What is a Species Survival Plan© (SSP)?
A Species Survival Plan (SSP) is a program for selected species in zoos and aquariums that manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), most SSP species are endangered or threatened in the wild, and have the interest of qualified professionals with time to dedicate toward their conservation. Also, SSP species are often "flagship species," well-known animals that arouse strong feelings in the public for their preservation and the protection of their habitat. Examples include the giant panda, California condor and lowland gorilla.
The Fort Worth Zoo currently holds 41 SSP
species. Zoo staff members serve as species coordinators for two of these national conservation programs: Bongo, Puerto Rican crested toad and Rock iguana. Additionally, Zoo staff members serve as small population management, nutrition and veterinary advisors to numerous SSPs.
 African
penguin
(Spheniscus demersus)
Penguins comprise the Order Sphenisciformes, the only order of
birds that is both flightless and aquatic. It is believed that penguins
descended from an ancestor that could fly but that they evolved
toward a more aquatic lifestyle. Unlike flying birds, the penguins
have solid, heavy bones and their feet are situated so far back
on their bodies that they stand upright. Penguins' feet are not
used for paddling, as in other aquatic birds, but rather are used
like a rudder for steering while the wings are used to "fly"
through the water. African penguins can remain under water 14 seconds
for every second that they spend taking a breath and can dive to
depths of 427 feet. Even the feathers are specialized for an aquatic
lifestyle. The body is uniformly covered with a thick coat of small,
hard feathers that overlap each other to provide insulation and
waterproofing. When other birds molt, their feathers drop out and
then new ones grow in to replace them. However, penguins could not
survive without the protection of their feathers for this long,
so new feathers grow in under old feathers and force the old feathers
out during a molt. During the molt period penguins are restricted
to land so they spend up to 35 days before their molt at sea, eating
and building up energy reserves. After their molt, these penguins
may spend up to four months on the open sea prior to their next
breeding season.
Penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere, and African
penguins can be found on the coasts of South Africa and Namibia.
Living in a tropical zone means that African penguins do not have
to adjust breeding cycles to weather conditions, and can adjust
breeding to tie-in with the most suitable local conditions, such
as abundance of food. These penguins nest on inshore islands or
occasionally on the mainland coast. Nests are built in hollows,
caves or under vegetation to protect the eggs from direct sunlight.
Two eggs are laid and are incubated for 38 days. The chicks fledge
at 70 to 80 days and reach sexual maturity at 4 years of age. African
penguins can reach lengths of just over two feet and feed primarily
on schooling fish 2 to 5 inches in length.
The African penguins at the Fort Worth Zoo can be seen at the Penquin Exhibit located on the Zoo's main path as part
of our Wild Wonders Outreach Program.
Top
 Andean
condor
(Vultur gryphus)
The Andean condor is a large vulture with a wingspan than can exceed
10 feet. These large wings enable the condor to fly in a way that
expends as little energy as possible. This method of flight is known
as soaring flight. When soaring, the condor does not have to flap
its wings and simply rides currents of warm air, using very little
of its own energy. This is important since the Andean condor feeds
primarily on carrion, or dead animals. Since its diet is so specialized,
this scavenger may have to travel great distances to find its next
meal and cannot afford to burn up all its energy with flapping flight.
When the condor does find a meal, it tends to make the most of the
opportunity to eat and gorges itself, eating up to 4.4 pounds in
one sitting.
This is possible because of the presence of a large crop, a sac-like
structure with very elastic walls found just before the stomach
in birds. As the crop fills, it bulges and can sometimes be seen
through the feathers on the chest. The Andean condor has bright
yellow or pink skin covering its crop and so it is quite conspicuous.
Sometimes it can eat so much that it is too heavy to fly, and the
condor must wait on the ground until some of its meal is digested.
During this time, the bird is very vulnerable to danger and has
developed an interesting defense mechanism. If threatened, the Andean
condor, like many other vultures, will throw up its food, which
may serve to deter would-be attackers.
Many of the characteristics that give the Andean condor its unique
appearance have a functional purpose. For example, its hooked beak
helps it tear pieces from the carrion on which it feeds. The condor's
bald head serves two purposes. First, the absence of feathers helps
ensure that the head stays cleaner. Also, there are concentrations
of blood vessels all over the head that help to radiate heat and
keep the condor cool. This cooling process is made more efficient
by the presence of many skin folds and crests, which increase surface
area.
The Andean condor is quite versatile and can be found in habitats
ranging from mountain peaks to grasslands and even deserts. This
tolerance of many habitats means that the Andean condor can be found
in the Andes, from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego, and in Peru and
Chile. The condors that inhabit mountainous regions rely heavily
on the winds that rise up the windward side of cliffs for flight.
Those that inhabit flat country must wait for the sun to heat the
air in the morning so that they can rise up on columns of rising
air, called thermals.
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 Aruba
Island rattlesnake
(Crotalus durissus unicolor)
The Aruba Island rattlesnake is one of six subspecies of a rattlesnake
that ranges from south Mexico to Brazil and northern Argentina.
This species is one of the only two species of rattlesnakes in South
America. This ground snake's preferred habitat includes dry areas
such as savannahs and outer forest regions. The Aruba Island rattlesnake
is active mostly at night. Prey items include small mammals and
ground birds.
This snake's venom is somewhat unique among rattlesnakes. Unlike
most other venom that is hemotoxic, or attacks the blood, the Aruba
Island rattlesnake's venom is largely neurotoxic, meaning that it
attacks the nervous system. By affecting the nervous system, vital
functions, such as breathing, are shut down in its prey. This snake
can grow to a length of approximately 6 feet and bears six to 60
live young. Even though this snake possesses a rattle that other
rattlesnakes may use as a warning mechanism, the Aruba Island rattlesnake
rarely makes a sound.
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 Asian
elephant
(Elephas maximus)
Among the largest of all land animals, Asian elephants stand 8
to 10 feet tall at the shoulder. Females weigh an average of 6,000
pounds and males can weigh more than 11,000 pounds. This species
ranges throughout southern Asia, but its distribution is patchy
and limited mostly to the forest-grassland ecotone. Seasonal migrations
were historically quite extensive but have been greatly reduced
by the habitat destruction.
