The gray fox is a species of fox ranging from southern Canada, throughout most of the lower United States and Central America, to Venezuela. This species, and the closely related island fox, are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be among the most primitive of the living canids.

The gray fox has a gray back, tawny sides, neck and legs, a white belly, and a black stripe along the back and tail. Another black stripe crosses their face from the nose to the eye and continuing to the side of the head. Standing about 12-16 inches at the shoulders, weighing up to 16 pounds, and having an overall body length of up to 47 inches, the gray fox is an agile canid able to scurry up and down trees with relative ease.

The gray fox's ability to climb trees is shared only with the Asian raccoon dog among canids. Their strong, hooked claws allow them to scramble up trees to escape many predators such as the domestic dog or the coyote, or to reach tree-bound or arboreal food sources. They descend primarily by jumping from branch to branch, or by descending slowly backwards as a house cat would do. The gray fox is nocturnal or crepuscular and dens in hollow trees, stumps or appropriated burrows during the day.

The gray fox is a solitary hunter and is largely omnivorous. They frequently prey upon the eastern cottontail, though gray foxes will readily catch voles, shrews and birds. The gray fox supplements their diet with whatever fruits are readily available and generally eats more vegetable matter than does the red fox.

The gray fox is monogamous. The breeding season of the gray fox varies geographically; in Michigan, the gray fox mates in early March, in Alabama, breeding peaks occur in February. The gestation period lasts approximately 53 days. Litter size ranges from 1 to 7. Kits begin to hunt with their parents at the age of 3 months. By the time they are 4 months old, the kits will have developed their permanent dentition and can easily forage on their own. The family group still remains together until autumn when the young reach sexual maturity and then disperse.

Gray foxes are at risk from habitat loss, inhumane trapping, hunting and vehicle deaths.

Fox penning is an indefensible and barbaric blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase—and sometimes rip apart—foxes and coyotes taken from the wild.

While the gray fox pelt is not considered as "desirable" as the red fox in the fur industry because it is more course; in recent years it has been used as trim for coat collars and for similar uses in the fur industry.

Corals are marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria. They typically live in compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.

Corals are sessile, which means that they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor, essentially "taking root" like most plants do. We certainly cannot recognize them by their faces or other distinct body parts, as we can most other animals. So what exactly are corals? Corals actually comprise an ancient and unique partnership, called symbiosis, that benefits both animal and plant life in the ocean. Corals are animals, though, because they do not make their own food, as plants do. Corals have tiny, tentacle-like arms that they use to capture their food from the water and sweep into their inscrutable mouths.

Most structures that we call "coral" are, in fact, made up of hundreds to thousands of tiny coral creatures called polyps. Each soft-bodied polyp - most no thicker than a nickel - secretes a hard outer skeleton of limestone (calcium carbonate) that attaches either to rock or the dead skeletons of other polyps.

In the case of stony or hard corals, these polyp conglomerates grow, die, and endlessly repeat the cycle over time...slowly laying the limestone foundation for coral reefs and giving shape to the familiar corals that reside there. Because of this cycle of growth, death, and regeneration among individual polyps, many coral colonies can live for a very long time.

Most corals contain algae called zooxanthellae, which are plant-like organisms. Residing within the coral's tissues, the microscopic algae are well protected and make use of the coral's metabolic waste products for photosynthesis, the process by which plants make their own food. The corals benefit, in turn, as the algae produce oxygen, remove wastes, and supply the organic products of photosynthesis that corals need to grow, thrive, and build up the reef. More than merely a clever collaboration that has endured between some of the tiniest ocean animals and plants for some 25 million years, this mutual exchange is the reason why coral reefs are the largest structures of biological origin on earth, and rival old-growth forests in the longevity of their ecological communities.

Corals are a vital part of the marine world. There are around 70,000 different species of coral throughout the oceans of the world. They are most numerous in warm and tropical climates in the southern hemisphere.

Corals are divided into two subspecies based on how many tentacles they have. Corals with eight tentacles are known as Alcyonaria, which includes sea fans, soft coral and sea pens. Corals with more than eight tentacles are known as Zoantharia, which includes the coral species found in coral reefs.

Although some corals can catch small fish and plankton, using stinging cells on their tentacles, most corals obtain the majority of their energy and nutrients from algae that live within the coral's tissue. Corals require sunlight and grow in clear, shallow water, typically at depths shallower than 200 feet. Some species have adapted to living in deeper levels of the oceans.

Corals live from 3 months to 30 years, depending on the species. Coral species that make up the extensive coral reefs usually live much longer than species like the softer corals, which live on their own.

Coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment. Reefs rival rainforests in the amount of biodiversity they support. Thousands of creatures rely on coral reefs for their survival. They provide hiding places for marine animals to evade predators, and serve as a meeting and breeding ground.

Hidden beneath the ocean waters, reefs are also some of the oldest ecosystems on the planet, reflecting thousands of years of history. Although individual coral polyps are tiny, they create the largest living structures on earth - some reefs are visible from space.

Coral reefs are under stress around the world. In particular, coral mining, agricultural and urban runoff, pollution (organic and inorganic), overfishing, blast fishing, disease, and the digging of canals and access into islands and bays are localized threats to coral ecosystems. Broader threats are sea temperature rise, sea level rise and pH changes from ocean acidification.

General estimates show approximately 10% of the world's coral reefs are dead. About 60% of the world's reefs are at risk due to human-related activities. The threat to reef health is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs are endangered. Over 50% of the world's coral reefs may be destroyed by 2030.

In the Caribbean and tropical Pacific, direct contact between common seaweeds and coral causes bleaching and death to the coral via transfer of lipid-soluble metabolites. Seaweed and algae proliferate given adequate nutrients and limited grazing by herbivores such as parrotfish.

Coral disease, tropical storms, tourism and recreation, vessel damage, marine debris and aquatic invasive species also threaten coral.

Many governments now prohibit removal of coral from reefs, and inform coastal residents about reef protection and ecology. While local action such as habitat restoration and herbivore protection can reduce local damage, the longer-term threats of acidification, temperature change and sea-level rise remain a challenge.

To eliminate destruction of corals in their indigenous regions, projects have been started to grow corals in non-tropical countries.

Cuttlefish are small to medium sized mollusc inhabiting ocean waters throughout the world. Cuttlefish are cephalopods, not fish. Cephalopods include the squid, octopus and nautilus. Like their squid and octopus relatives, cuttlefish have large, elongated bodies and tentacles surrounding their mouths. Cuttlefish are considered one of the ocean’s most intelligent invertebrates.

There are 120 known species of cuttlefish found across the globe, from warm and tropical shallows to cold depths of the deep seas. They are known for the flashing colors displayed on their bodies during fighting and mating.

Cuttlefish have 3 hearts and green-blue blood. They possess 8 arms and 2 long tentacles used for feeding. Cuttlefish are color blind and taste with their suckers. They have W shaped eyelids to help them see in front and behind at the same time.

Cuttlefish are amazing masters of disguise. They rely on their incredible camouflage abilities to avoid predators. Cuttlefish change color almost instantly to match their surroundings, and mimic the shape and texture of objects around them while arranging their arms to match the shape of the objects.

Like squid and octopuses, cuttlefish have sacks that eject ink to aid in escaping predators. Their ink can also be mixed with mucus to create a smaller, denser cloud about the same shape and size as their own bodies to act as a decoy cuttlefish – confusing attackers. Their color-changing abilities can also be used to hypnotize potential prey with pulsating lights and color shows.

Cuttlefish are carnivorous animals, primarily preying on small crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp. Cuttlefish also eat fish. They use their camouflaging abilities for sneak attacks and catch prey with sucker-pads on the ends of their tentacles – bringing the animal into their sharp beaks.

During cuttlefish mating rituals, male cuttlefish change their body colors to attract female cuttlefish. Some males even make themselves look like female cuttlefish to fool dominant males and then steal their females. Females place multiple sperm packets from different males into their mouth cavities. When ready to lay her eggs, she decides which male's sperm to use. Male cuttlefish try to get the females to use their own sperm by shooting a jet stream of water into the female's mouth to remove the sperm of other males. Once the female has found a safe location to lay her eggs, she reaches into her mouth cavity and takes out the sperm packets of her choice to fertilize the eggs she lays. Female cuttlefish lay about 200 eggs and some die soon afterwards.

Since cuttlefish are relatively small in size, they have numerous marine predators that hunt them. Sharks, large fish and even other cuttlefish are the most common predators of cuttlefish.

Ocean acidification caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a serious threat to all cuttlefish. Studies have shown that under high pCO2 concentrations, cuttlefishes actually lay down a denser cuttlebone which is likely to negatively affect buoyancy regulation.

Cuttlefish are also victims of the commercial fishing industry, intensively fished to the sustainable limit and beyond. Females may also be used as lures in traps during the spawning season. Cuttlefish are also frequently caught as bycatch.

