Home – Western, Central, and Eastern Africa
Habitat – grasslands and tropical forest
Niche – large herbivore
Favorite Food – grass
Length – up to 8 feet, nose to tail tip
Weight – up to nearly 700 pounds
Status – Lower Risk for Extinction
Threats – hunting, habitat loss
Waterbucks get their name from their main defense against predators on the African Savanna. When threatened, they will bolt to the nearest body of water and quickly submerge themselves. Although it’s not the most daring way to save skin, lions don’t swim. The French also gave a name to these giant antelopes that didn’t quite stick through the ages – greasy kob. The name refers to an oily secretion produced on the fur that acts as a smell signature for other waterbucks as far away as 500 miles.
Despite its ability to evade land predators, life is still difficult for a large, tasty herbivore on the vast grasslands of Africa. Fewer than 20% of males will live long enough to defend their own territory against other males during the mating season. The male waterbucks that do pass this rite of dominance are left with something besides a plentiful supply of females. Waterbuck territories are carved out bordering rivers and ponds, where the grass is greener and the avenue of escape is wider.
Waterbucks are among the more common antelope in Africa, owing to their wide distribution and better adaptability to marshy environments than their relatives. Apart from crocodiles and lions, the biggest threat to waterbucks is man. They thrive on both grassland and plentiful fresh water, so if either shrinks, then so will waterbuck populations.
Home – Western South America
Habitat – mountains and coastlines
Niche – large aerial scavenger
Favorite Food – carrion
Wingspan – up to 11 feet
Weight – up to 25 pounds
Status – Near Threatened
Threats – hunting, poisoning, habitat loss
The largest flying bird in the world carves its home among the jagged peaks of South America’s Andes Mountains. Soaring as high as 18,000 feet on rising air currents, the Andean Condor is one of the most impressive birds on Planet Earth.
It is a giant bird, with a body measuring nearly 4 feet in length and weighing up to 25 pounds. In order to keep that kind of weight aloft in the air, the Andean Condor uses its massive wings that can stretch 11 feet from tip to tip. Although that wing length is rivaled by other birds like large storks and albatrosses, no other bird comes close to the wing area of an adult Andean Condor. It relies on these giant wings to stay aloft, preferring to gain altitude and glide on rising thermals rather than expending energy on more propulsive flight. Using only a few wing flaps, this condor can travel huge distances in its search for food thousands of feet below.
Like all other vultures, the Andean Condor is primarily a scavenger, feeding on animal carcasses that dot the mountains and coastline of western South America. It uses its keen eyesight to locate everything from dead alpacas to beached whales from dizzying heights aloft. In addition to carrion, Andean Condors also will frequent the nesting grounds of seabirds on the Peruvian Coast. They snatch eggs from the nests of other birds that are no match for their intimidating size.
Andean Condors have fared better than their critically endangered cousins to the north, the California Condors. However, they are subject to similar threats due to their breeding habits. They produce only a single egg every two years, which means that a significant reduction in population could spell disaster for the species as a whole. Luckily, the remoteness of their habitat in the unforgiving heights of the Andes and their plentiful supply of dead meat has protected them so far.
Home – Central America
Habitat – tropical forest
Niche – Arboreal omnivore
Favorite Food – anything it can fit in its mouth
Length – up to 30 inches
Weight – a few pounds
Status – Locally Common
Threats – habitat destruction
When it comes to walking on water, there are a few animals that carry on the miracle’s legacy. One is the plumed basilisk, a bright green lizard of Central America that grows to over two feet in length. Because of their unique ability to evade predators by traversing the surface of a pool of water, these tropical reptiles have earned the nickname “Jesus Christ lizard.”
The secret to the Jesus walk is in the plumed basilisk’s feet. The lizard will slap the water with a hind foot with enough force to create a pocket of air between the foot and the surrounding water. Then, with lightning speed, it will pull the foot up before the air pocket fills with water. Using this method, the plumed basilisk can scamper across the surface of several feet of water in order to evade predators that can’t follow.
Basilisks are the ultimate omnivores in the tropical forests of Central America, feeding on insects, small mammals, birds, amphibians, and even certain flowers and fruits. They are active by night and day in tree branches, waiting for prey to come within range. These lizards choose their perches over water so that they can drop in and escape if the need arises. In addition to their ability to run across the surface, plumed basilisks are also excellent swimmers. The raised crests on the head, back, and tail allow propulsion through the water for a quick getaway.
Male plumed basilisks are fiercely territorial during the mating season and will defend their turf with gusto if challenged by another male. The dominant males earn the right to mate with several females in their range, increasing the chance their genes will be passed on to the next generation. Females will lay a clutch of around 20 eggs several weeks after mating. As with all reptiles, the chance of youngsters reaching adulthood is low due to predation, so laying many eggs increases the chance that at least one will survive.