The most conspicuous physical feature of elephants is the trunk,
which is an elongation of the nose. The nostrils are found at the
end, and a finger-like extremity at the tip is used to pick up small
objects and is used often when feeding. Adult Asian elephants require
approximately 330 pounds of food each day. Their diet consists of
grasses, bark, roots, leaves, stems and cultivated crops such as
bananas and sugar cane. In general, a wild elephant herd will feed
and move about during the morning, evening and night, never staying
for more than a few days in one place. The middle of the day is
used for resting, and shade is essential for protection from the
afternoon heat. Excess heat is also radiated through the large ears,
which are almost always moving and flapping.
Elephants are gregarious and are almost always found in herds,
with the exception of the mature males. Herds are matriarchal and
are made up of mothers, daughters and sisters, with all movements
being initiated by the oldest and usually largest female. Males
tend to move with a herd when one or more of the cows are in estrus.
If more than one adult male is present in this situation, dominance
is soon recognized and fighting is rare. Young males leave their
maternal herd at maturity, but females remain with the same herd
throughout their lives. In areas with low rainfall, breeding is
timed to coincide with the dry season so that birth will coincide
with the rainy season, when resources are plentiful.
Average gestation lasts 22 months, after which normally a single
calf is born weighing 110 to 330 pounds. Calves are able to stand
minutes after birth and can follow the movements of the herd after
just a few days. Nursing (with the mouth, not the trunk!) takes
place for up to 18 months, even though calves begin to eat grass
and other foliage just a few months after birth. Parental supervision
lasts for several years, and full size is reached at about 17 years
of age. The life span of an elephant is believed to be up to 70
years.
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(Mustela nigripes)
Black-footed ferrets may look like the ferrets that some people
have as pets but they are a different species. Pet ferrets are descended
from European ferrets and are considered a domestic species, while
black-footed ferrets are the only ferrets native to North America.
Ferrets are members of the Mustelid family along with weasels, fishers,
martens, minks, wolverines and skunks. The black-footed ferret has
a distinctive black face mask, black legs and a black-tipped tail.
They can reach lengths of close to two feet in length and weigh
up to 2.5 pounds. These ferrets are carnivorous and hunt mostly
at night.
Black-footed ferrets were last seen in Texas in 1963 and have been
extirpated from many other parts of their range. Some biologists
have called this ferret the most endangered mammal on the North
American prairie. Prairie dogs play a vital role in the survival
of the black-footed ferret as they are the mainstay of the ferret's
diet. The burrow system built by prairie dogs also provides shelter
for the ferrets. The degree of their dependence on prairie dogs
is exhibited by the fact that the historical range of the black-footed
ferret in North America is nearly identical to the historic range
of three prairie dog species.
Top
 Black
rhinoceros
(Diceros bicornis)
The black rhinoceros is actually not black at all. This two-horned
rhino is gray to brownish-gray and probably earned its common name
from wallowing in the dark-colored soil in its native range. The
black rhino originates in the tropical bushlands and savannahs of
sub-Saharan Africa. The most distinguishing characteristic of this
rhino is its prehensile lip, which it uses almost like a finger
to feed on leaves and shrubs.
This herbivorous diet helps the black rhino grow to be 4.5 to 5.5
feet tall at the shoulder, with weights varying from 1,750 to 3,000
pounds. The larger of the rhino's two horns can vary in size from
just over a foot to more than 4 feet in length. Female black rhinos
reach sexual maturity at 4 to 7 years of age and males mature between
the ages of 7 and 10. Gestation for black rhinos lasts for 15 to
16 months.
The black rhino is one of two species found in Africa and is divided
into several subspecies. It is estimated that only 3,100 black rhinos
remain in the wild.
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 Bongo
(Tragelaphus eurycerus)
The bongo stands 43 to 55 inches at the shoulder and weighs approximately
330 to 485 pounds. It has short hair with an erect mane that runs
from the neck to the rump. The back and sides are chestnut red with
11 or 12 narrow, white vertical stripes on the sides of the body.
The number of stripes on each side is rarely the same. Both sexes
have horns that spiral in one complete twist, averaging 33 inches
in length. When running through dense forest, it lays these horns
on its back, so they do not become entangled in the brush. This
habit is often so common that many older animals have bare patches
on their back where their horn tips rest.
Prime bongo habitat is disturbed forest and forest-savannah ecotone.
These areas are fragmented mosaics of pasture, forest and thicket
resulting from shifting cultivation, logging or elephant concentration.
Canopy rain forest has too little vegetation at ground level to
be good bongo habitat. The bongo depends on certain openings in
the forest that let the sunlight in and support dense growth of
bushes, herbs, creepers and bamboo. These provide food and cover
for the bongo. Bongo are selective browsers of high protein vegetation,
using their long, mobile tongue as a feeding tool. Sometimes the
horns are used to break high branches when feeding.
Bongo in general are gregarious and nonterritorial. Adult males
are often solitary, while females have been seen in herds with calves.
The behavior of animals in large groups is quite different from
those that are alone. The solitary animals are much more alert and
easily frightened. However, bongo in herds are more relaxed, and
relatively fearless, even of predators. The bongo emerges into forest
clearings during dawn and dusk, suggesting that it is mainly nocturnal.
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 Bonobo
(Pan paniscus)
The bonobo of central Zaire is commonly referred to as the pygmy
chimpanzee. While they are members of the same genus and quite similar
in appearance to the chimpanzee, the bonobo is a distinct species
with longer arms and a smaller chest. The word pygmy is misleading
because bonobos and chimps are generally the same size overall.
The bonobo has a more narrow ecological range than the chimp and
is found exclusively in lowland, especially primary, forests.
Populations are divided into communities containing approximately
50to 120 individuals. Membership in these communities is quite unstable,
as young females move freely from group to group. Females reach
sexual maturity at the age of 9 years and may give birth to a single
young after a gestation period of 220 to 230 days. The bonobo's
diet consists mostly of fruit but also includes leaves and seeds.
Tool use by this species has not been recorded in the wild but has
been observed in captivity.
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 Burmese Star Tortoise
(Geochelone platynota)
The Burmese star tortoise lives in the dry forests of central Myanmar. It searches for food during the day, feeding on grass, mushrooms, fruit and other vegetation, and rests in shady areas during the hottest hours. Its shell is colorful and is around 10 inches long; it breeds and lays four to five eggs in late February.