Pollution, plastic and changes in climate also threaten cuttlefish.

The octopus is a cephalopod of the order Octopoda that inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean, especially coral reefs. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the genus Octopus. In the larger sense, there are 289 different octopus species, which is over one-third the total number of cephalopod species.

Octopuses are characterized by their eight arms (not tentacles), usually bearing suction cups. Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses have almost entirely soft bodies with no internal skeleton. They have neither a protective outer shell, nor an internal shell or bones, like cuttlefish or squids. A beak, similar in shape to a parrot's beak, is their only hard part. This enables them to squeeze through very narrow slits between underwater rocks, which is very helpful when they are fleeing from morays or other predatory fish. The octopuses in the less familiar Cirrata suborder, however, have two fins and an internal shell...generally lessening their ability to squeeze into small spaces.

Octopuses have a relatively short life span, and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the North Pacific giant octopus, may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch, for they neglect to eat during the (roughly) one month period spent taking care of their unhatched eggs.

Octopuses have three hearts. Two pump blood through each of the two gills, while the third pumps blood through the body. Octopus blood contains the copper-rich protein hemocyanin for transporting oxygen. Less efficient than the iron-rich hemoglobin of vertebrates, the hemocyanin is dissolved in the plasma instead of being bound in red blood cells and gives the blood a blue color. Octopuses draw water into their mantle cavity where it passes through its gills.

Three defensive mechanisms are typical of octopuses: ink sacs, camouflage and autotomising limbs. Most octopuses can eject a thick blackish ink in a large cloud to aid in escaping from predators. They also have specialized skin cells, called chromatophores, for both color changing and light reflection and refraction. They use this ability to blend into the environment to hide, communicate with or warn other octopuses. The very poisonous Blue-ringed octopus becomes bright yellow with blue rings when it is provoked. When under attack, some octopuses can autotomise their limbs, in a similar manner to skinks and other lizards. The crawling arm serves as a distraction to would-be predators; this ability is also used in mating. A few species, such as the Mimic octopus, have a fourth defense mechanism. They can combine their highly flexible bodies with their color changing ability to accurately mimic other, more dangerous animals such as lionfish and eels.

When octopuses reproduce, males use a specialized arm called a hectocotylus to insert spermatophores (packets of sperm) into the female's mantle cavity. The hectocotylus is usually the third right arm. In some species, the female octopus can keep the sperm alive inside her for weeks until her eggs are mature. After they have been fertilized, the female lays roughly 200,000 eggs (this figure dramatically varies between families, genera, species and also individuals). The female hangs these eggs in strings from the ceiling of her lair, or individually attached to the substratum depending on the species. After the eggs hatch, the young larval octopuses must spend a period of time drifting in clouds of plankton, where they feed on copepods, larval crabs and larval seastars until they are ready to sink down to the bottom of the ocean, where the cycle repeats itself. In some deeper dwelling species, the young do not go through this period. This is a dangerous time for the octopuses; as they become part of the plankton cloud they are vulnerable to many plankton eaters.

Octopuses are highly intelligent. Maze and problem-solving experiments show that they have both short and long term memory. An octopus has a highly complex nervous system, only part of which is localized in its brain. Two-thirds of an octopus's neurons are found in the nerve cords of its arms, which have a remarkable amount of autonomy. Octopus arms show a wide variety of complex reflex actions arising on at least three different levels of the nervous system. Some octopuses, such as the mimic octopus, will move their arms in ways that emulate the movements of other sea creatures. Octopuses can be readily trained to distinguish between different shapes and patterns. They are able to open jars after learning from observation. Octopuses have also been observed in what may be described as play; repeatedly releasing bottles or toys into a circular current in their aquariums and then catching them. Octopuses often break out of their aquariums and sometimes into others in search of food. They have even boarded fishing ships and opened holds to eat crabs.

Octopuses have keen eyesight. Although their slit-shaped pupils might be expected to afflict them with astigmatism, it appears that this is not a problem in the light levels in which an octopus typically hunts. Surprisingly, they do not appear to have color vision, although they can distinguish the polarization of light. Attached to the brain are two special organs, called statocysts, that allow the octopus to sense the orientation of its body relative to horizontal. An autonomic response keeps the octopus's eyes oriented so that the pupil slit is always horizontal. Octopuses also have an excellent sense of touch. The octopus's suckers are equipped with chemoreceptors so that the octopus can taste what it is touching. The arms contain tension sensors so that the octopus knows whether its arms are stretched out.