Plumed basilisks are still common in the forests of Central America due to their adaptability and unspecialized diet. However, they can’t live without trees, and as logging continues to clear habitat in the land bridge between the Americas, the Jesus Christ lizard might find that its tricks are not enough to overcome.
Home – Africa
Habitat – varied, from open grassland to scrub forest, desert, and mountainous regions
Niche – social pack hunter
Favorite Food – gazelle
Length – up to 4 feet, nose to tail tip
Weight – up to 80 pounds
Status – Endangered
Threats – habitat destruction, hunting, disease
African wild dogs are pack hunters, using cunning and strength in numbers to take down large prey like wildebeest on the open grasslands of East Africa. Although they are smaller than gray wolves, another well-known pack hunter, they are perhaps the most social dogs on earth, and use their developed behaviors to take down prey faster and larger than themselves. The packs average about 7 or 8 individuals, but some can grow as large as 20. Because of the size of the packs and their wide movement, African wild dogs hunt at least once a day to snare enough food.
Few predators are as formidable as a pack of African wild dogs. Individuals can run at sustained speeds of over 30 miles per hour for up to 3 miles without tiring. Their endurance is matched with an uncanny ability to execute intricate plans of attack, especially to catch animals that evade lead dogs. Usually the packs will attack smaller mammals like gazelles, but occasionally will take on large animals like zebra and wildebeest. When attacking the latter, the dogs will charge a herd in an attempt to separate the weak or sick individuals. Moving in, they will clamp down on the prey’s tail and lip, while other members of the pack bite at its underside to bring it down.
Like gray wolves, African wild dogs exhibit a strict hierarchy within the pack, with a dominant male and female seated at the top. However, these dogs are different in that there are twice as many males as females and all the males are related to each other in a pack. The dominant male gets mating rights and mating usually only occurs between him and the dominant female. Simultaneous births of litters do occur and when they do, they threaten the bonds of the pack. During these situations, fights break out and females battle each other for the right to raise the next generation, which often results in the youngsters being torn to pieces in the fight. Unlike other social dogs in the wild, the aggression with African wild dogs is usually confined to the females of the pack rather than the males.
After decades of persecution, habitat loss, and disease, the remaining populations of African wild dogs are scattered and thin. There are now fewer than 10,000 African wild dogs left in their natural habitat. Aside from their considerable natural adaptability, the one hope remaining for these amazing mammals is a strong conservation effort.
Home – Southeast Asia
Habitat – tropical forests and grasslands
Niche – large flying insect
Favorite Food – plant leaves in larval form
Wingspan – up to 10 inches
Status – Vulnerable to extinction
Threats – habitat destruction, specimen collection
In the forests of southern of Southern Asia there lives an insect so large that it defies belief. Brilliantly colored with wings big enough to cover your laptop screen, the atlas moth is truly a sight to behold against the lush green backdrop of its tropical habitat.
Atlas moths belong to the largest family of moths, called saturniid moths or emperor moths. About 800 species make up this family, and among them are the biggest moths on planet earth. The atlas moth is near the top of the list, with adult female wingspans measuring as much as 10 inches across, attached to a body the size of a human thumb. Females are larger than males, but lack the broad, feathery antennae.
Like all butterflies and moths, atlas moths begin their life cycle as larvae called caterpillars hatched from eggs. These caterpillars voraciously consume as much plant material as possible in preparation for their next stage of life. Gobbling a variety of plant leaves, they must store a certain amount of energy before they spin hairy cocoons about their bodies. Within the cocoon, they are protected from many predators and begin the process that turns them into the adult, winged moth form. Surprisingly, adult atlas moths do not eat. They must consume enough food in caterpillar form to both molt into their adult form and sustain the flight of a giant adult insect. Adult lives are spent searching for mates and avoiding predators, working on a tight timeline. Since they can’t eat, they need to accomplish their life goals without the ability to buy more time before death.
Despite their size, atlas moths do not possess much in the way of a defensive arsenal. However, like other moths, they can use their bright, spotted coloration to confuse predators. If an atlas moth is disturbed, it will thrust its wings forward, flashing its bright spots. Often, the sight of what appears to be a much larger, different animal is enough to startle a predator long enough to allow the moth to fly away.
Atlas moths are protected in some regions of Asia due to threats posed by habitat destruction and collection. Since they are so huge and spectacularly colored, they are a favorite specimen to mount on display. Like many other animals living in the tropical rainforests of Asia, the atlas moth will only survive if we’re committed to letting it do so.
