Bengal Tiger by Emilie Costa

The Bengal Tiger 

By Emilie Costa

Looking Beyond the Stripes

The Bengal Tiger, also called the Royal Bengal Tiger, is a subspecies of tiger inhabiting the Indian subcontinent. Its coat varies from yellow to a light orange, with a combination of dark brown and black stripes covering a majority of its body unique to each tiger. The underbelly and interior of its limbs are white and its tail is orange with black rings. Males are slightly longer than females, with an average total length ranging from 110 to 120 inches, and females with an average length of 94 to 104 inches. Their weight significantly differs with males ranging from 397 to 569 pounds and females from 220 to 350 pounds. 

Bengal tigers typically lead solitary lives. They establish home ranges that provide adequate supplies of water, food and shelter, while still maintaining some contact with other tigers, especially for the reasons of breeding with the opposite sex. In terms of reproduction, there is no specific breeding and birthing periods. Females reach reproductive maturity between three and four years of age and males between five and six. Usually one to four cubs are born in a given birthing period. As a carnivore, the diet of the Bengal Tiger typically consists of of wild boar, badgers, water buffalo, deer goats, and in some cases small elephants and rhino calves. They hunt mostly at night, killing their prey by a suffocation bite or by severing the spinal cord, paralyzing the victim.

Where do these big cats live?

Bengal Tigers can usually be found in tropical, moist forests, tropical dry forests, swamplands, mangrove forests and grasslands throughout the Indian subcontinent. They occupy the countries of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. 

When and how was it listed as an endangered species?

Over a century ago, there was about 50,000 to 80,000 tigers populating India alone. That number has slowly diminished and has left a remaining population of about 3,500 tigers worldwide. There were originally eight subspecies of tigers, which has now been reduced to five due to the extinction of three within the last 80 years. It has been predicted that all tigers will have gone extinct in the next decade.

With that, the tiger is listed as Endangered in the Red List of Endangered Species published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which ensures that international trade of specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This is an agreement made among 175 nations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the implementation of CITES in the U.S. Lastly, all remaining species of tigers were listed in the Endangered Species Act of 1973 which ultimately eliminates the transportation and import of tiger products and parts into the United States.

How could anyone harm such a powerful and beautiful animal?

Poaching

The tiger is highly valued for its bones in the use of traditional Chinese medicine. Ultimately, this is the biggest reason for the endangerment of the tiger population. With an increase in the standard of living in Asia, these medicinal remedies are becoming more readily available to a larger portion of people, thus increasing demand. Tiger parts are listed in some remedies, however due to the expensive cost of parts, most only include traces. There has been a recent increase in the use of traditional Chinese medicine, not only in China, but other non- Asian countries as well. This stems from cultural pride among the Chinese as well as the growing opinion in regards to western medicine and its drawbacks in treating illnesses. 

Habitat Loss

With human populations steadily increasing, both urbanization and development must also increase to keep up with the high demands and needs of people. Though this may be beneficial to humans, its detrimental to the survival of tigers. The reduction of their habitat forces them to live in areas where their food and water supply is inadequate to their needs. Not only does habit loss negatively affect tigers, but it also affects their prey. As humans occupy more land, the species tigers once relied on for food may be force to relocate or die out because of the lack of vegetation. Without a steady food supply and human populations near, tigers have been known to prey on farmers' livestock, which then results in death.

Can they be saved?

Recovery Plan
The Global Tiger Recovery Program is the recovery program for all 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRC) and their individual governments, some of which being, the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Republic of India, Malaysia, and the Union of Myanmar. The overall goal for the GTRP is to reverse the rapid decline of the overall tiger population and double the population by 2022. This goal is very much within reach, but requires the full conservation efforts of all 13 countries.

To successfully increase the tiger population, the degradation and fragmentation of their habitats along with human- tiger conflict, and the poaching must be reversed. The GTRP outlines how this can be accomplished as follows:

1. Effectively manage, preserve, protect and enhance habitat

TRCs plan to do this by making tiger habitats isolated from economic and commercial infrastructure development and maintain them by creating corridors around and between them that are to remain tiger and biodiversity compatible.