Octopuses move about by crawling or swimming. Their main means of slow travel is crawling, with some swimming. Their only means of fast travel is swimming. Their fastest movements only occur when provoked by hunger or if in danger. They crawl by walking on their arms, usually on many at once, on solid surfaces, while supported in water. They swim by expelling a jet of water from a contractile mantle, and aiming it via a muscular siphon.

The octopus faces such threats as polluted water, as well as diminishing resources due to environmental exploitation.

Octopuses are threatened by the exotic pet trade. They are difficult to keep in captivity. They often escape even from supposedly secure tanks, due to their problem-solving skills, mobility and lack of rigid structure. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade.

Octopuses are also victims of the animal entertainment industry. The use of these wild animals as entertainment in aquariums removes them from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny enclosures and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits and acts endure constant stress. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos and aquariums may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

Thorny devils, also known as thorny dragons, thorny lizards and molochs, are small lizards covered from head to tail with spines and thorns. They inhabit the deserts of Australia, living in sand, spinifex grasslands and scrub. There are no other lizards like thorny devils anywhere on the planet.

Thorny devils are only about the size of a mouse. They have an extremely spiky looking appearance, with a rigid body structure. Thorny devils have false heads on the back of their necks that confuse predators when they dip their real heads down. Between the cone shaped spikes of thorny devils, small channels collect water from all parts of their body to be transported to their mouths.

Female thorny devils are usually slightly larger than male thorny devils. Females are paler in color; males being slightly redder. Both male and female thorny devils change colors. In the morning when it is cool, thorny devils are a drab olive-brown color. During the day when it gets warmer, they turn yellow and red. Their changing skin coloration helps thorny devils to blend into the Australian desert throughout the day. At night, thorny devils dig themselves into the soil to keep warm. When the heat is extreme during the day, they dig underground burrows.

Thorny devils walk slowly, stop frequently, and rock back and forth. Their shaky, jerky movements and frequent freezing in place helps them conceal themselves from predators.

Thorny devils are obligate myrmecophages, feeding primarily on ants. They eat thousands of black ants every day. They receive most of their water from moisture that forms as dew drops each night. While thorny devils are often seen standing in water, they do not drink it. Their bodies are able to simply absorb it and store it for later use. When it is very hot, thorny devils can excrete salt to retain their water.

Thorny devils are “sit-and-wait” predators. They sit near ant trails and wait for the ants, then use their sticky tongues to capture the ants. Their teeth are well designed to handle the hard, chitinous bodies of ants. The mandibular teeth of thorny devils fit between maxillary teeth to create efficient shearing tools.

Thorny devils do not randomly scatter their fecal pellets. They place them in latrine sites.

Thorny devils are almost completely inactive during the hottest summer months and the coldest winter months. During these times they take refuge underground. They are most active in the autumn and late winter months.

During mating season, thorny devils build underground nests for their eggs. Males are aggressive with each other during mating season. Females give off an intoxicating scent to attract males. After mating, males go off in search of other females. Mother thorny devils lay ten eggs in their burrow during the spring-summer season (September-December). When the eggs hatch in three to four months, thorny devil babies are immediately able to take care of themselves.

Thorny devils are preyed upon by bustards, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, goannas, falcons and snakes. Goannas also prey on the eggs of thorny devils. Thorny devils puff themselves up to appear larger when confronted by predators. Their densely-packed spikes also make predators think twice before attacking them.

Thorny devils can live up to 20 years in the wild.

Thorny devils are threatened by habitat loss and changes in climate. They are often hit by cars. Their populations are declining.

Thorny devils are also victims of the pet trade, inhumanely kept in confinement for humane entertainment. They are difficult to maintain in captivity and rarely survive longer than a few months.

Mongooses are small mammals with a similar appearance to meerkats and weasels. Mongooses are not rodents; they are members of the Herpestidae family. Mongooses naturally inhabit Africa, Asia and parts of Europe and have been introduced to the Caribbean and Hawaiian islands. There are about 34 species of mongoose.

Mongooses vary in size depending on species. Most mongooses have a long-shaped face and body, short legs and small, round ears. Mongooses have grayish or brown fur. Some species of mongoose have patterned fur or ringed tails. They are a little lighter than weasels, making them more agile and able to avert danger better than weasels.

The smallest mongoose is the dwarf mongoose. The largest mongoose is the white-tailed mongoose.

Some mongooses are solitary, while other species of mongoose live and work in communities called packs, mobs or colonies. Colonies can have as many as 50 mongoose residents. Some mongooses groom each other. Colonies may be lead by an alpha male and female who can be the only two residents who mate and reproduce. Community members may have specific jobs and duties. Some hunt, some baby sit, others guard. Elders and youngsters are often cared for by the entire pack. Mongooses are known for using tools.