This tortoise is critically endangered due to mass commercial overharvesting and the illegal international pet trade. It is a popular food for both the native Burmese and the Chinese.
Top
 Cheetah
(Acinonyx jubatus)
Cheetahs were once distributed throughout Africa and parts of Asia.
Today, populations still occur across most of Africa, but a small
population in Iran is all that is left of the Asian population.
Habitat is highly variable for these cats and can vary from semi-desert
to open grassland to areas covered in thick vegetation. Cheetahs
are mostly active during the day and seek shelter in vegetation.
Unlike other cats, they do not hunt by ambush but rather stalk
their prey and then charge after them with incredible speed once
they are within a close distance. Using semi-retractile claws that
aid with traction, the cheetah can reach top speeds of 50 to 70
miles per hour making it the fastest land mammal in the world. This
incredible speed cannot be maintained for long distances though,
and many hunts fail. Prey animals include gazelles, impalas and
other small-to medium-sized ungulates, as well as the calves of
large ungulates. Females with cubs may make a kill once a day but
lone adults tend to hunt only every two to five days. Cheetahs tend
to occur alone or in small groups. These groups tend to be either
a female with cubs or two to four related adult males.
On average, females give birth to cubs every 17 to 20 months. Gestation
lasts for 90 to 95 days, and most litters contain three to five
cubs. Cubs weigh 5 to 10 ounces at birth and their eyes open after
four to 11 days. At six weeks of age they begin to follow their
mother and are weaned at 3 to 6 months. They are taught to hunt
by their mother and separate from her at 15 to 17 months. Sexual
maturity is reached by the age of 21 to 22 months.
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 Chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes)
Chimpanzees are found in the tropical rainforests and forest savannahs
of central Africa. These primates are active mostly during the day,
spending much of their time in the trees but traveling on the ground.
Each night, nests for sleeping are built in the trees, 30 to 40
feet from the ground. During the rainy season, nests may be constructed
for rest during the day as well. The chimp's diet is made up of
roughly 60 percent fruit, 30 percent other vegetation and 10 percent
animal matter. This could include many types of fruit, leaves, blossoms,
seeds, stems, bark, resin, honey, insects (especially termites),
eggs and meat. Cooperative hunting for young hoofstock and monkeys
has been observed.
Tool use has also been documented in chimpanzees. Examples include
using sticks to probe for termites or to pull down fruit-laden branches,
using stones as hammers to break open nuts, and using leaves to
gather water for drinking. Chimp populations are divided into communities
that are flexible associations of males and females with a defended
home range.
After an average gestation period of 8 months, female chimps usually
give birth to a single young weighing approximately 4 pounds, although
twins are possible. For the first three months the females will
cradle their infants anytime they are sitting, and until the age
of 6 months, the infants will cling to the underside of the females
when they move. Once the infants reach the age of 6 months, they
begin to cling to their mothers' backs during travel and will continue
to do so for several years. The females wean their young around
the age of 4 years, but they remain dependent and may travel with
their mothers for up to 10 years. Females are capable of reproduction
until the age of 40, and the life span for chimpanzees in the wild
is thought to be up to 60 years.
Top
 Clouded
leopard
(Neofelis nebulosa)
The clouded leopard ranges from Nepal to southeast China and the
Malay Peninsula along with Taiwan, Hainan, Sumatra and Borneo. This
leopard inhabits various kinds of forests up to elevations of 7,500
feet. Prey animals include birds, monkeys, pigs, cattle, young buffalo,
goats, deer and even porcupine. This cat is highly arboreal and
has been observed hunting in trees and may spring on ground prey
from the branches above. This leopard's upper canines are relatively
longer than those of any other cat in the world.
Another important characteristic of this cat is that its hyoid
is ossified. The hyoid is the bone that supports the tongue. In
big cats, such as lions and tigers, there are elastic sections on
both sides of the hyoid bone that allow these cats to roar but they
can only purr when breathing out. Clouded leopards, and other cats
that aren't in the same genus as lions and tigers, have a hyoid
that is solid bone. As a result, these cats can purr when breathing
both in and out, but they can't roar.
Much of what is known about reproduction in the clouded leopard
is from captivity. Gestation lasts for approximately 86 to 93 days
and an average of two cubs are born. Cubs weigh 5 to 6 ounces at
birth and open their eyes when they are about 12 days old. The cubs
will nurse for five months on average and obtain their adult coloration
at 6 months of age.
Top
 Black
and white colobus monkey
(Colobus guereza)
Black and white colobus monkeys have a head and body length of
18 to 28 inches, a tail length of 20 to 39 inches, and weigh 12
to 32 pounds. These primates are mostly active during the day and
are highly arboreal. Black and white colobus may be found in dry,
moist or riparian forests and are most abundant in secondary forests
and along rivers in eastern Nigeria to Ethiopia and Tanzania. In
areas where trees are not densely packed together, colobus have
been known to feed and travel on the ground. Their diet consists
mostly of leaves, but fruit and flowers are eaten seasonally.
Colobus monkeys live in small groups with an average of nine animals.
Usually only one single adult male is present, with three or four
females with young. Female membership in these groups is fairly
stable, but the adult male is sometimes ousted by a younger male
that either grew up in the group or moved in from another group.
Grooming reinforces intragroup relations, and infants are often
handled by individuals other than the mother. These groups have
a home range that is vigorously defended from other groups, although
some resources such as watering holes are sometimes shared. Most
hostile encounters with other groups involve threatening gestures
by adult males that include vocalizations, leaping, chasing and
occasionally fighting. Early morning roaring by males may serve
to aid with the spacing of groups.
Top
 Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
(Sistrurus catenatus catenatus)
This small, thick-bodied snake can usually be found in river bottom forests and nearby fields of some regions, or swamps, wet meadow and even open savannas in others. Its range is from New York and southern Ontario to Iowa and Missouri. Shy and secretive, it is a type of pit viper and prefers warm-blooded prey like mice and voles, but will also eat frogs and other snakes.
The Massasauga breeds in late August, giving birth to eight to 20 young. These snakes can live up to 14 years. Because it hibernates in crayfish or mammal burrows at or below the water table; wetland habitat is important to its winter survival.