2. Eradicate poaching, smuggling, and illegal trade of tigers, their parts, and derivatives

TRCs plan to do this by increasing national legislation, institutions and law enforcement to fight crime against tigers. By implementing long term national programs and increasing awareness and education of the value of tigers and their habitat, will hopefully climate the demand of tiger parts for medicinal and other purposes.

3. Cooperate in transboundary landscape management in combating illegal trade

4. Engage with indigenous and local communities

5. Increase effectiveness of tiger habitat

6. Explore and mobilize new funding

How can YOU help?

There are currently a number of organizations you can donate to, to help in the revival of the tiger population. By donating, you can help fund the spread of education of tiger conservation as well as direct action regarding the urgent threats of habitat destruction, poaching, and overhunting. Donate today and help save the tigers! 

Works Cited

Tigers. "Tigers- Loss of Habitat." Tigers Website:
http://www.tigers.org.za/loss-of-habitat.html

Tigers in Crisis. "Promoting the Plight of Endangered Tigers and the Efforts to Save Them." Tigers in Crisis Website:
http://www.tigersincrisis.com/habitat_loss.htm

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Tigers." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Website:
http://www.fws.gov/international/animals/tigers.html

Wikipedia. "Bengal Tiger." Wikipedia website:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tiger

WWF. "Global Tiger Recovery Program." WWF Website:
http://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/Global-Tiger-Recovery-Program-Nov-4.pdf

Pictures

https://www.panthera.org/donate/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAkIWzBRDK1ayo-Yjt38wBEiQAi7NnPzuouBWzXUg1UuJQv7XW5M5l8uz9kyCxeVCJxNM-8UEaAvwe8P8HAQ

https://expedientmeans.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/nts-color.jpg

http://animalsadda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bengal-Tigers-2.jpg

http://www.tigers.ca/Tigerworld/images/W5X2habitat.jpg
http://animalsadda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bengal-Tigers-2.jpg

FLORIDA PANTHER        

Felis Concolor Coryi

Family: Felidae

Order: Carnivora

Range: Southern Florida

Status: Endangered
By: Grant Dettmer

History

The Florida Panther is an endangered subspecies of cougar (Puma concolor coryi), also referred to as mountain lion, puma, and catamount. The Florida Panther is the last subspecies of the Puma still living in the eastern United States.  These animals historically roamed throughout the southeastern United States, but today are restricted to less than 5% of its historic range.  This single breeding population is now located in the Southern part of Florida. The Florida panther was one of the first animals to be listed as a federally endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and is protected on the State Endangered Species List for Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.  Even before the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Florida panther beginning to become protected.  In 1958 the Florida panther became protected from legal hunting, however illegal poaching was still quite prevalent for years to come.  In 1982, the Florida panther was chosen to be the official state animal of Florida, and remains that way to this day.

Background/Description

The Florida panther is typically born with blue eyes and a spotted coat. (Possibly the cutest animal of all time).  As time progresses and the panther grows, the spots fade away and the coat becomes completely tan while the eyes take on a yellow hue.  Another distinct aesthetic trait possessed by the Florida panther is that it has black tips on the tail and ears.  The Florida panther also lacks the ability to roar, and instead makes a range of noises such as chirps, whistles, and purrs.

Florida panthers are mid-sized for their species, being smaller than cougars from Northern and Southern climes, but larger than cougars from the neotropics. The adult male Florida panther can weigh up to 160 pounds while the adult female panther can weigh up to 100 pounds.  As for the length of their bodies, the male panther on average is 9.4% longer than the females.  This is due to the fact that the males have a much faster growth rate than females, and also grow for a longer amount of time.

Why is the Florida Panther Endangered?

Mistakenly perceived as a threat to humans, livestock, and game animals, the Florida panther was nearly hunted to extinction by the end of the 1950’s.