Each species of mongoose has adapted to their particular ecosystem. Some inhabit treetops, some rocky areas, and others live in semi-aquatic ecosystems. Many mongooses live in burrows that they either build themselves, or take over from other animals. Mongoose burrows are made up of a complex system of tunnels.

Mongooses are active during the day and sleep at night. They chatter incessantly to each other with a humane-like speech that combines discrete units of sound using vowel and syllable combinations. Mongooses sound alarm calls when they spot predators. During mating season they produce high-pitched giggling sounds to inform potential partners they are ready to mate. Mongooses also use scent to communicate their reproductive status and to mark their territories.

Mongooses are omnivores, feeding on both plants and animals. Most mongooses prefer to feed on small mammals, amphibians, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, fish, insects and worms. They will supplement their diets with seeds, nuts, berries, eggs, fruits and roots. Mongooses are known to crack eggs, nuts and shelled animals with, or against, hard objects.

Mongooses are very fast and agile. They have a keen sense of smell, sight and hearing. They can successfully fight off snakes. Some mongooses are even resistant to snake and scorpion venom and feed on venomous snakes and scorpions.

Female mongooses usually produce just one litter each year, but are capable of producing another litter if the first litter is lost. Baby mongooses are called pups and a group of offspring is called a litter. Pup mongooses are weaned at around 6 weeks old. They then forage with their mothers until they are about 4 months old. Male mongoose babies leave their mothers when they are about 6 months old. Female mongoose babies stay with their mother longer, sometimes permanently.

Mongooses live up to 10 years in the wild.

Most mongoose species are threatened. The main threat to mongooses is habitat loss. Forest-dwelling mongooses are threatened by deforestation. Animal agriculture, pesticides and pollution also threaten mongooses.

Mongooses are victims of roadside shows in some countries, forced to fight with snakes. They are also victims of the pet trade, kept in tiny cages for the amusement of humans.

Mongooses were introduced to some areas to control pests, only to then be regarded as an invasive species. They have been made the scapegoat for the decline of many animal species, but habitat destruction, caused by humans, is the leading cause of threatened and endangered species.

Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae which also includes the otters, polecats, weasels and wolverines. The 11 species of badger are grouped in three subfamilies: Melinae (9 Eurasian badgers), Mellivorinae (the honey badger or ratel) and Taxideinae (the American badger).

Badgers have rather short, fat bodies, with short legs for digging. They have elongated weasel-like heads with small ears. Their tails vary in length depending on species; the stink badger has a very short tail, while the ferret badger's tail can be 18 to 20 inches long. They have black faces with distinctive white markings, gray bodies with a light-colored stripe from head to tail, and dark legs with light colored underbellies. They grow to around 35 inches in length including their tail.

The European badger is one of the largest; the American badger, the hog badger and the honey badger are generally a little smaller and lighter. The stink badgers are smaller still, and the ferret badgers are the smallest of all. They weigh around 20 to 24 lb on average, with some Eurasian badgers weighing in at around 40 lb.

The badgers lower jaw is articulated to the badgers upper jaw, meaning it is almost impossible to dislocate the badger's jaw. This enables the badger to maintain its hold on prey with great ease, but limits the badgers jaw movement to hinging opening and shutting or sliding from side to side.

Badgers are found in much of North America, Ireland, Great Britain and most of Europe as far as southern Scandinavia. They live as far east as Japan and China. The Javan ferret-badger lives in Indonesia, and the Bornean ferret-badger lives in Malaysia. The honey badger is found in most of sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Desert, southern Levant, Turkmenistan and India.

The behavior of badgers differs by family, but all shelter underground, living in burrows called setts, which may be very extensive. Some are solitary, moving from home to home, while others are known to form clans called cetes. Cete size is variable from two to fifteen.

Badgers are nocturnal. They can run or gallop at 16 to 19 mph for short periods of time.

In North America, coyotes sometimes eat badgers and vice versa, but the majority of their interactions seem to be mutual or neutral. American badgers and coyotes have been seen hunting together in a cooperative fashion.

The diet of the Eurasian badger consists largely of earthworms, insects, grubs and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. They also eat small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds...as well as roots and fruit.

The honey badger of Africa consumes honey, porcupines and even venomous snakes; they will climb trees to gain access to honey from bees' nests.

