Grebes are specisalised waterbirds which inhabit marshlands and reed-fringed lakes. Their dependence on wetlands is total and as a result they are particularly vulnerable to changes in ecosystems and their deterioration. So adapted are they to the wetlands they inhabit that they are an ideal…
Descended from a long and ancient lineage, tapirs are important tropical forest seed dispersers. However, today, all species of tapirs are threatened to various degrees by habitat destruction and hunting. This action plan was written with wildlife biologists, ecologists, administrators,…
Over the last 30 years the African wild dog population has declined dramatically. Dogs have disappeared from 25 of the 39 countries in which they were previously found, and only 6 populations are believed to number more than 100 animals. Today it is believed that between 3,000 and 5,500 dogs…
Dragonflies, those beautiful and colourful creatures which can often be seen hovering above water, pre-date dinosaurs. Today, some 5,000 species have been described and many more await discovery and description. The value of dragonflies lies in their beauty and distinctive colours which make…
Found in a variety of forms and sometimes with very attractive flowers, cacti and other succulents have elicited widespread interest and tremendous popularity worldwide. Although the subject of a certain amount of debate, about 10,000 species of plant are recognised as belonging to the succulent…
The Ethiopian wolf is one of many species endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia but with only about 400 adults remaining, it is also the most endangered canid in the world. The main threats to this creature are loss of habitat to subsistence farming and livestock over-grazing, human development…