Endangered or threatened throughout most of its range, the Massasauga is being considered for federal listing by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Habitat loss and alteration are the main reasons for the decline of this species.
Top
 Greater
one-horned Asian rhinoceros
(Rhinoceros unicornis)
The greater one-horned rhinoceros is native to the floodplains
and riverine grasslands of northern India and southern Nepal. This
large rhino can reach sizes of 5.75 to 6.5 feet tall at the shoulder
and weigh 4,000 to 5,000 pounds making it the largest land mammal
(along with the white rhinoceros) after elephants. The Asian rhino's
single horn can range in size from eight to 24 inches in length.
One of the most notable characteristics of this rhino is its skin,
which is knobby and looks armor-plated.
With a semi-prehensile upper lip, the Asian rhino is primarily
a grazer but occasionally will consume browse, such as shrubs or
bushes. Groups of females and their young or temporary groups of
subadults are known to occur occasionally, but this rhinoceros is
primarily solitary. Females are considered sexually mature at 5
to 7 years of age, and males reach maturity at the age of 10. It
is estimated that approximately 2,000 greater one-horned Asian rhinos
remain in the wild.
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 Hippopotamus
(Hippopotamus amphibious)
Named the "river horse" by the Greeks, the hippopotamus is an amphibious creature, spending up to 16 hours daily in rivers and lakes to keep cool in the hot African sun. At sunset, it travels in a group, on land nearly 6 miles through the night, consuming some 80 pounds of grass. The hippo must have access to water — even if it's muddy wallow — not only for retreat but for skin care. Its skin must remain moist because it will crack if exposed to the air for long periods. Hippos sweat a lot, and because of modified sweat glands, the red secretion that comes from the skin makes it look like the animal sweats blood.
Hippos are found throughout eastern, central and southern sub-Saharan Africa, where their populations are in decline. The official level of protection varies from country to country.
The hippo lives up to 40 years in the wild and weighs from 5,000 to 8,000 pounds. After two years of gestation, a pregnant female may produce a single calf weighing nearly 100 pounds. The calf can nurse on land or underwater by closing off its nose and ears.
Top
 Hornbills
(Bucerotidae)
There are 54 species of hornbills worldwide, ranging from Africa, across India and Asia to Papua New Guinea. They come in a wide range of sizes, and although they occupy a wide range of habitats, about 75 percent of them live in lush tropical rainforests. They are the only birds whose two neck vertebrae are fused — possibly to help them support the weight of the large, distinctive horn.
Hornbills range from wholly carnivorous to only frugivorous (fruit-eating) depending on their habitat. The bird gains the moisture its body needs from food, rather than from drinking water.
Hornbills breed as monogamous pairs, and are said to show the highest level of cooperative breeding in any order of birds. The female chooses a natural hole or crevice, and seals herself in to incubate, hatch and care for her young. The male searches for food and maintains the nest. The larger hornbills lay one or two eggs, but the smaller ones can lay up to eight.
Top
 Jaguar
(Panthera onca)
The jaguar is the largest cat of the Americas and is the only representative
of the genus Panthera (the 'big' or 'roaring' cats) in the
New World. The jaguar is the third largest cat in the world, behind
lions and tigers. Large males can grow to 7 feet in length and weigh
up to 200 pounds. The spotted pattern of the coat of the jaguar
differs from that of the leopard by having larger, broken-spotted
rosettes around small black spots.
Jaguars are equipped for hunting with a massive head and stout
canines that enable it to pierce the skull of its prey. This adaptation,
which is unique among the cats, may also serve as an adaptation
for cracking open armored prey, including turtles and tortoises.
The diet of the jaguar is highly varied, with as many as 85 prey
species having been recorded. Jaguars have even been known to prey
upon fish and otters while swimming. Jaguar cubs are usually born
during the rainy season, when prey is more abundant and tend to
stay with their mother until they are approximately 1 year old and
can fend for themselves.
The last stronghold of the jaguar is the Amazon Basin Rainforest
where it inhabits dense chaparral and timbered areas. Jaguars are
believed to have been extirpated from Texas around the turn of the
20th century, and a jaguar killed in Arizona in 1971 was believed
to be the last jaguar in the United States. However, individual
cats were seen in Arizona in recent years. It is believed that these
were jaguars that inhabited Mexico and migrated into the United
States, rather than residents of a permanent jaguar population in
the U.S.
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 Jamaican
iguana
(Cyclura collei)
The Jamaican iguana is a medium-sized iguana with a body length
of 17 inches in males and 15 inches in females. This species, once
thought extinct, is known only from the Hellshire Hills region of
Jamaica. Much of this area is made up of rugged limestone outcroppings
where vegetation consists of formations of dry forest. Here they
feed on leaves, fruits and flowers and occasionally on animal matter
such as snails.
This species nests in underground tunnel systems filled with loose
soil. Females dig several trial holes before egg laying and then
deposit an average of 17 eggs in mid-June. The nest site is guarded
by the female for up to two weeks while other females are nesting
in the area. Hatchlings emerge in 85 to 87 days. Hatchling success
seems to be determined by the body size of the female.
Top
 Komodo Dragon
(Varanus komodoensis)
The Komodo dragon is the largest of the more than 3,000 living species
of lizards. With adult males reaching lengths of up to 10 feet and
weighing up to 250 pounds, the Komodo dragon is truly immense among
the monitor lizards.
A powerful predator, the Komodo dragon is equipped with approximately
60 serrated teeth used to hunt prey including Sunda deer, birds,
fish, reptiles, water buffalo, pigs, eggs and carrion. When hunting,
the Komodo dragon simply waits along the edge of a trail for unsuspecting
prey to pass by. When it does, the dragon attacks. If the prey escapes,
the hunter simply follows along at a slow pace, using its yellow
forked tongue to smell the air and track it. Eventually, the dragon
will get its meal. Thanks to meat left behind from its previous
meal, the Komodo dragon’s mouth is filled with deadly bacteria
that is passed along with its bite and will eventually kill its
prey. A voracious eater, the Komodo dragon can consume up to eighty
percent of its body weight in a single setting. It is believed that
either the yellow tongue’s resemblance to fire or the horrible
smell that emanates from its mouth earned the dragon its name.