Geographic Range:

Currently the Florida panther lives within a range that includes the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and the Big Cypress National Preserve.  At a time, the Florida panther ranged throughout Florida as well as throughout much of the southeastern United States from Louisiana north and east to Tennessee and the Atlantic.  Today the last existing 100-180 adult panthers exist only on protected state and federal lands and remaining private lands in southwest Florida.  Although young, dispersing males have been documented in other parts of the state, the breading populations remain restricted to south Florida.

Geographic and Population Changes

The population has increased from 12-20 (excluding kittens) in the early 1970s to an estimated 100-120 in 2007. 

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The Florida Panther Recover Plan last revised in December of 2008 being the 3^rd revision since its addition to the Endangered Species List by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The official date of this current Endangered Species Recovery Plan is 12/18/2008.

Cause of listing and Main threats to its continued existence

The Florida Panther has many threats to its continued existence primarily due to an increasing human population and development in panther habitat.  The Florida Panther also has an unusually large number of health problems that threaten its continued existence.  Most of these health problems are related to poor habitat conditions and genetic defects.  The Florida Panther also faces a large number of deaths per year due to car accidents on the major Florida roadways (State Road 29 and Alligator Alley “I-75”).  As these roadways encroach on the Florida panthers habitat we are seeing a very high rate of vehicular caused deaths.

Description of Recovery Plan

The recovery plan for the Florida Panther is to maintain, restore, and expand the panther population and its habitat in South Florida, and into south-central Florida (areas north of the Caloosahatchee River). 

They also want to reintroduce at least two additional populations within the historic range outside of south and south-central Florida. 

Lastly, they want to facilitate panther recovery through public awareness and education.

Texas Interbreeding Panthers

Due to the diminishing amount of Florida panthers, a plan was devised to bring the Texas cougar subspecies Felis concolor into Florida in hopes that they would breed together.  This cougar is a very close relative to the Florida panther and a traditional breeding partner in former times.  Against all odds this interbreeding plan worked!  Conservationists introduced eight female panthers trapped in Texas.  Between 1995 and 2003, the newcomers bred with the native cats of Florida and the gene pool was replenished. This not only established a stronger and larger population of panthers in Florida, but it enhanced the genetic makeup of the species and helped reverse the debilitating effects of Florida panther inbreeding.

Personal Action?

I personally think that we need to focus on creating valuable habitat for the Florida Panthers to breathe a little.  With growing development in Florida, the panther is losing habitat that is key for its survival.  I think that resources need to be allocated towards panther wildlife areas and preserves.

I also think that breeding programs must continue to be used to raise panthers in captivity and then later release them into the wild.  

Works Sited:

Florida Panther “dedicated to the prevention of a vanishing Florida.” Florida Panther website:

http://www.floridapanther.com/articles/FLORIDA%20PANTHER.htm

Florida Panther Net “Range of the Florida Panther” MyFWC website:

http://www.floridapanthernet.org/index.php/handbook/history/range_of_the_florida_panther/#.Vl4x-t-rSi4

FWS.Gov “The History of the Florida Panther” FWS website:

https://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/FloridaPanther.pdf

“Texas Tail Saves Florida Panthers, For Now” Wired Magazine website:

http://www.wired.com/2010/09/florida-panthers/

The Ocelot

By Kelly Delaney

Source:  http://revolutionaryecology.com/2013/12/06/endangered-ocelot-killed-by-capitalist-imperialist-car-culture/

     The Leopardis Pardalis, commonly known as the Ocelot, was officially listed as and Endangered Species on March 28, 1972 due to immense habitat destruction, the use of the animal's fur and the high demand for the Ocelot as a domestic pet. Although most of these problems occur outside of the United States, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is still doing everything it can to ensure that this animal remains successful on an international scale. 

