Nature’s Most Incredible Creatures

A Sri Lankan leopard in Slovakia’s Bratislava Zoo uses a wooden post to relieve an itch. The Sri Lankan leopard is endangered in its home country, with no subpopulation of the species larger than 250 individuals. It is one of eight recognized subspecies of leopard—the smallest of the “big cats.”

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Brazil: Saving Endangered Monkey Helps Forest

Three tiny flaming orange monkeys crouched on a tree branch, cocking their heads as if to better hear the high-pitched whistles and yaps that came from deep within the dense green foliage. Then they answered in kind, rending the morning with their sharp calls and cautiously greeting each other in the forest. That the cries of Brazil's endangered golden lion tamarins should fill the air at all on a recent afternoon was cause for celebration, the result of one of the world's most inspired species restoration efforts. In fact, that campaign has transformed the lush forest where the monkeys live and has become a model widely cited for saving other animals.

http://tinyurl.com/9ns9kee

Endangered Sea Turtle Airvaced To Hospital

American Airlines provided a free flight to a 123-pound endangered female hawksbill sea turtle blown ashore by Tropical Storm Isaac. She was found on the beach in St. Croix in poor condition, and was flown to a turtle hospital in the Florida Keys. Read below for more on this sea turtle rescue.

http://tinyurl.com/8dfj9k5

Shar Pei Nurses Two Endangered Tiger Cubs

Currently, there are less than 400 Siberian tigers living in the wild -- which is why it is so heartwarming to see dogs being so passionate about wildlife conservation. A sweet Shar Pei, named Cleopatra, took it upon herself to nurse two young Siberian tiger cubs after their mother abandoned them.

http://tinyurl.com/7gnkxsg

National Zoo Welcomes 11 New Small-Clawed Otters

Where there was once two there are now 11. They're still really tiny. The Smithsonian's National Zoo is unveiling its 11 new Asian small-clawed otters this Saturday -- one of the largest groupings of this endangered animal in the U.S. These otters, which weigh in at less than 10 pounds, are the smallest and most social otter species in the world. Helpful, too -- the whole family pitches in for child-rearing.

http://tinyurl.com/d3s53ms

Endangered Philippine Raptor Bred In Captivity

A Philippine hawk-eagle feared to be heading for extinction has been bred in captivity for the first time, its breeders said Thursday. Hand-fed with ground quail meat, the chick has swiftly bulked up to 157 grams (0.04 ounces), three times its weight when hatched in an artificial incubator 16 days ago, the Philippine Eagle Foundation said.

http://tinyurl.com/6nhg2z8

Endangered Miami Blue Butterfly Vanishes From Last Florida Refuge; Iguanas Blamed, Hunted

For more than a year, Bahia Honda State Park biologist Jim Duquesnel traversed the nature sanctuary with two hopes. He wanted to see a Miami blue butterfly and rid the Florida Keys outpost of as many iguanas as he could. The reason: The Central American invader may be driving the Miami blue into extinction by eating the leaves where it lays its eggs – a bit of butterfly caviar in every bite.

http://tinyurl.com/6sphf2v

Malaysia Saves Endangered Pygmy Elephant On Borneo

Malaysian wildlife authorities said Monday they had rescued a pygmy elephant calf on Borneo island and expressed hope a planned sanctuary would provide protection for the endangered animals. The male calf, which is less than a month old, was pulled out of a deep moat surrounding a palm oil plantation in remote Sabah state on Friday, said Sen Nathan, a senior official with the Sabah Wildlife Department. It is the fifth calf rescued by wildlife officials since 2009. Three of those previously saved have died but a female has recovered and is now at a wildlife park. There are fewer than 2,000 Borneo pygmy elephants left in the wild, according to authorities.

http://tinyurl.com/6lw54yf

Snow Leopard Discovery In Tajikistan Shows Need For Conservation

A recent biodiversity survey in a remote corner of Tajikistan has yielded surprising results. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) recently teamed up with local and international scientists to conduct a survey of life in the Zorkul nature reserve, near the Afghan border. FFI's team planted camera traps which captured images of five different snow leopardsin one valley, according to a press release.

http://tinyurl.com/7hcsvun

Habitat For Endangered Leatherback Turtles Designated

According to the Associated Press, more than 41,000 square miles off the West Coast have been designated by the National Marine Fisheries as a habitat for endangered leatherback sea turtles. The designation will go into full effect Feb. 25 and will help protect the area, which is used by the migrating turtles for feeding on jellyfish after traveling thousands of miles across the ocean from its original nesting grounds.

http://tinyurl.com/7kf6ypa

Southern River Terrapin, Endangered Turtle, Released Into Cambodia River

Conservation groups are celebrating after an endangered turtle was successfully released into the wild in Cambodia this week. The Southern River terrapin (Batagur affinis) wasreleased into the Sre Ambel River after a special ceremony attended by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Singapore Embassy, the Cambodian Fisheries Administration's Conservation Department and other local officials, reports The Cambodia Herald. The 75-pound female turtle, which has been fitted with a satellite tracking tag, is "one of the most endangered turtles on earth," according to a WCS press release.

http://tinyurl.com/747s7kb

Endangered Species Which Need Our Help In 2012

Across the globe, hundreds of animal species face a grave and increasing threat of extinction. While many of these animals may live in remote locations, the spread of human populations and commercial activities poses a tremendous threat.  The is a list from the World Wildlife Fund of 10 endangered species that received attention from the group in 2010. Some, like the Irrawaddy dolphin, mountain gorilla and Vaquita have global populations that number in the hundreds. Another animal on the list, the Javan rhino, has a population of around only 40 animals.

http://tinyurl.com/6w5tskx

World's Rarest Animals Captured on Hidden Cameras

According to DigitalTrends, group of tech-savvy biologists and animal researchers have set up more than 400 hidden cameras out in the wild, and have captured tens of thousands of images of some of nature’s most elusive — and fearsome — creatures.

http://tinyurl.com/3f6c8e3

Endangered Snow Leopards in Afghanistan

A healthy population of rare snow leopards has been discovered in mountainous northeastern Afghanistan, with the world's "most elusive" cat caught on camera by a wildlife group.

http://tinyurl.com/4x7xpx5