Endangered Species

Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1973 and was reauthorized in 1988. The purpose of the ESA is to recover species around the world that are in danger of human-caused extinction. There are three basic elements to the ESA program: the creation of a list of endangered animals and […]

ZEBRA, GREVY'S

Equus grevyi phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: Equidae Status: Endangered, IUCN Threatened, ESA Range: Ethiopia, Kenya Zebra, Grevy’s Equus grevyi Description and biology A member of the horse family, the Grevy’s zebra is similar in appearance to a mule. It has an average head and body length of 8 to 10 feet (2.4 […]

YAK, WILD

Bos grunniens mutus Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Status: Vulnerable, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: China, India, Nepal Yak, wild Bos grunniens mutus Description and biology The wild yak is a rare and mysterious animal. Its huge body is covered with coarse, shaggy, dark brown hair that hangs almost to the ground. Its […]

WOMBAT, NORTHERN HAIRY-NOSED

Lasiorhinus krefftii Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Marsupialia Family: Vombatidae Status: Critically endangered, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: Australia Wombat, northern hairy-nosed Lasiorhinus krefftii Description and biology The northern hairy-nosed wombat is also variously known as the Queensland hairy-nosed wombat or Barnard’s hairy-nosed wombat. The animal does, indeed, have a hairy nose, or muzzle. Its body […]

WOLF, RED

Canis rufus Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae status: Critically endangered,IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: USA (Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina; reintroduced in North Carolina and Tennessee) Wolf, red Canis rufus Description and biology Although called the red wolf, the animal has a coat that varies in color from cinnamon-brown to nearly black. Smaller […]

WOLF, GRAY

Canis lupus Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae Status: Endangered, ESA (Arizona, part of Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, part of Utah); Threatened, ESA (California, part of Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, […]

WHALE, HUMPBACK

Megaptera novaeangliae Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenopteridae Status: Vulnerable, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: Oceanic Whale, humpback Megaptera novaeangliae Description and biology The humpback whale is most known for its acrobatic leaps and for its distinctive pattern of sounds, called songs. An average humpback whale has a head and body length of 42 […]

WHALE, BLUE

Balaenoptera musculus Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenopteridae Status: Endangered, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: Oceanic Whale, blue Balaenoptera musculus Description and biology Scientists consider the blue whale to be the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. An average adult measures 79 to 88 feet (24 to 27 meters) long and weighs […]

WALLABY, BRINDLED NAIL-TAILED

Onychogalea fraenata Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Marsupialia Family: Macropodidae Status: Endangered, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: Australia Wallaby, brindled nail-tailed Onychogalea fraenata Description and biology A member of the kangaroo family, the brindled nail-tailed wallaby gets its name from its silver-gray coat with dark flecks (“brindled”) and from the horny spur on the end of […]

VICUNA

Vicugna vicugna Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Camelidae Status: Lower risk: conservation dependent, IUCN Endangered, ESA Range: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru Vicuna Vicugna vicugna Description and biology The smallest member of the camel family, the vicuna is closely related to the llama and the alpaca. The color of the vicuna’s soft and silky […]

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