About the Ocelot

     The Ocelot is most well known for its intricate and fine fur which ranges in color from light yellow to red and is marked with dark brown rings and spots. Their fur is what makes them so popular among hunters and is a contributing factor to their steady decline as a species. They grow to be about 25 to 35 pounds and are about 30 inches long (National Geographic). To put this in perspective, they are about two times the size of a household cat. When kept in captivity the Ocelot can live up to 20 years and in the wild they live around 7 to 10 years (Defenders of Wildlife). The Ocelot is an extremely active nocturnal cat that can move up to 5 miles in a single night, catching about 3 meals in that time period (Defenders of Wildlife). Because the Ocelot is a carnivore, they tend to prey on animals such as rodents, reptiles, amphibians, rabbits, small deer and domestic livestock, their razor-like teeth make it extremely easy to rip though flesh while their rough tongues allow them to lick the bone clean, this is characteristic of most cats. Additionally, their main predators are coyotes, bobcats, wild dogs and of course, humans.

Habitat

     Ocelot's can be found throughout Central and South American regions that are north of Chile, small regions of the United States such as Arizona and Texas and on the border of Mexico. Ocelots tend to live under canopies in the South American rainforests where they can be covered by dense vegetation that offers them both protection and shelter, however, in the United States they live in brushlands that are often relatively close to residential areas (National Geographic). Because of this, Ocelots have been able to adapt to human habitats and can often have companionships with people, this leads into the Ocelot and their prevalence in the illegal pet trade. The map below shows different regions that the Ocelot may be found in. 

                                                                Source: http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/ocelot.html

Breeding
     Depending on where the female Ocelot is located, the breeding season may vary. For example, in Northern regions the breeding season occurs in autumn, yet in tropical locations, mating can occur throughout the year (National Geographic). The gestation period of an ocelot is anywhere around 79-85 days long and the litter can vary from 1 to 3 kittens. These kittens are born weighing about  3.2 ounces. Female ocelots reach sexual maturity faster then males at 2 years of age, while males are considered sexually mature at 2.5 years old. Once sexual maturity is reached, Ocelots tend to breed every other year ( The Animal Files).

Source: http://zooborns.typepad.com/zooborns/ocelot/

Main Threats
     Like most other animals that are threatened or endangered, the ocelot is not only the visit of one human impact, but three. Although two of these three impacts mainly occur outside of the United States, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is still doing as much as it can to help preserve the populations of Ocelots. Below are the three main causes of the Ocelots endangerment.

1. Habitat Destruction
2. Fur Trade
3. The Exotic Pet Trade

• Habitat Destruction: It is no surprise that the Amazon Rainforest is being destroyed for Agricultural purposes, thus destroying the homes of any Ocelots that inhabit the area. However, the area that is most vulnerable to habitat destruction is actually southern Texas, another area that a small proportion of Ocelots live. The rise of urban development and the implementation of freeway systems all throughout the southern hemisphere of Texas is causing a slow decline in the population of Ocelots and causing more and more deaths of the Ocelot by vehicle. One main criticism of the recovery plan put into place by the Fish and Wildlife Service is that they did not allocate enough land to provide a sustainable habitat for the Ocelot populations that live there (Biological Diversity). Additionally, acts are currently in progress to stop the hunting of Ocelots on the basis that they are a threat to the livestock industry. It is estimated that there are less than 100 Ocelots left in Texas (Wild Cat Conservation).
• Fur Trade: Before habitat destruction became the main cause of the Ocelots endangerment, it was the illegal fur trade that initially wiped out Ocelot populations. Throughout Central and South America in the 1970 and '80s the fur trade reached an all-time high and nearly 200,00 Ocelots were killed annually for the use of their fur. Although laws have been put into place that have decreased this number dramatically, there is still a small demand for these furs and they can be purchased illegally for an extremely high price (Wild Cat Conservation).
• The Exotic Pet Trade: Another cause of the Ocelot's peril is the demand for them as pets. In South America, many hunters still capture kittens by killing their mothers and sell them to tourists as pet. This problem is not as prevalent today as it used to be due to the fact that it requires a permit to transport Ocelots across border and there are so few remaining that hunters are even struggling to find them in order to sell them. 

