab would climb trees to get at the nuts. In the 1980s, Holger Rumpf was able to confirm Streets's report, observing and studying how the crabs open coconuts in the wild. The animal has developed a special technique to do so: if the coconut is still covered with husk, it will use its claws to rip off strips, always starting from the side with the three germination pores, the group of three small circles found on the outside of the coconut. Once the pores are visible, the crab will bang its pincers on one of them until they break. Afterwards, it will turn around and use the smaller pincers on its other legs to pull out the white flesh of the coconut. Using their strong claws, larger individuals can even break the hard coconut into smaller pieces for easier consumption.
Habitat and distribution
Coconut crabs live alone in underground burrows and rock crevices, depending on the local terrain. They dig their own burrows in sand or loose soil. During the day, the animal stays hidden to protect itself from predators and reduce water loss from heat. The crabs' burrows contain very fine yet strong fibers of the coconut husk which the animal uses as bedding. While resting in its burrow, the coconut crab closes the entrances with one of its claws to create the moist microclimate within the burrow necessary for its breathing organs. In areas with a large coconut crab population, some may also come out during the day, perhaps to gain an advantage in the search for food. Coconut crabs will also sometimes come out during the day if it is moist or raining, since these conditions allow them to breathe more easily. They live almost exclusively on land, and some have been found up to 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the ocean.
Coconut crabs live in areas from the Indian to the central Pacific Ocean. Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean has the largest and best-preserved population in the world. Other Indian Ocean populations exist on the Seychelles, especially Aldabra, the Glorioso Islands, Astove Island, Assumption Island and Cosmoledo, but the coconut crab is extinct on the central islands. They are also known on several of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Large numbers roam freely in the British-owned Chagos Archipelago, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territories (BIOT). They are protected on these islands from being hunted and/or eaten, with fines of up to 1,500 British pounds (roughly $3,000 USD) per crab consumed. On Mauritius and Rodrigues, they are extinct.
In the Pacific, its range only gradually became known. Charles Darwin believed it was only found on "a single coral island north of the Society group." The crab is actually far more widespread, though certainly not abundant on each and every Pacific island it inhabits. Large populations exist on the Cook Islands, especially Pukapuka, Suwarrow, Mangaia, Takutea, Mauke, Atiu, and Palmerston Island. These are close to the eastern limit of its range, as are the Line Islands of Kiribati, where the crab is especially frequent on Teraina (Washington Island), with its abundant coconut palm forest, and on Caroline Island.
Coconut crabs are considered one of the most terrestrial decapods, with most aspects of its life linked to a terrestrial existence. The crab drowns in sea water in less than a day. As they cannot swim as adults, coconut crabs over time must have colonized the islands as larvae, which can swim. However, due to the large distances between the islands, some researchers believe a larva stadium of 28 days is not enough to travel the distance, and they assume juvenile coconut crabs reached other islands on driftwood and other flotsam.
The distribution shows some gaps, as for example around Borneo, Indonesia or New Guinea. These islands were within easy reach of the crab and also have a suitable habitat, yet have no coconut crab population. This is due to the coconut crabs being eaten to extinction by people. However, coconut crabs are known to live on the islands of the Wakatobi Marine National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Relationship with humans
This hermit crab, with its intimidating size and strength, has a special position in the culture of many human societies which share its range. The coconut crab is admired for its strength, and it is said that villagers use this animal to guard their coconut plantations. The coconut crab, especially if it is not yet fully grown, is also sold as a pet, for example, in Tokyo. The cage must be strong enough that the animal cannot use its powerful claws to escape. Should a coconut crab pinch a person, it will not only cause pain, but is unlikely to release its grip. Thomas Hale Streets reports the following trick, used by Micronesians of the Line Islands, to get a coconut crab to loosen its grip:
It may be interesting to know that in such a dilemma a gentle titillation of the under soft parts of the body with any light material will cause the crab to lose its hold.
