Endangered Species

Bilby Bilbies are expert diggers Bilby Bilbies are expert diggers. They can disappear in sandy soil within three minutes. Their burrows are very steep and deep to protect them from predators. Children in Australia get chocolate bilbies in their Easter baskets instead of Easter bunnies. Bilbies are nocturnal. They sleep during the heat of the day. Bilbies don’t drink water. They get moisture from their food. Bilbies have a pocket to carry their babies. Usually they have between one and three babies.

Red Wolf Red wolves are currently on the critically endangered list Red Wolf Red wolves are currently on the critically endangered list. They were hunted to near extinction by people in the 1800s and 1900s.  According to the National Parks Conservation Association, there are currently around 80 red wolves that live in the wild. They are mostly nocturnal animals, meaning they are active at night and sleep during the day. Male and female red wolves typically pair-bond for life. Red wolves live for eight or nine years in the wild. They can live longer in captivity.

Amur Leopard The Amur leopard is one of the rarest felines in the world, with an estimated 35 to 45 individuals remaining in the wild. The Amur leopard is a severely endangered animal. The loss of its habitat, as well as poaching and loss of prey, have all been factors in the decline of this species' numbers. There may be as few as 50 Amur leopards left in the wild. The Amur leopard is able to run as fast as 30 miles per hour for short periods of time. The average lifespan of the Amur leopard is 17 years in a zoo. Amur leopards prey on roe and sika deer, along with hares and badgers.

Numbat Numbats eat up to 20,000 termites each day. They catch the termites with their long, sticky tongues. Numbats are diurnal. They sleep during the night and are awake in the day. They are active when termites are active. In the winter, termites are active in the middle of the day when the sun warms the ground. In the summer, termites are active early in the morning and in the evening. Numbats have a good sense of smell. They can smell termites on the ground. These marsupials live in hollow logs or dig burrows under the ground.

Golden Lion Tamarin They are endangered animals Golden Lion Tamarin They are endangered animals. There are only about 1,500 tamarin lions left in the wild and there are about 500 in zoos around the world. Some predators are cats, raptors, and large snakes. They have sharp nails that help them climb trees easily. They sleep in tree holes or hollows at night, and are in trees during the day.