Recovery Plan

     The recovery plan of Ocelots set forth by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service focuses mainly on the Ocelot populations that are inhabiting southern Texas. Within the next five years, they hope to reconnect the populations in Texas and Mexico in order to make one larger population that can move freely between the borders. They also hope to dedicate more land that will not be affected by the rapid urbanization of southern Texas and provide incentives to farmers and livestock owners not to kill Ocelots. The main goal at the moment is to delist the species or at least downgrade them from endangered to threatened. This can be done by improving the genetic fitness of Ocelots by expanding their populations and regions in which they inhabit and also by educating the public on ways in which they can help improve the quality and longevity of the Ocelot's life. 

Personal Action

     For my personal action I would write a letter to the Obama administration urging him to place tighter regulations and higher penalties on farmers that harm or kill Ocelots because they believe that they are threat to their livestock. Additionally I would ask that he or someone in his administration consider allocating more money to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service so that they are able to reconnect multiple populations of Ocelots. Another thing that could be done that would inform farmers that Ocelot's are not predators of livestock is to work on educating them on what is and what is not a threat to them. It is natural to be fearful of something that is not familiar, but if we educate the public and tell them the rick that Ocelot's are in of becoming extinct, it would be a giant step in removing Ocelot's of the endangered species list. 

What can we do?

• A Symbolic Adoption: "Adopting" an animal can help provide funds to organizations that are trying to protect and preserve a certain species. Although you may not have personal contact with the animal, you can rest assured that you are doing something to help its survival. 
• Write Government Officials: One action that can make a dramatic difference in the lives of animals is by writing government officials about problems that occur that affect wildlife populations. For example, there has been much criticism of the Obama administration about not addressing the killing of endangered Ocelots in Texas due to the belief that they are a threat to farmers income. Speaking up for animals who can not speak for themselves is a great way to ensure that action will be taken.
• Stay Informed: Simply knowing that there are problems in the world that are devastating animal populations is a huge step in recognizing what you can do to make a difference. Once you are informed of the problems, you can spread the word and let people know how they can make a difference. 

Works Cited

Biological Diversity. "Saving the Ocelot." Biological Diversity website:

     http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/ocelot/

Defenders of Wildlife. "Basic Facts About Ocelots." Defenders of Wildlife website:

     http://www.defenders.org/ocelot/basic-facts

National Geographic. "Ocelot." National Geographic website: 

     http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/ocelot/

United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Environmental Conservation Online System.
     "Ocelot Recovery Plan." August 22, 1990. United States Fish and Wildlife Service website:

      http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/100826.pdf

Wild Cat Conservation. "Ocelot" Will Cat Conservation website:

     http://www.wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/south-america/ocelot/

The Animal Files. "Ocelot". The Animal Files website: 

     http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/ocelot.html

The Florida Manatee

Photographed by Paul Nicklen of National Geographic

By Jennie Diaz

What Is the Florida Manatee and How Does It Fit Into It’s Environment?

           

            The Florida Manatee, also know as the West Indian Manatee (Facts About Florida Manatees) are slow moving sea cows that are categorized in Trichechus Manatus species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).  These aquatic mammals reside in warm fresh water and mostly graze floating or submerged sea grass because they are herbivores.  They affect their environment by clearing the area of being cluttered with sea grass or floating clumps, which also affects the surrounding organisms that live in the same water as the manatees. As seen in the picture, they have two paddle-like forelimbs with a flattened tail. The Florida Manatees can grow up to 10ft -12ft in adulthood and weigh 1,500-1,800 lbs. Because of the size of these animals they move very slowly in the water. Unfortunately their life span is between 50-60 years (Facts About Florida Manatees), which is not as long compared to killer whales, and other aquatic mammals.

           

     

Photographed by Carol Grant of support.nature.org

       The Florida Manatee is a “k selected” which means they have a long life span, low number of off spring with high investment and low juvenile mortality. The average gestation period is one year, and in this one year normally one offspring will be carried (Facts About Florida Manatees). The young stay with their mothers and are watched over until adulthood.

            

Photographed by Paul Nicklen of National Geographic

             In my opinion, the Florida Manatee is one of the cutest animals ever because of their gentleness and their peaceful behavior.

What Is the Listing?