The coconut crab is eaten by Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders and is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, with a taste similar to lobster and crab meat. The most prized parts are the eggs inside the female coconut crab and the fat in the abdomen. Coconut crabs can be cooked like other large crustaceans, by boiling or steaming. Different islands also have a variety of recipes, as for example, coconut crab cooked in coconut milk. While the coconut crab itself is not innately poisonous, it may become so depending on its diet, and cases of coconut crab poisoning have occurred. It is believed that the poison comes from plant toxins, which would explain why some animals are poisonous and others not. Reputedly[citation needed], this poison is considered an aphrodisiac, similar to the highly poisonous pufferfish eaten in Japan. However, coconut crabs are not a commercially significant species and are usually not sold.
Status and conservation
Coconut crab populations in several areas have declined or become extinct due to both habitat loss and human predation. It is a worldwide protected species according to the IUCN Invertebrate Red Data Book. However, according to the IUCN Red List criteria, there is not enough data at present to decide if the coconut crab is an endangered species, and therefore, it is provisionally listed as DD (data deficient), cautioning that this assessment is in need of update. There have been conservation management strategies effected in some regions, such as minimum legal size limit restrictions in Guam and Vanuatu, and the capture of ovigerous females has been banned in Guam and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The juvenile coconut crab is vulnerable to introduced carnivores, such as rats and pigs, and ants, such as the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes). Adult coconut crabs have few natural predators, and significant numbers are eaten only by people. The adults have poor eyesight and detect enemies based on ground vibration.
Overall, it seems that large human populations have a negative effect on the coconut crab population, and in some areas, populations are reported to be declining due to over-harvesting. The coconut crab is protected in some areas, with minimum sizes for taking and a protected breeding period.
Source : Wikipedia
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The Giant Coconut Crab
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The Coconut Crab
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The Saki monkey
Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus Pithecia. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus Chiropotes.
Range
Sakis' range includes northern and central South America, extending from the south of Colombia, over Peru, in northern Bolivia. and into the central part of Brazil.
Body functionality
Sakis are small-sized monkeys with long, bushy tails. Their furry, rough skin is black, grey or reddish-brown in color depending upon the species. The faces of some species are naked, but their head is hooded with fur. Their bodies are adapted to life in the trees, with strong hind legs allowing them to make far jumps. Sakis reach a length of 30 to 50 cm, with a tail just as long, and weigh up to 2 kg.
Habitat and habit
Sakis are diurnal animals. They live in the trees of the rain forests and only occasionally go onto the land. They mostly move on all fours, sometimes running in an upright position on the hind legs over the branches, and sometimes jumping long distances. For sleeping they roll themselves cat-like in the branches. They are generally very shy, cautious animals.
Social dynamics
Sakis live in family federations, which consist of parents and their offspring, with mated pairs usually forming lifelong pair bonds. They are territorial animals, defending their territory in relation to other families. Sakis know a set of communication possibilities: while shrill cries or bird-like twitter serves as a connection among family members, a loud roar serves to warn other animals off their territory.
Diet
Sakis are omnivores. They eat fruits, leaves, flowers, insects, and small vertebrates, such as rodents and bats.
Procreation
Mating is non-seasonal, and can happen any time during the year. After approximately 150 to 180 day gestation, females bear single young. The young are weaned after 4 months, and are fully mature in 3 years. Their life expectancy is up to 30 years.
Classification
Genus Pithecia
White-faced Saki, Pithecia pithecia
Monk Saki, Pithecia monachus
Geoffroy's Monk Saki, Pithecia monachus monachus
Miller's Monk Saki, Pithecia monachus milleri
Rio Tapajós Saki, Pithecia irrorata
Equatorial Saki, Pithecia aequatorialis
White-footed Saki, Pithecia albicans
White-faced Saki
The White-faced Saki (Pithecia pithecia), also known as the Guianan Saki and the Golden-faced Saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. This species lives in the understory and lower canopy of the forest, feeding mostly on fruits, but also eating nuts, seeds, and insects.
There are two recognized subspecies of this monkey:
Pithecia pithecia pithecia
Pithecia pithecia chrysocephala
Reproductive Biology
In captivity, female White-faced Sakis experience ovarian cycles of approximately 17 days, and a gestational period of 20-21 weeks. Following birth, the mother undergoes a period of lactationally-induced fertility lasting 23 weeks, on average.