Restricted to four small Indonesia islands in the lesser Sunda
region, the Komodo dragon inhabits the smallest range of any large
predator in the world. A restricted range often leads to problems
for species, as a single natural disaster could have a devastating
effect on the population. This, along with habitat alteration, poaching
and the poaching of prey species has spelled trouble for the Komodo
dragon. With an estimate of fewer than 6,000 individuals in the
wild, both the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Convention
on the International Trade in Endangered Species officially list
it as Endangered.
Top
 Kori Bustard
(Ardeotis kori)
The kori bustard is a large bird found in the grasslands of south
and east Africa. Males are generally much larger than females and
can approach weights of 40 pounds, making this species one of the
largest that retains the ability to fly. Kori bustards are omnivorous,
feeding on a variety of plant and animal resources including seeds,
berries, bulbs, acacia gum, insects, rodents and snakes.
Breeding season for this species is from September to February
in south Africa and December to August in east Africa, but it can
be rain dependent. During this time, males perform balloon displays
to attract females, inflating the esophagus to as much as four times
its normal size. A female up to 1 kilometer away may see this display.
In this posture, the male snaps his bill open and closed, producing
a low booming noise. Males may mate with several females, who are
responsible for raising the chicks on their own. Females build nests
on the ground, laying one to two eggs in a shallow scrape that is
usually located near a landmark such as a shade tree or large clump
of grass. Hours after hatching, chicks are able to follow their
mothers and remain with her until the next year’s breeding
season.
Major threats to kori bustards in their range include habitat alteration,
illegal hunting and collisions with power lines.
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Lake Victoria cichlids
The Lake Victoria Basin — part of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, Africa — is the most important freshwater fishery in Africa, home to a tremendous number of unique species of cichlids. The fish reach anywhere from 3 to 5 inches long and are all mouth brooders; eggs develop and hatch in the female's mouth.
Some eat algae and plants while others eat other crustaceans and other fish. Some are brightly colored while others are monotone. They all have one thing in common: Due to threats from pollution, algae build-up and an introduced fish called the Nile perch, cichlids are going extinct at an alarming rate.
The Zoo's captive breeding programs help conserve these species for the future.
Top
 Lion
(Panthera leo)
African lions are found throughout almost all of the grassy plains
and savannahs of Africa. These large cats can reach weights of 330
to 550 pounds for males and 265 to 350 pounds for females. As much
as 20 to 21 hours of the lion's day is dedicated to inactivity and
the remaining few hours are spent hunting and traveling. Lions hunt
by hiding in cover and stalking their prey slowly, eventually pursuing
it with a final burst of speed.
The chance of a successful hunt is increased when hunting in groups,
rather than as an individual. Often, two lions will approach prey
from opposite directions, and sometimes entire prides will fan out
and surround prey animals, eventually closing in tighter and tighter.
Important prey species include wildebeest, antelope, giraffe, buffalo,
wild hogs, and zebras; carrion is also consumed. Adult males may
eat up to 88 pounds of meat in one sitting. This ability to gorge
on food is advantageous, as food may not be available every day.
Lions are members of the genus Panthera, which includes
all of the 'big' cats, also known as 'roaring' cats. In this genus
the hyoid (structure that supports the tongue) has an elastic cartilaginous
band that replaces the bony structure found in other cats. This
elastic ligament allows roaring but limits purring to only during
exhalation. One of the vocalizations made by lions can be heard
by humans up to 5.5 miles away and is thought to help maintain contact
with pride members when traveling.
The basis of a pride is a group of related females and their young.
The basic structure of these prides may be maintained for years
and they are generally closed to strange females. Daughter lions
are recruited into the pride and male offspring leave their maternal
pride when they reach maturity. Sometimes these males will remain
solitary for some time and sometimes they form associations with
other mature males. These male groups eventually join a pride of
females and defend the pride against outside males. There is often
a turnover of males in a pride every few years, as new males displace
them. Prides can vary in size from four to 37 cats, averaging around
15. In these prides females do all the hunting for the group, but
males are dominant in terms of access to food and often show little
tolerance for subordinates or cubs.
Top
 Louisiana
pine snake
(Pituophis ruthveni)
Historically, the Louisiana pine snake ranged throughout the Big
Thicket lowlands of east Texas, as well as west and central Louisiana.
Now, only small pocket populations of pine snakes are scattered
throughout this area. This region is comprised of longleaf pine
and hardwood forests with loose, sandy soils that make up the preferred
habitat for this burrowing snake. The pocket gopher is this snake's
primary—and sometimes habitat-determining—prey.
Normally when snakes attempt to follow pocket gophers into their
burrows, the gophers move quickly and burrow deeper, throwing dirt
behind themselves to build a wall between them and their pursuer,
eventually escaping. However, the Louisiana pine snake is quite
fast and is equipped with a muscular neck and conical head that
allows it to scoop dirt aside and continue after its prey, successfully
capturing it.
The Louisiana pine snake is non-venomous and rarely bites unless
attacked. But, this snake is a great bluffer, often taking a defensive
stance, rearing its forebody off of the ground, hissing loudly.
Historical writings from east Texas before the 1920s contain many
entries that remark on this intimidating stance of this large snake,
which can grow to a length of 3 to 5 feet.
Top
 Lowland
gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla)
There are two subspecies of lowland gorilla—eastern (G.
g. graueri) and western (G g. gorilla)—that are
separated by over 600 miles in equatorial Africa. Gorillas are quite
large, with a body length of 4 to 6 feet and an average body weight
of 154 to 308 pounds for females and 298-606 pounds for males. The
span of the powerful arms is considerably longer than body length,
sometimes reaching 6 to 9 feet, and the circumference of a male's
chest may be as large as 4 to 6 feet. Gorillas are uniformly black,
but adult males develop a silvery-white saddle on their lower back,
giving them the name silverbacks.
Most gorillas inhabit tropical rainforests and move primarily on
the ground but are capable of climbing. Each animal constructs a
crude nest for sleeping at night and sometimes for resting during
the day. Nests are not used more than once. Most of the time the
gorilla's day consists of waking, followed by a period of intense
feeding, then resting followed by feeding and traveling before bedding
down for the night. Gorillas are almost entirely herbivorous, with
most of their diet consisting of leaves, shoots and stems.