American badgers are fossorial carnivores – they catch a significant proportion of their food underground, by digging. They can tunnel after ground-dwelling rodents at amazing speeds. Badgers have been known to become intoxicated with alcohol after eating rotting fruit.

Badgers are sometimes kept as "pets". Like all wild animals, badgers are not suitable as companion animals and suffer from the stress of captivity. Badgers can be fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young at all costs. They are capable of fighting off dogs and other much larger animals. The complex physical, psychological and social needs of wild animals can never be met when they are kept as pets. Living in constant frustration, these wild animals can inflict serious and catastrophic injuries. They can also spread diseases that are deadly to humans.

Badgers are commercially trapped for their pelts by the inhumane fur industry. Their hair is used to make shaving brushes and clothing. Virtually all commercial badger hair comes from mainland China.

Thousands of badgers are inhumanely killed each year by the cruel activity of baiting. Baiting involves digging into a sett to locate the badgers and then pitting them against dogs. Lamping is another method that baiters use to acquire badgers for fighting. A bright light is used to dazzle and spotlight badgers out feeding at night. They are then shot or attacked by dogs.

Many badgers are killed by humans in the mistaken belief that this will stop cattle from being infected with bovine tuberculosis. Badgers are cruelly baited with dogs and dug out of their setts. Others are trapped, poisoned or shot.

Many badgers are loosing their setts and vital feeding areas due to human development.

Although rarely eaten today in the United States or the United Kingdom, the consumption of badger meat is still widespread in Russia.

The tang is a small to medium sized fish inhabiting warm, coastal waters of the tropics. Well known for their vibrant colors, they are close cousins of surgeon fish and unicorn fish. There are at least 80 species of tang found in the waters of the southern hemisphere.

Tangs can adjust the intensity of their colors. When they are stressed, tang colors darken to communicate danger to other fish. Some tangs change colors at night. Other tangs, when faced with danger, can make themselves semi-transparent.

Tang live in shallow coral reefs. They prefer habitats with an abundance of food sources and places to hide from predators. The tang has a razor-sharp scalpel at the base of their tails used in self defense. When threatened, tangs will hide in coral or rocks and anchor themselves with their scalpels. They also use their scalpels against predators when needed. Some tangs will play dead by lying on their sides and remaining motionless until the predator has gone.

Tangs are omnivores but prefer a mostly vegetarian diet. Tang eat algae and other plants found in coral reefs. They also feed on larger food particles in plankton. Tang are vital in reducing algae levels on coral. Without the assistance of tang, algae could quickly overgrow and suffocate coral reefs – home to about one quarter of all ocean species. Tang often feed on the algae on sea turtle shells. Some tang species will eat small fish and invertebrates.

Tangs usually breed year round in tropical areas. A male tang will secure a temporary breeding territory for a pair, or group, of female tangs. Males may establish dominance by showing their bright colors and fighting aggressively. Female tangs release about 40,000 eggs into the water. Male tangs then fertilize the eggs. After spawning, parent tangs swim off and do not care for their offspring. Baby tangs, called fry, hatch in under a week. It can take up to 12 months for a tang to reach sexual maturity.

Due to their small size, tangs have numerous natural predators including larger fish, sharks, eels, crustaceans and large invertebrates.

Tangs can live over 30 years in the wild.

Tangs are one of the most popular fish species to be inhumanely kept in tanks and aquariums for human amusement. Ripped from their natural environment, often using cyanide that kills coral and other animals, they are shipped for thousands of miles in tiny plastic bags. Even if they survive the cyanide, many tangs do not survive the extremely stressful journey. Captive tangs suffer from confinement, stress, lack of proper nutrition, parasites and competition with other captive fish. Most die premature deaths. No aquarium can replicate the tangs’s natural environment. These animals belong in coral reefs, not in tiny glass tanks.

Dasyatidae is a family of rays, cartilaginous marine fishes. Dasyatids are common in tropical coastal waters throughout the world, and there are fresh water species in Asia (Himantura sp.), Africa, and Florida (Dasyatis sabina).

Dasyatids swim with a "flying" motion, propelled by motion of their large pectoral fins (commonly referred to as "wings"). Their stinger is a razor-sharp, barbed or serrated cartilaginous spine which grows from the ray's whip-like tail (like a fingernail). It is coated with a toxic venom. This gives them their common name of stingrays.

Dasyatids do not attack aggressively, or even actively defend themselves. When threatened, their primary reaction is to swim away. However, when they are attacked by predators or stepped on, the barbed stinger in their tail is mechanically whipped up, usually into the offending foot; it is also possible, although less likely, to be stung "accidentally" by brushing against the stinger.