Sakis of the Pithecia pithecia species display noticeable sexual dimorphism in their coloration. Females have shorter hair than males, with brownish-grey fur and white or pale brown stripes around the corners of the nose and mouth. Males, on the other hand, have blacker fur, with a reddish-white forehead, face, and throat.
Monk Saki
The Monk Saki, Pithecia monachus, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It can grow up to be 37-48 cm long and weigh about 1.5-3 kilograms, approximately the same as a large rabbit. The tail can be up to 40 or 50 centimeters long. It usually lives in groups of three of four in the canopy, and is very shy. It has coarse fur, and was almost hunted to extinction in the late 1900's.
Rio Tapajós Saki
The Rio Tapajós Saki (Pithecia irrorata) is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
Baby Saki Monkey
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The Whale shark
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks. This distinctively-marked fish is the only member of its genus Rhincodon and its family, Rhincodontidae (called Rhinodontes before 1984), which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. The shark is found in tropical and warm oceans, lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years.The species originated about 60 million years ago. Although whale sharks have very large mouths, they feed mainly, though not exclusively, on plankton, microscopic plants and animals, although the BBC program Planet Earth filmed a whale shark feeding on a school of small fish.
Etymology
The species was distinguished in April 1828 following the harpooning of a 4.6-metre (15.1 ft) specimen in Table Bay, South Africa. Andrew Smith, a military doctor associated with British troops stationed in Cape Town described it the following year. He published a more detailed description in 1849. The name "whale shark" comes from the fish's physiology. As large as a whale, it too is a filter feeder.
Known as a deity in a Vietnamese religion, the whale shark is called "Ca Ong", which literally translates as "Sir Fish".
In Mexico, and throughout much of Latin America, the whale shark is known as "pez dama" or "domino" for its distinctive patterns of spots. However, they go by "Sapodilla Tom" in Belize due to the regularity of sightings near the Sapodilla Cayes on the Belize Barrier Reef.
In Africa, the names for the whale shark are very evocative: "papa shillingi" in Kenya came from the myth that God threw shillings upon the shark which are now its spots. In Madagascar the name is "marokintana" meaning "many stars".
Javanese also reference the stars by calling it "geger lintang," meaning "stars in the back". In the Philippines, it is called "butanding".
Distribution and habitat
The whale shark inhabits all tropic and warm-temperate seas. Primarily pelagic, seasonal feeding aggregations occur at several coastal sites such as Gladden Spit in Belize; Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia; Útila in Honduras; Donsol, Pasacao and Batangas in the Philippines; off Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox in Yucatan Mexico; Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia; Nosy Be in Madagascar Off Tofo Reef in Mozambique, and the Tanzanian islands of Mafia, Pemba and Zanzibar. Although typically seen offshore, it has been found closer to land, entering lagoons or coral atolls, and near the mouths of estuaries and rivers. Its range is generally restricted to about ±30° latitude. It is capable of diving to depths of 700 metres (2,300 ft), and is migratory.
Anatomy and appearance
As a filter feeder it has a capacious mouth which can be up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) wide and can contain between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth.[5] It has five large pairs of gills. Two small eyes are located towards the front of the shark's wide, flat head. The body is mostly grey with a white belly; three prominent ridges run along each side of the animal and the skin is marked with a "checkerboard" of pale yellow spots and stripes. These spots are unique to each individual and are useful for counting populations. Its skin can be up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) thick. The shark has a pair each of dorsal fins and pectoral fins. Juveniles' tails have a larger upper than lower fin while the adult tail becomes semi-lunate (crescent-shaped). Spiracles are just behind the eyes.
Whale shark in main tank at Osaka AquariumThe whale shark is not an efficient swimmer since it uses its entire body, unusually for fish and contributes to an average speed of only around 5-kilometre-per-hour (3.1 mph). The largest specimen was caught on November 11, 1947, near the island of Baba, not far from Karachi, Pakistan. It was 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) long, weighed more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), and had a girth of 7 metres (23.0 ft). Stories of vastly larger specimens—quoted lengths of 18 metres (59 ft) are not uncommon in the popular shark literature—but no scientific records support their existence. In 1868 the Irish natural scientist Edward Perceval Wright obtained several small whale shark specimens in the Seychelles, but claimed to have observed specimens in excess of 15 metres (49.2 ft), and tells of reports of specimens surpassing 21 metres (68.9 ft).