            This species is listed as Endangered (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and was first put on the list in 1986. In 1996 an accident with red tide caused 146 manatees to die in Florida and they then had their own recovery plan. In 2001 on December 31^st, a third revision of the recovery plan had been implemented and documented. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Where Do They Live and How Many of Them Are Still Around?

           

            The Florida Manatee resides off the coasts of the Florida peninsula. As seen in the picture their migration pattern extends as far south as Brazil, as far North as the Carolinas, and as far west as Louisiana. This sea cow usually stays in the Southeast region (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

"Facts About Florida Manatees." Florida Manatee. Defenders of Wildlife, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.

           

            In 2001, the Florida Manatee’s population data stated that there were 1,756 manatees on the east coast of Florida, and 1,520 manatees on the west coast of Florida (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Causes of Listing and Major Threats

           

            The cause of the Florida Manatee to be listed on the Endangered Species act is red tide. Red tide is toxic algae blooms that occur offshore of the Gulf of Mexico. The algae bloom contains neurotoxin, and since the run off from all the farms in the Midwest pollute the rivers with the fertilizer and it all flows down to the Gulf of Mexico. This mixture of run off and algae blooms are dispersed where the sea grass grows and where the manatees feed. The intake of this toxin causes the manatees to have seizures to the point of not being able to lift their snout in order to breathe and they end up drowning. The worst case of this occurred in 1996 and 145 manatees died which made a significant impact on the already dwindling population. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

 

            Major Threats

1.     Watercraft collisions- injuries are caused by propellers and boat hulls. Between 1979 and 1991 406 manatees had been killed by watercraft collisions. About 55% had been killed by the impact, 39% killed by propeller cuts, 4% killed by both injuries, and 2% were unidentified. This is a threat that can easily be removed yet it still occurs (Facts About Florida Manatees).

2.     Habitat Loss- since the Manatees need to be in warm water, during the winter they have to migrate to specific spots (Facts About Florida Manatees). Without warm water, manatees can die from cold water stress and with new residential areas being built the how water spring the manatees go to is disappearing (Facts About Florida Manatees).

Photographed by Paul Nicklen of National Geographic

3.     Harassment- Human disturbance is a major problem happening in Florida. Human disturbance will cause the manatee group to leave behind natural behaviors such as eating in the same area.  The human disturbance will scare the mammals and therefore they lose a source of food. (Facts About Florida Manatees)

4.     Red Tide- as explained before is a toxic algae bloom that occurs in the Gulf of Mexico where the Florida Manatees feed and causes horrible seizures, which lead the manatees to drown (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Plan for Recovery

              Moving forward the goal of the recover is to “assure long term viability for Florida Manatee in the wild and to reduce and remove threats” (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). The last goal is to down list the manatees to the Threatened list.

 

Photographed by Natalia Pyranishnikova 

1.     Minimize causes of manatee disturbance: such as harassment, injury, and mortality. Efforts that have been taken to accomplish this include manatee sanctuaries and refuge. As of the present there are 7 winter sanctuaries for manatees. One is called the Three Sister Manatee Sanctuary (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

2.     Determine and monitor status of manatee population. The Fish and Wildlife Services have chosen to mark the manatees to keep track of migrations and to record the deaths and births (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

3.     Protect, Identify, Evaluate Habitats(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

4.     Facilitate manatee recovery through public awareness and education. An outlet the recovery suggests is using media to reach the public(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Having public support will depend on how informed and educated people are on the issue the Florida Manatee faces.

What Can You Do?

http://www.savethemanatee.org

            Use the link below to symbolically adopt a manatee. This would be a donation to fund more efforts to support the Florida Manatee

            Symbolic Wildlife Adoption

Be informed on the latest news of the Florida Manatee and spread the

word through any type of social media

           

Write a letter to the Government with issues or suggestions of ways to even further support the Florida Manatees from extinction.

For those who have boats and live in Florida, always be on the look out for snouts that pop up out of the water. Also try to stay in deeper in water to avoid hitting a Manatee.