Gorilla groups are relatively stable and usually consist of one
silverback male, one younger blackback male, three females and two
to three immatures. There is a rank order within the group, based
mainly on size, with the silverback male being dominant over all
animals. The dominant male retains leadership of the group for several
years and other males in the group often leave to form their own
groups.
Any adult males that remain with the group are most probably sons
of the dominant male that will eventually take over the group. Males
that leave a group often wander alone for some time and then establish
a range near that of their former group to begin a new one. Females
often leave the group in which they were born when they reach maturity
to join either another group or a single male.
Top
 Malayan
tiger
(Panthera tigris jacksoni)
The Malayan tiger inhabits most of Peninsular Malaysia. Tigers are generally tolerant of a wide range of habitats. The only requirements seem to be adequate cover, water and prey. The six subspecies of tiger that still exist can be found in areas ranging from tropical rainforest, evergreen forests and mangrove swamps, to grasslands, savannah and rocky country. Tigers
are mostly solitary animals, with the exception of courting pairs and females with young.
Malayan tigers maintain home ranges that do not overlap with the home ranges of tigers of the same sex. However, the home range of a male may overlap with the ranges of several females. As a generality, tigers do not fight to defend these territories but mark them with
urine and feces so that other tigers avoid these areas and thus avoid conflict. Occasionally, tigers in the same general area will
come together to share a kill but then separate again soon after. Communication is achieved with vocalizations, such as roars, purrs and grunts as well as with urine, feces and scratches on trees and
the ground.
Tigers are mainly nocturnal but may be active during the day depending
on the time of year. They rely on sight and hearing more than smell
when hunting their prey, which mostly includes large mammals such
as buffalo, pigs and antelope. After eating its fill, an individual
may cover the remains with grass or vegetation and return over the
next several days to feed.
Mating occurs mainly from November to April but can occur during
any time of the year. Females tend to give birth every two or three
years, but if a litter is lost another litter can be born within
five months. Cubs are born in a den that is most often in a cave,
rocky crevice or dense vegetation. Litter size can range from one
to six young, but two or three is typical. Young tigers open their
eyes six to 14 days after birth and nurse for three to six months.
They begin traveling with their mother at 5 to 6 months of age and
are capable of hunting by 11 months. Cubs usually separate from
their mother entirely by the time that they are 2 to 3 years old
and sexual maturity is achieved at the age of 3 to 5 years.
Top
 Mandrill
(Mandrillus sphinx)
Mandrills live among the rainforests of extreme southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Congo in Africa. The largest of all monkeys, mandrills range in size from 24-30 inches in body length. Males typically are larger than females, weighing approximately 55 pounds on average, with females weighing around 25 pounds. Known as the most colorful of all mammals, mandrills have a series of ridges on either side of their nose that in adult males is purple and blue. The space between these ridges is bright scarlet. This coloration is lacking in female and young male mandrills. Mandrills of both sexes have lilac pads on their buttocks that are reddish around the edges. This coloration is due to a concentration of blood vessels and becomes more pronounced when the animal is agitated or excited. These colorful monkeys also have a beard, crest and mane that are usually yellowish, in contrast with the tawny fur on the rest of the body.
Occupying large home ranges, mandrills typically live in social groups that include one adult male, five to 10 adult females and around 10 juveniles. However, during the dry season, these groups may come together to form troops numbering more than 200 individuals. Males without a harem typically live alone. While foraging in groups, the adult male tends to remain the back of the group, but rushes to the front at the first sign of danger.
Top
 Ocelot
(Felis pardalis)
The ocelot is the best-known small cat of the Americas, mostly
due to its beautiful spotted coat. Just as fingerprints are unique
to each individual person, no two ocelot pelts look alike. The ocelot's
spots help it disappear into the shadows of the thick brush that
it inhabits. This habitat is often so thick that the only way that
a person can move through it is by crawling on their hands and knees.
Examples of this vegetation include dense tracts of mesquite, ebony
and other types of thorny underbrush.
It is believed that this brush offers the ocelots prey, such as
cottontails and field mice, as well as protection from their few
natural enemies, such as coyotes and ferel dogs. Ocelots only leave
this protective cover on cloudy days or moonless nights and hunt
exclusively at night. Prey items include a variety of small mammals,
birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
The ocelot is found in every country south of the United States.
At the northern end of its range, only two ocelot populations are
believed to remain in the southeastern corner of Texas. They have
been extirpated from Arkansas, Louisiana, eastern Texas and Arizona.
Top
 Orangutan
(Pongo pygmaeus)
The orangutan is one of the four species of great apes that is
closely related to humans. This large primate has a highly developed
sense of hearing as well as color vision. As a rule, the great apes
are capable of a wide variety of vocalizations, but the orangutan
is generally fairly quiet. The exception is the long call made by
the adult male. This call can be heard by humans over a half mile
away. This is possible due to the presence of large laryngeal sacs
that can be inflated for resonance.
Orangutans are highly arboreal and active during the day. The majority
of the orangutan's life is spent in the trees and its long arms,
which reach the ankles when standing upright, aid movement. The
only time that the orangutan spends on the ground is when moving
from one tree to another. These apes spend the night in nests in
the trees, which they construct during the day from limbs and branches.
Orangutans have also been known to use branches and large leaves
to hold over their heads to stay dry during rainstorms. The majority
of the orangutan's diet is made up of fruit, especially wild figs.
Overall, these primates are well adapted to different types of primary
forest, ranging in elevation from sea level to mountains in their
native range of Sumatra and Borneo.
After a gestation period of 233 to 265 days a single young is usually
born, though twins are possible. The young orangutan clings to the
mother for up to 2.5 years and weaning is usually complete by 3.5
years of age. For this reason, the interbirth interval is usually
three to four years. When the next young is born, older siblings
usually become more independent but may still turn to their mother
for protection until they are 7 or 8 years old.
Small groups of mothers and their offspring are usually the only
social groups found in orangutans. For the most part, orangutans
are solitary and maintain home ranges. Males have larger ranges
than females, and the range of a male may overlap the ranges of
several females. Females' ranges may overlap one another, but males
are hostile to other males.