Contact with the stinger causes local trauma (from the cut itself), pain and swelling from the venom, and possible infection from parts of the stinger left in the wound, as well as from seawater entering the wound. It is possible for ray stings to be fatal if they sever major arteries, are in the chest or pelvic region, or are improperly treated. Their stingers are normally ineffective against their main predator, sharks.

Treatment for stings includes hot water (as hot as the victim can stand), which helps ease pain and break down the venom, and antibiotics. Pain normally lasts up to 48 hours but is most severe in the first 30-60 minutes and may be accompanied by nausea, fatigue, headaches, fever, and chills.

Like other rays, dasyatids are viviparous (bearing live young in litters of 5–13). When a male is courting a female, he will follow her closely, biting at her pectoral disc. He then places one of his two claspers into her valve. The female holds the embryos in the womb without a placenta. Instead, the embryos absorb nutrients from a yolk sac, and after the sac is depleted, the mother provides uterine "milk".

Since their eyes are on top of their head, and their mouths on the bottom, they cannot see their prey, and instead use their sense of smell and electro-receptors similar to those of the shark. They feed primarily on mollusks and crustaceans, as their mouths contain powerful, shell-crushing teeth, or occasionally on smaller fish. Rays settle on the bottom while feeding, sometimes leaving only the eyes and tail visible.

Dasyatids are not normally visible to swimmers, but divers and snorkelers may find them in shallow sandy waters; more so when the water is unseasonably warm.

Most dasyatids are neither threatened nor endangered. For several species (for example Taeniura meyeni, D. colarensis, D. garouaensis, and D. laosensis), conservation status is more problematic, leading to their being listed as vulnerable or endangered by IUCN. The status of several other species are poorly known, leading to their being listed as Data Deficient.

Impalas are one of the most common and most graceful of Africa’s antelopes. Male impalas, called rams, are well-known for their large, curved horns.

Impalas are one of several species of antelope inhabiting the African continent. Impalas are medium-sized antelopes usually found in the savannas and thicker bush-lands in southern parts of the African continent.

Impalas are members of the Bovidae family. They are related to goats, sheep and cattle. They have long legs and necks. Impala are covered with reddish or brown hair and black and white markings. The hair in their ears and around their eyes is white.

Rams use their horns for defense against predators and other male impalas. Female impalas, called ewes, do not have horns.

Male impalas secrete a scent from a gland on their foreheads to communicate their status to rival impalas. When a male impala loses his rank, he produces less scent. Male impalas fight for territory and status during the mating season, using their horns as weapons. Older impala males claim mating territories and herd females that they guard against rival impalas. The male impala must fight off any challengers, while continuously herding and mating with his females. Competing males who loose their attempt to take over the territory usually retreat to join a bachelor herd.

Impalas are among the most adaptable animals in the African savanna. They are able to alter eating habits with the season, feeding on what is available. Impalas are herbivores, eating only vegetation. Their diets includes bark, leaves, wood and stems. Impala prefer fresh grass, but will also eat foliage and shoots when fresh grass is not available. Impalas usually drink water during the hottest part of the day when predators are the most sluggish.

Impalas live in large tribes. Female and young impalas form herds of up to 100 impalas. Young impalas live in nursery schools, called creches, where they play and groom each other. Males live in bachelor communities of around 60 male impalas. Impalas occupy large ranges, making seasonal migrations from higher to lower areas based on the availability of food.

Female impalas leave the herd to give birth. They can delay birth for a month if the weather conditions are not favorable. After a gestation period of 6 to 7 months, mothers will give birth to usually only one impala baby. Twice as many female baby impalas are born each year than male impalas. Baby impalas are called calves. After one or two days, the mother impala will bring her baby back to the community. Calves are weaned in 4 to 7 months. By 12 to 18 months old, impalas are sexually mature.

Impalas have many natural predators, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles. They are able to jump over nine meters in distance, and over two meters high, to escape and confuse predators. Impalas use bark-like sounds to alarm each other of danger.

Impalas live for about 13 years in the wild.

The largest threats to impalas are hunting and habitat loss. Impala habitats are being disrupted with the expansion of roads and human settlements. Most impalas are currently not endangered, with a population of about 2 million. Fifty percent of impalas live on private lands. 25 percent of impalas live in protected areas. The Black-faced impala is endangered as a result of hunting.