Works Citied

"Facts About Florida Manatees." Florida Manatee. Defenders of Wildlife, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2001. Florida Manatee Recovery Plan, (Trichechus manatus          latirostris), Third Revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia. 144 pp. + appendices   

The Whooping Crane
(Grus Americana)

By Sarah Culver

Sims, Kevin. Whooping Crane in Flight. N.d. Web. 

Description and Ecology

The Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America. They are nearly 5 feet tall, with a wingspan of 7.5 feet. Adult Whooping Cranes are almost entirely white with a large red patch on their head that extends from its cheek and along its bill. They also have black bristly feathers on the side of their head extending to their jaw. Their bill is a dark olive-gray which lightens during the breeding season, while the base of the bill is pink. When juvenile Whooping Cranes are born they have a reddish cinnamon colored plumage. Whooping Cranes can start laying eggs as early as three years old. Not only do they begin breeding at a young age, but they also tend to be very loyal to their breeding grounds and show considerable fidelity to their partner year after year. Their breeding territory tends to be where families are restricted to until the chicks are a few months of age.  Although, they may end up skipping a nesting season if their habitat conditions are unsuitable.

Juvenile and adult Whooping Crane in breeding grounds
Nigge, Klaus. "Whooping Crane." N.p., n.d. Web.
 <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476466835549716437/>.

Whooping Cranes are omnivorous feeders so they mainly eat crabs, crayfish, frogs and other small aquatic life. Blue Crabs serve as the best meal for Whooping Cranes because they  supply a balance of nutrients, protein and fat. They are the perfect source of energy before Whooping Cranes take their long migration North.  In 1994, Blue Crabs became scare which was extremely detrimental to the birds ability to reproduce, nearly half of the Whoopers failed to nest.
When Blue Crabs are in trouble Cranes are in trouble too! Click HERE to learn more. 

Geographic & Population Changes

Whooping cranes occur only in North America within Canada and the United States. They tend to migrate towards wetlands like coastal marshes, ponds, lakes, wet meadows, rivers, and agricultural fields. Whooping Cranes depart from their winter grounds in ANWR during the Spring time between March 25th and April 15th. They separate from their young from the previous year and head towards their new breeding grounds in WBNP. Autumn migration normally begins in mid September for Whooping Cranes, and they make many stops along the way. Their first stop usually occurs in Northeast Alberta, where they generally stay for 2-4 weeks until they continue on with their journey. Whooping Cranes currently exist in the wild at three locations and in captivity at nine different sites. In the mid 1800s as many as 1,400 Whooping Cranes migrated across North America, this population dwindled and by the late 1930s the population had dropped to 18 birds. Slowly the population began to rise and by 2006 their total wild population was estimated to be around 338.

Whooping Crane Migration Route
Erickson, Laura. Whooping Crane. Digital image. Journey North. N.p., n.d. Web. <://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/c/craneHY03_102.jpg>.

Listing

After the Whooping Crane faced many years of near extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally listed them in the Endangered Species Act in 1967. Although, it took the ESA until 1973 to include the five factor threats of the species.

Cause of listing and Main threats 

Close proximity of developed area to Whooping Crane territory
Stehn, Tom. "Human Developments Threaten Whooping Cranes." 
Whooping Crane Conservation Association. N.p., 10 July 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

The Whooping Crane is threatened primarily by human activity and habitat destruction. The overwhelming growth of the human population has had drastic effects on the Whooping Crane's habitat. Humans began to transform the native prairies and potholes of the Northern Great Plains and Canada into farm land by adding electric power lines, fences, draining out the wet lands and planting seeds. These changes made the land very unsuitable for Whooping Cranes. The extensive drainage had a major effect on them because it created a huge loss of their annual winter migration grounds. Whooping Cranes are also losing a lot of crucial freshwater inflow of salinity gradients, nutrient loadings, and sediments that are needed to maintain a ecologically healthy estuary. They are losing these vital nutrient sources due to upstream reservoir construction and water conversions for agriculture. Unfortunately, many existing water rights are starting to become more utilized. They continue to be granted on the Guadalupe River; which flows right into the Whooping Cranes critical habitat Aransas. These rights allow people to use large quantities of water for municipal purposes, which can be very detrimental to the Whooping Crane's habitat.
The loss of habitat has also created the birds to become much more concentrated, which has led to a vast increase of exposure and transmission of different diseases. Diseases such as Avian Cholera, Avian Tuberculosis, and Infectious Bursal Disease have all had a  major impact on some of the reintroduction programs in Florida.  