Top
 Panamanian Golden Frog
(Atelopus zeteki)
The Panamanian golden frog gets a large amount of popularity for how small it is, weighing in at less than one gram. Once thought by the ancient tribes to bring good fortune just by being seen, it is now considered a national symbol of Panama even though most locals have never seen one alive in the state. It lives in the high elevation cloud (dry) and rainforest (wet) habitats of Western Panama.
The golden frog communicates with other frogs by waving its limbs. These signals are called semaphores. Also, its coloration warns predators to stay away, as it secretes a potent nerve poison through its skin. Males range in size from 1.5 to more than 2 inches; females are larger, growing up to 2.5 inches.
This species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is almost extinct in the wild. The most serious threat to this species is a pathogenic fungus called chytridiomycosis (chytrid) that wipes out many amphibian species and their habitats. To ensure the species' survival, Project Golden Frog, a consortium of conservationists from the Republic of Panama and the United States, was formed in the 1990s.
Top
 Puerto
Rican crested toad
(Peltophryne lemur)
The Puerto Rican crested toad is a medium-sized toad with a snout-vent
length of 2.5 to 4.5 inches. It is yellowish-olive to blackish-brown
in color, with prominent crests on its head and an upturned snout.
Females are larger than males and have more prominent crests. Toads
are opportunistic feeders that primarily consume insects and small
invertebrates. However, little is known about the Puerto Rican crested
toad's specific feeding habits. Breeding requirements for these
toads seem to be dependent on heavy rains that sporadically fall
in their range and provide water for adults to spawn.
As its name suggests, this toad is only known to exist on the main
island of Puerto Rico. Historically, it was collected in the Virgin
Islands but has not been observed there in at least two decades.
Preferred habitat occurs at low elevations where limestone or well-drained
soil is present.
Top
 Radiated
tortoise
(Geochelone radiata)
The radiated tortoise can be found on the coasts of south and southwestern
Madagascar and as far as 62 miles inland. This tortoise is found
in areas with open land and sparse vegetation, often in dry and
hot savanna regions. In its native land, where it is known as the
"sokake," the radiated tortoise feeds on grasses and the Opuntia
cactus.
The largest of the star tortoises, the radiated tortoise grows
to almost 16 inches and can weigh up to 33 pounds. On each of the
scutes of the carapace there is a yellow or orange spot from which
a series of yellow lines radiate outward, making a distinctive star
pattern.
A female radiated tortoise will lay eggs several times a year.
Using her back legs, the tortoise digs a hole that is 6 to 8 inches
deep. Into this hole she deposits around six nearly spherical eggs.
Depending on the temperature, incubation can last anywhere from
4 to 8 months. When the juveniles hatch, the shell is somewhat flattened
but soon takes on the highly domed shape of the adults.
Top
 Red-crowned
crane
(Grus japonensis)
The red-crowned crane is found in a wide variety of aquatic habitats.
These areas include marshes, bogs, wet meadows, crop fields (along
dykes), coastal salt marshes, mudflats and paddyfields. A resident
on Hokkaido, Japan, this crane also breeds in northeast China and
extreme southeast Russia. Winters are spent in Korea and around
Jiangsu, China. This rare crane weighs 15 to 22 pounds and has a
wingspan of 7 to 8 feet.
More aquatic than similar cranes, the red-crowned crane is a generalist
feeding on insects, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, rodents, reeds,
grasses and other plants. Breeding takes place in the spring and
an average of two eggs are laid in April or May. Breeding territories
are established, and a nest of reeds and grasses is built in relatively
deep water in areas with tall dead standing reeds. Incubation lasts
for 29 to 34 days, and the chick is able to leave the nest after
approximately three months. Sexual maturity is reached at 3 to 4
years of age.
Top
 Red
wolf
(Canis rufus)
The red wolf is the subject of much debate. Some consider it to
be a distinct species, while others consider it to be a hybrid between
the gray wolf and the coyote. The red wolf occupied the southeastern
quarter of North America until modern times. In the late 20th century,
predator control programs, habitat destruction and hybridization
took a devastating toll on the red wolf. By 1980, the red wolf was
considered extinct in the wild, and in 1990 it was known as the
most endangered canid. Captive breeding and reintroduction programs
are underway to re-establish wild populations of this rare canine.
Red wolves are smaller than gray wolves and larger than coyotes.
The canine teeth of the red wolf tend to be longer and more slender
than those of the gray wolf, while the snout is larger. The most
distinguishing characteristics of the red wolf are its long legs
and ears.
Red wolves live in packs that are smaller than those of gray wolves.
It is believed that their diet consists mostly of small animals,
such as rabbits and rodents, and therefore pack hunting is not necessary.
A typical pack is made up of an adult pair and their young of the
current and previous year. Both the male and female take part in
rearing their young.
Top
 Sun
bear
(Ursus malayanus)
The sun bear is the smallest of the bears with a body length of
only 3 to 5 feet. The paws are large with naked soles and large,
strongly curved and pointed claws. This bear uses its paws to climb
trees as well as for feeding. The sun bear is omnivorous and uses
its paws to tear open trees in search of bees' nests as well as
other insects and their larvae. When it finds lots of insects it
sticks its paw into the tree and then licks the insects off of its
paw with its exceptionally long tongue. The sun bear has also been
known to feed on small vertebrates, invertebrates, fruits and vegetables.
The dense forests of Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula,
Sumatra, Borneo and southern China are home to the sun bear. Mostly
nocturnal, this bear breaks and bends tree branches to form a nest
for resting and sunning during the day. With the exception of courting
pairs and females with young, bears are solitary. When cubs are
born they weigh only 12 ounces and are more hairless than other
bear species. Average body length for cubs is 7 inches, and the
skin is nearly transparent. Female sun bears nurse their young for
an average of 17 weeks, and the cubs remain with their mother until
they are nearly full-grown.
Top
 Swift Fox
(Vulpes velox)
The swift fox is found in the Central United States, especially in New Mexico and Texas. It likes to live on short grass prairies or sometimes in prairie dog towns. This nocturnal animal feeds on small mammals, birds, insects and plant parts. Its average weight is 5 pounds and it can live up to 10 years in the wild.
The swift fox has a typical routine, returning throughout the year, day after day to its den, which is often made from old badger holes or prairie dog burrows. Late winter means breeding time, and the female gives birth to four or five pups in the spring.