In a 1925 publication, Hugh M. Smith described a huge animal caught in a bamboo fish trap in Thailand in 1919. The shark was too heavy to pull ashore, but Smith estimated that the shark was at least 17 metres (56 ft) long, and weighed approximately 37 tonnes (82,000 lb), which have been exaggerated to a more precise measurement of 17.98 metres (58.99 ft) and weight 43 tonnes (95,000 lb) in recent years. A shark caught in 1994 near Tainan County in Southern Taiwan reportedly weighed 35.8 tonnes (79,000 lb).There have even been claims of whale sharks of up to 23 metres (75 ft). In 1934 a ship named the Maurguani came across a whale shark in the Southern Pacific Ocean, rammed it, and the shark consequently became stuck on the prow of the ship, supposedly with 4.6 metres (15.1 ft) on one side and 12.2 metres (40.0 ft) on the other.No reliable documentation exists for these claims and they remain "fish-stories".
Diet
The whale shark is a filter feeder—one of only three known filter feeding shark species (along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark). It feeds on macro-algae, plankton, krill, Christmas Island red crab larvae, and small nektonic life such as small squid or vertebrates. The many rows of teeth play no role in feeding; in fact, they are reduced in size in the whale shark. Instead, the shark sucks in a mouthful of water, closes its mouth and expels the water through its gills. During the slight delay between closing the mouth and opening the gill flaps, plankton is trapped against the dermal denticles which line its gill plates and pharynx. This fine sieve-like apparatus, which is a unique modification of the gill rakers, prevents the passage of anything but fluid out through the gills, trapping anything above 2 to 3 millimetres (0.079 to 0.12 in) in diameter. Material caught in the filter between the gill bars is swallowed. Whale sharks have been observed "coughing" and it is presumed that this is a method of clearing a build up of food particles in the gill rakers. Whale sharks migrate to feed and possibly to breed.
The whale shark is an active feeder, targeting concentrations of plankton or fish. It is able to ram filter feed or can gulp in a stationary position. This is in contrast to the passive feeding basking shark, which does not pump water. Instead, it swims to force water across its gills.
Behavior toward divers
This species, despite its size, does not pose any significant danger to humans.It is a frequently cited example when educating the public about the popular misconceptions of all sharks as "man-eaters." They are actually quite gentle and can be playful with divers. Divers and snorkelers can swim with this giant fish without any risk apart from unintentionally being struck by the shark's large tail fin.
The shark is often seen by divers in many places, including the Bay Islands in Honduras, Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives, the Red Sea, Western Australia (Ningaloo Reef, Christmas Island), Belize, Tofo Beach in Mozambique, Sodwana Bay (Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park) in South Africa, at the Galapagos Islands, off Isla Mujeres in Mexico, Seychelles, West Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and in Puerto Rico. and two females, Alice and Trixie, are held in the Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta. Two male whale sharks, Ralph and Norton, died in captivity at the Georgia Aquarium on January 11, 2007 and June 13, 2007 respectively. The two females were added on June 3, 2006 in hopes that reproduction in whale sharks could be studied in captivity. All six whale sharks were imported from Taiwan, where whale sharks are dubbed tofu sharks because of the taste and texture of the flesh. Two whale sharks are held in captivity at Polar Ocean World in Qingdao, China. One whale shark is held in captivity in the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai. As of October 2008, there is growing pressure to release the animal back to its natural environment.
Reproduction
The reproductive habits of the whale shark are obscure. Based on the study of a single egg recovered off the coast of Mexico in 1956, it was believed to be oviparous, but the capture of a female in July 1996 which was pregnant with 300 pups indicates that they are ovoviviparous.The eggs remain in the body and the females give birth to live young which are 40 centimetres (15.7 in) to 60 centimetres (23.6 in) long. It is believed that they reach sexual maturity at around 30 years and the life span has been estimated to be 70, possibly up to 100 years.
On March 7, 2009, marine scientists in the Philippines discovered what is believed to be the smallest living specimen of the whale shark. Measuring 15 inches (38 centimeters) in length, about the length of a man's forearm, the young shark was found with its tail tied to a stake at a beach in Pilar, Philippines, and was thereafter freed and released into the wild. The incident also led the scientists to believe they may have pinpointed one of the possible birthing grounds of the whale shark.
