Toppy's Blogs

  The Spider Monkey 6/18/2021 The spider monkey is a species of primate that reside in the rainforests of Central and South America. They get their name from their iconic, lanky limbs and tail, resembling a spider with their long legs. When standing on their hind legs they can stand over two feet tall and weigh in around 20 pounds on average. There is estimated to only be a few hundred spider monkeys left in the wild, with around 300 being kept in captivity around the world. In 2008 they were listed as endangered, and now all 7 species of spider monkey ranges from vulnerable to critically endangered. Like many other rainforest dwellers, deforestation, hunting and illegal pet trade are the main causes of the endangerment of the spider monkey. Spider monkeys play a very crucial role in their ecosystem. Being primary fruit eaters, these long legged primates are one of the main seed spreaders of Central and South America. Their digestive track actually helps to soften the outside of seeds,

Ring-tailed lemur 5/24/2021 The ring-tailed lemur is one of the most iconic species of lemur out there. The name makes them very easily recognizable, with their long ringed tails, that they often proudly hold in the air. Their tails are around 2 feet long as adults, live about 16-19 years in the wild, and are indigenous to Madagascar. There is an estimated 2,000-2,4000 ring-tailed lemurs left on Madagascar, due to habitat loss. Deforestation, and illegal hunting for pet trade are the main causes, as well as a few droughts in 1991 and 1994 that caused a 31% drop in population, taking four years to recover.  Being the most populous species of primate in Madagascar, lemurs overall play a crucial part in spreading seeds through the food they eat. Their diet consists of leaves, fruit and insects, and they live in social groups of 25-30. Without lemurs, Madagascar would surely lose a lot of its biodiversity, especially in its plant life. The island is home to many indigenous animals and plan

 The Peregrine Falcon 5/18/21 The peregrine falcon is one of Earth's most interesting birds, and animals at that. Being about the size of a crow, their unique black and yellow look make these feathered friends easy to identify. With a wingspan of about 3.5 feet, weighing just over a pound at 18 ounces, and having 1.5 in length, this makes the peregrine the biggest falcon in the continent of North America. The population today is thriving, with thousands of breeding sites, around the world, especially in the United Kingdom. As of December of 2017, the species was declared Least Concern, but this wasn't without a 47 year long battle of recovery.  After World War II, the use of organochlorine pesticides, especially DDT, during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s caused a major decline in the population of the falcon and other similar birds like the bald eagle due to a lack of calcium in the eggshells, resulting in fewer successful hatchings. Peregrine falcons live all over the world

  The Western Gorilla 5/16/2021 The western gorilla is a species of gorilla that is currently critically endangered. There is an estimated 100,000 of their kind left, between the two subspecies of gorillas that fall under this category, the western lowland gorilla, with around 95,000 of its kind, and the cross river gorilla with around 250 left.   Western gorillas live in central to southern Africa, with the most dense population living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They live in the tropical rainforests of these western African countries. They are technically omnivores, but their diet mainly consists of stems, bamboo shoots and fruits, while occasionally breaking open and or termite nests and feeding on the larvae. Due to this diet, they spread a lot of seeds from the food that they eat, playing a critical role in their ecosystem.    From 1992 to 2011, the population decreased around 45% due to the Ebola Virus, that struck the species hard. Another reason for the decrease is