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Natalia Tressler's Notable Species Project
Report:
Most Invasive
Coyote
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One of the most adaptive animals on the planet: coyotes are considered to be members of the dog family, medium height, and a low hanged bushy tail. Coyotes that are found in low deserts and valleys usually weigh up to 20 pounds and have a light grey- tan color to their fur and a black tip on the tail. Coyotes in which live in higher elevation areas are said to have thicker, darker, and longer fur in the shade of black and a white tip on their tail which really benefits them in order to remain warm through the winter seasons in the mountains. Their ability to change their breeding habits, diet, and change their location of habitat, traveling in packs or alone, has increased their success in the wild. (2)
Coyotes have increased by the number across the United States and continue to prey on livestock around the world such as sheep, cows, as well as house pets, thus building anger for many farmers and householders. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in 2004, about 135,600 sheep and lambs were killed estimating to a cost of $10.7 million. About 90,000 coyotes have been killed over the years because of the governments concern over this subject and spending money to have them caged, poisoned, etc. Not only does the act of killing livestock urge hunters to hunt them, but also their thick, dark, bushy fur as well. Because of their own mobility and role, coyotes are considered to be one of most invasive species over a great distance. (5)
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| Common Name: |
Coyote |
| Scientific Name: |
Canis Latrans
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| Where on Earth is it a problem: |
North America extending from Alaska to Central America |
| Where did it come from?: |
North and Central America ranging from Panama to Mexico, the United States, and Canada. |
Most Endangered
Great Bamboo Lemur |
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Great Bamboo Lemurs have short brown fur, short noses, round hairy ears, and a height ranging from 26 to 46 cm with a tail that is just as long or even longer. These small animals prefer to live in damp forests that provide bamboo for them to eat and allow them to stay active throughout their day in their groups of 3 to 5 animals of the same species. (6)
The Great Bamboo Lemur is a very unique species and is the only species found in an entire primate genus to be seen. This species has been unknown and unidentified until 2008 when scientists had made the discovery of this marvelous species. They have only been identified in one area, Madagascar, in which urges scientists to push for their existence and keep them alive. Because of the loss of their habitats due to logging and burning forests as well as illegal hunting, this has increased the rate of their extinction, therefore causing the Great Bamboo Lemur to be known as the most endangered species in the world.
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| Common Name: |
Great Bamboo Lemur |
| Scientific Name: |
Prolemur Simus
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| Where does it live?: |
Madagascar
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Favorite Keystone

Alligator |
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The American Alligator is North America's largest reptile in which contains no natural predators not including humans. They have an amazing ability to adapt to various environmental changes of the Earth's conditions and have had the ability to survive for nearly 200 years. But it has been said that hunters have began killing numerous amounts of this species for their meat and skin.(1)
Alligators have very important ecological roles, its niche, in subtropical wetland communities. During dry seasons, this exotic species dig deep holes in the Earth's surface in which serves as refuges for aquatic life as well as provide animals with food and a supply of freshwater. Alligators also provide feeding areas and nesting areas for different species as they continue to create nesting mounds for themselves. Overall, alligators prevent from invading vegetation by keeping large amounts of open water free. If alligators did not exist, the wetlands in which they currently live would be covered with shrubs and trees in which then the bird species would no longer exist either. Because of this species important ecological roles in maintaining the structure and function of communities, they are further classified as a keystone species.
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| Common Name: |
Alligator |
| Scientific Name: |
Alligator Mississippians
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| Where does it live?: |
Subtropical southeast United States: Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas.
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Coolest Predator Adaptation
Snowy Owl |
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The Snowy Owl is a fully grown bird that is all white with a black marking, covered with feathers, and have thick padding on the bottom of their feet in order to protect them from snow and ice. The Snowy Owl is considered one of the largest owls in the world with a wingspan of up to 5 feet! They eat what is known to be arctic lemmings, and if there are large amounts of arctic lemmings throughout the year, then there will be a large number of Snowy Owls throughout the year as well. (3)
The Snowy Owl has been known to have the coolest predator adaptation because of its ability to camouflage (light colouration). During certain seasons of the year, they use light colouration in order to hide and blend in with their surroundings. When they are perched on the snow, they merely blend in with the snow due to the white coloring of their feathers. In the Spring, they find patches of snow to sit on as well in order to camouflage and keep cool. Because of its silent and camouflage abilities usually during the snowy seasons, they are visually hard to find and therefore are known to have one of the coolest and most interesting predator adaptation in the world!
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| Common Name: |
Snowy Owl |
| Scientific Name: |
Bubo Scandiacus
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| Where does it live?: |
Tundra year round, Arctic to breed, and Greenland or North America if food is hard to find.
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Coolest Prey Adaptation
Blue Poison Dart Frog
Blue Poison Dart Frogs are easily recognized by their bright blue color on the back, darker blue on the legs and belly, and black dots on their backs. They are known to be very active during the day and usually hide near streams under big boulders and debris; however, these tiny creatures do not have webbed feet, so they are never found in the water because they lack the ability to swim. Their body is about two inches long and they weigh 0.3 ounces, but it is their pigmentation in which attracts predators. But because of their diet, these dart frogs have the ability to gain skin toxins and obtain their venom from feeding on ants, beetles, termites, and other small insects. (4)
Blue Poison Dart Frogs have brightly colored skin and unusual patterns in order to warn their predators (aposematic coloration). They have the ability to release toxins from their skin which are very lethal and distasteful to their known predators. These dart frogs produce their toxic skin from obtaining numerous amounts of alkaloids in their skin, which enables them to create this beneficial characteristic and shield themselves from being eaten. Because Blue Poison Dart Frogs can easily shield their tiny bodies from large predators by merely releasing skin toxins, they are further classified as having the coolest prey adaptation.
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| Common Name: |
Blue Poison Dart Frog |
| Scientific Name: |
Dendrobates Azureus
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| Where does it live?: |
Dark and moist environments: Tropical rainforests in the northern part of South America
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