Conservation status
The whale shark is targeted by commercial fisheries in several areas where they seasonally aggregate. The population is unknown and the species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN. All fishing, selling, importing and exporting of whale sharks for commercial purposes has been banned in the Philippines since 1998,India in May 2001, followed by Taiwan in May 2007.
Source : Wikipedia
Whale Shark
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The Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey
The Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey, Oreonax flavicauda, is a New World monkey endemic to Peru. It is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes. It has formerly been estimated that fewer than 250 individuals are left in the wild, but there are no current estimates of its population size. It is currently classified in the monotypic genus Oreonax within the Atelidae family, but in the past has been classified as a member of the genus Lagothrix with the rest of the woolly monkeys. The hair of the yellow-tailed woolly monkey is long and thick, an adaptation to its cold montane forest habitat. Its color is deep mahogany, with yellow on the underside of the rear surface of the tail and a whitish patch on the muzzle. The average weight is 5.7 kg (12.5 lb) for females and 8.3 kg (18.3 lb) for males. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey lives in the montane cloud forests of the Peruvian Andes at elevations of 1700 - 2500 m (5600' - 8200'), where there are steep gorges and ravines. Its diet is primarily frugivorous, but leaves, flowers, and buds are also eaten. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is arboreal and diurnal. It has a multi-male group social system and a polygamous mating system. Apparently the competition among group members is at a low level.
Reasons for critically endangered status
The inaccessibility of its habitat protected the species until the 1950's. However, the construction of new roads; habitat loss and fragmentation from agriculture, logging and cattle ranching; and subsistence hunting; together with the monkey's naturally low population densities, slow maturation, low reproductive rate, and a restricted geographic distribution have led to this species' current critically endangered status.
More on the Yellow -tailed woolly monkey : Arkive.org
Source : Wikipedia
Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey
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The Malabar Large-spotted Civet
The Malabar Large-spotted Civet (Viverra civettina), is a civet. It is also known as the Malabar Civet and called Jawad in Malayalam, the local language of Kerala. The species was once common along the lowland coastal tracts of Kerala and Karnataka in South India. It became rare by the beginning of the 20th century, but was still often used for producing civetin musk in the 1960's. In 1990, isolated populations of the Malabar Large-spotted Civet still survived in less disturbed areas of South Malabar. In 1999, fewer than 250 mature individuals were thought to survive in the wild.
Physical characteristics
The Malabar Large-spotted Civet is considered by some authorities as Viverra megaspila civettina, a subspecies of the Large Spotted Civet Viverra megaspila. Based on data for the Large Spotted Civet, considered by others to be conspecific, it probably weighs 8 - 9 kg (18 - 20 lb).[5] The coat is greyish dull white with indistinct black spots that roughly form vague vertical stripes on the body. Another distinguishing feature from the sympatric Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica), with which it might be confused, is its shorter tail when compared its body length and the presence of a crest of black erectile hairs on the back, which are characteristic of all the four species under the genus Viverra.
Habitat
The Malabar Large-spotted Civet 's original habitat was found in the Malabar Coast moist forests belt below the Western Ghats, where it lived in wooded plains and adjoining hill slopes. It was once very common in the coastal districts of Malabar and Travancore. Extensive deforestation has reduced the Malabar forests to a series of isolated patches. Cashew plantations are a refuge, which probably hold most of the surviving populations of the Malabar Large-spotted Civet, and are now threatened by large-scale clearance for rubber plantations.
Behavior
This nocturnal animal is carnivorous, solitary and aggressive in nature. It forages on the ground and has never been observed in trees. It feeds on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, birds eggs and some vegetable matter. The species is reportedly difficult to maintain in captivity for extracting musk, a secretion from anal glands of all civets that is used as a stabilizing agent in perfumes, in oriental medicine and flavouring 'beedis' (local cigarettes).
Threats
The major threat facing isolated populations that have managed to survive in marginal habitats is changing cash crop practices and accidental hunting with dogs. They tend to be treated as raiders of poultry, and are captured and killed when encountered.
Source : Wikipedia
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