Top
 Thick-billed
parrot
(Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)
The thick-billed parrot is approximately 15 to 17 inches in length.
It is mostly green with a red forehead, red shoulders and thighs,
and a bare yellow eye ring. Immature birds show less red coloration
than adults do. These brightly colored birds are found in the Sierra
Madre Occidental region of Mexico. Historically they have been known
to wander northward into the southwestern United States. Preferred
habitat includes temperate conifer forests including oak, pine and
fir forests usually at elevations of 6,500 to 10,000 feet.
The presence of pine trees is the most important aspect of habitat
determination, as the seeds of pine trees make up the majority of
this parrot's diet. They are so dependent on these pine seeds that
breeding is timed to coincide with peak seed production and populations
of these birds have even been known to be nomadic in response to
pine crop success. Thick-billed parrots are monogamous for life
and build their nests in the holes of pine trees. Females lay one
to four eggs that are incubated for 24 to 28 days.
Top
 Toco Toucan
(Ramphastos toco)
The largest of the nearly 40 species in the toucan family, the
toco toucan resides in the canopy of the tropical and sub-tropical
forests of South America. Mostly black with brightly colored patches,
this bird’s most conspicuous feature is its enormous bill.
The large orange bill, which can measure more than 7 inches in length,
appears to be quite heavy. However, the opposite is true, as the
bill is comprised of a bony honeycomb structure with many air pockets.
The toucan’s feet have two toes that point forward and two
that point backward, an adaptation for grasping branches in the
bird’s jungle habitat. When feeding, the toco toucan jumps
from branch to branch and glides for short distances, using its
long beak to reach out and pluck fruit from branches that may be
too small to support the bird’s weight.
Breeding season varies from region to region. Females typically
lay two to four eggs each year and both parents share nesting duties.
The eggs typically hatch after 16-20 days and the parents care for
the chicks for six weeks. These toucans are cavity nesters and return
to the same nest each year. To conserve space in small nest cavities,
toco toucans sleep with their bills resting on their back and their
tails folded up over their heads.
Toco toucans are not listed as endangered, but are listed under
Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species. The biggest threat faced by these birds is collection for
the pet trade.
Top
 Virgin
Islands boa
(Epicrates monensis granti)
The Virgin Islands boa is a nonvenomous snake that grows to just
under 3 feet in length. Adults are light brown, with dark brown
markings and a beige underside. Immature individuals are light yellowish-brown
with two rows of dark brown spots that extend to the tail. Due to
its rarity, very little is known about reproduction in the Virgin
Islands boa. In 1992, a snake at the Fort Worth Zoo gave birth to
three young. Other members of the genus give birth to eight to 30
live young. The preferred habitat of this snake is also somewhat
of a mystery. This species has been recorded in a variety of habitats
throughout its range, including shrub, brush rangeland and evergreen
forest land. The Virgin Islands boa is mostly active at night, moving
about in search of prey. Food items include small reptiles and mammals
as well as birds.
Top
 Wattled
crane
(Bugeranus carunculatus)
Wattled cranes inhabit the wetlands of several countries in southern
Africa. Males weigh 18 pounds on average, while females weigh approximately
16 pounds. Wingspan averages 7 to 9 feet. This crane is the only
African crane with a white neck and is named for its prominent wattles
on its neck. The wattled crane is more dependent on wetlands than
any other African crane and feeds primarily on the stems of aquatic
vegetation. Insects, snails, frogs and other small vertebrates are
occasionally consumed. The breeding season is highly variable and
is dependent on water levels. The nest is built in wet grasslands
from vegetation that is piled into a mound and surrounded by a moat
of water up to 13 feet wide. Usually only one egg is laid, though
more are possible. Incubation lasts for 33 to 36 days, which is
the longest for any crane. Chicks are pale to dark brown when hatched
and are able to leave the nest after 3 to 5 months. Sexual maturity
is reached at the age of 3 to 4 years.
Top
 White-cheeked
gibbon
(Hylobates concolor leucogenys)
White-cheeked gibbons live among the deciduous monsoon and evergreen
rainforests of extreme southern Yunnan, Laos and Vietnam in southern
Asia. Males and females are generally the same size with a body
length of 1 to 2 feet and a weight of 9 to 18 pounds. However, the
two sexes can be easily distinguished by their coloration. Males
are black, and females are golden in color. Infants are born golden,
eventually turn black, and then either remain black if they are
male, or change back to a golden shade if they are female. Final
coloration is usually not obtained until two to four years of age.
A monogamous adult pair and their most recent offspring occupy
a home range that is defended from other groups. These borders are
defended not by fighting, but by using vocalizations, displays and
chasing. Spacing of groups is aided by loud vocalizations that can
be heard for several kilometers by the human ear.
The genus name Hylobates means "dweller in the trees".
Gibbons are almost exclusively arboreal and have been said to exceed
all other animals in agility. They move about in the trees primarily
with a method known as brachiation. This means that they swing from
branch to branch, using their hands like hooks, rather than grasping
each branch. They use long swings, sometimes without either hand
touching a limb. This method can enable a gibbon to cover as much
as 10 feet with a single swing. When walking on large branches or
on the ground, gibbons walk bipedally, with both arms above their
head for balance. When walking down a large branch in this way,
the gibbon may leap to another branch, sometimes jumping as far
as 30 feet.
Top
 White-Winged Wood Duck
(Cairina scutulata)
The white-winged wood duck is a tropical jungle species measuring
about 30 inches in length and weighing from 4 to 6 pounds. Marked
with distinctive white patches on the wings, this species can be
found in the secluded pools and marshes of the forests of India,
Thailand, Bangladesh, Burma, Vietnam and Sumatra. Here they feed
at night on seeds, plants, grains, rice, mollusks and small fish.
As a habit, the white-winged wood duck tends to live in pairs or
alone, with no confirmed records of groups numbering more than 11.
The lack of flock formation in this species makes them difficult
to study and survey; therefore, relatively little is known about
the biology of this bird.
The white-winged wood duck has undergone a drastic reduction in
its Southeast Asia range over the past century, disappearing from
several countries. In some areas, populations of fewer than 50 birds
are known to exist. Loss of this species is primarily due to habitat
loss and alteration.
The white-winged wood duck is the first and only waterfowl species
managed by an SSP.
Top
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Black-footed
ferret