Whooping Crane shot down by hunter
Collins, Courtney. "Whooping Crane Shot in Louisiana."
Knoe 8 News. N.p., 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. 

In addition, hunting has been a primary reason for the cause of Whooping Crane's historical decline. There were 389 recorded deaths due to gunshots in 1952, which was a majority of the population at this time. Predators are another threat to the Whooping Crane population. Usually, eggs and chicks are the most susceptible to predators such as black bears, wolves, foxes, ravens and other mammals. Whooping Crane chicks also struggle to survive because when they hatch there is immediate competition and aggression between the siblings. The large and dominant chick always outlasts the others due to its ability of obtaining food from the parents first. Cold weather can also be a factor in the mortality of new born chicks.

Recovery Plan

This third revision of the International recovery plan for the Whooping Crane was approved in 2006. It aims to protect the Whooping Crane and its habitat so that they can eventually become ecologically

and genetically stable. Hopefully one day they will become downlisted and possibly even delisted.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans on doing this in five ways:

1. The plans first objective would be increasing the AWBP by establishing self sustaining populations. This begins by maintaining 40 productive pairs that can nest regularly and have offspring, for at least 10 years in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population (AWBP). Meanwhile, establishing 25 productive pairs at two other locations. If all three of these populations can maintain this for a decade, the species could be downlisted. They plan on doing this by using aerial surveys to monitor the population numbers, reducing mortality by preventing shooting and conflicts with sport hunting, developing methods of disease prevention, and monitoring the placement of all new power lines to prevent collision. In order to increase the AWBP we also have to minimize the disturbance from human activities by coordinating construction projects when the birds are absent and restricting aircraft altitudes in sensitive areas.

2. The second step to recovery is maintaining captive populations. The populations must be able to develop appropriate amounts of genetic diversity, they plan to do this by using a thorough pedigree history that out lines each pairs production, so they can try to prevent family members from mating. 

3. The third step to recovery is establishing two additional wild populations, each consisting of at least 25 nesting pairs. 

4. The fourth step to recovery is to determine the minimum population size that is needed to ensure survival of the Whooping Crane. They plan to do this by using previous knowledge of small populations and information from populations that survived for a long term to estimate the amount needed. 

5. The fifth step to recovery is to expand education programs. They plan to do this by issuing press releases to the public of the population counts, migration routes and the progress of reintroduced populations. In order to get the word out they will also develop media products regarding the recovery program, as well as providing viewing opportunities of live Whooping Cranes to the public. 

Nuwer, Rachel. "Young Whoopers Take Flight." Green Blog.
  New York Times,18 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.

Click HERE to watch Whooping Cranes being taught to fly through Operation Migration

What can YOU do?

1. Donate to the nonprofit organization Operation Migration. They are an amazing organization that uses ultralight aircraft to guide the captive-hatched and imprinted Whooping Cranes along a migration route from Wisconsin to Florida.

2. Spread the news about Whooping Cranes. Tell everyone about the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Project, which is the beginning of a new flock of Eastern Whooping Cranes. The first step in making change is creating awareness.

3. Step up and speak out by sending letters to your congressional representatives demanding that more effort needs to be made in order to protect our wetlands.

4. Volunteer at a National Wildlife Refuge and help protect migratory wetlands from getting paved, dried up or built on. 

Sources

Erickson, Laura. "Whooping Crane." Journey North. Journey North, 1997. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. <http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/Crane.html>.

"Our Work." Operation Migration. Operation Migration, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://www.operationmigration.org/work_wcranes.html>.

Canadian Wildlife Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2007. International recovery plan for the whooping crane. Ottawa: Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife (RENEW), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 162 pp.