A tree frog is any frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. These frogs are typically found in very tall trees or other high-growing vegetation. They do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn, though some build foam nests on leaves and rarely leave the trees at all as adults. Many tree frogs can change their color for better camouflage. Tree frogs are usually tiny, as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs of their habitat. Typical for tree frogs are the well-developed discs at the finger and toe tips; the fingers and toes themselves as well as the limbs tend to be rather long, resulting in a superior grasping ability.

Frogs are amphibians characterized by a short body, webbed digits (fingers or toes), protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Frogs are widely known as exceptional jumpers, and many of the anatomical characteristics of frogs, particularly their long, powerful legs, are adaptations to improve jumping performance.

Due to their permeable skin, frogs are often semi-aquatic or inhabit humid areas, but move easily on land. They typically lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. Adult frogs follow a carnivorous diet, mostly of arthropods, annelids and gastropods. Frogs are most noticeable by their call, which can be widely heard during the night or day, mainly in their mating season.

The distribution of frogs ranges from tropic to subarctic regions, but most species are found in tropical rainforests. Consisting of more than 5,000 species, they are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates. However, populations of certain frog species are declining significantly.

A popular distinction is often made between frogs and toads on the basis of their appearance, but this has no taxonomic basis. From a taxonomic perspective, all members of the order Anura are frogs, but only members of the family Bufonidae are considered "true toads". The use of the term "frog" in common names usually refers to species that are aquatic or semi-aquatic with smooth and/or moist skins, and the term "toad" generally refers to species that tend to be terrestrial with dry, warty skin. An exception is the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina): while its skin is slightly warty, it prefers a watery habitat.

Frogs are generally recognized as exceptional jumpers, and the best jumper of all vertebrates. The Australian rocket frog, Litoria nasuta, can leap over 50 times its body length.

Many frogs are able to absorb water and oxygen directly through the skin, especially around the pelvic area. However, the permeability of a frog's skin can also result in water loss. Some tree frogs reduce water loss with a waterproof layer of skin. Others have adapted behaviors to conserve water, including engaging in nocturnal activity and resting in a water-conserving position.

Camouflage is a common defensive mechanism in frogs. Most camouflaged frogs are nocturnal, which adds to their ability to hide. Nocturnal frogs usually find the ideal camouflaged position during the day to sleep. Some frogs have the ability to change color, usually restricted to shades of one or two colors. Features such as warts and skin folds are usually found on ground-dwelling frogs, where a smooth skin would not disguise them. Tree frogs usually have smooth skin, enabling them to disguise themselves as leaves. Some frogs change color between night and day.

Many frogs contain mild toxins that make them unpalatable to potential predators. For example, all toads have large poison glands - the parotoid glands - located behind the eyes, on the top of the head. Some frogs, such as some poison dart frogs, are especially toxic. The chemical makeup of toxins in frogs varies from irritants to hallucinogens, convulsants, nerve poisons and vasoconstrictors. Many predators of frogs have adapted to tolerate high levels of these poisons. Others, including humans, may be severely affected. Some frogs obtain poisons from the ants and other arthropods they eat; others can manufacture an alkaloid not derived from their diet. Some native people of South America extract poison from the poison dart frogs and apply it to their darts for hunting, although few species are toxic enough to be used for this purpose. Poisonous frogs tend to advertise their toxicity with bright colors, an adaptive strategy known as aposematism. Some non-poisonous species of frogs mimic the coloration of poison frogs' coloration for self-protection.

The life cycle of a frog starts with an egg. A female generally lays gelatinous egg masses containing thousands of eggs in water. The eggs are highly vulnerable to predation, so frogs have evolved many techniques to ensure the survival of the next generation. In colder areas the embryo is black to absorb more heat from the sun, which speeds up the development. Many individuals will breed at the same time, overwhelming the actions of predators. Another way in which some species avoid the predators and pathogens eggs are exposed to in ponds is to lay eggs on leaves above the pond, with a gelatinous coating designed to retain moisture. In these species, the tadpoles drop into the water upon hatching. The eggs of some species laid out of water can detect vibrations of nearby predatory wasps or snakes, and will hatch early to avoid being eaten. Some species lay poisonous eggs to minimize predation.

While the length of the egg stage depends on the species and environmental conditions, aquatic eggs generally hatch within one week. Other species go through their whole larval phase inside the eggs or the mother, or have direct development. Unlike salamanders and newts, frogs and toads never become sexually mature while still in their larval stage. Eggs hatch and continue life as tadpoles. Tadpoles are typically herbivorous, feeding mostly on algae, including diatoms filtered from the water through the gills. Some species are carnivorous at the tadpole stage, eating insects, smaller tadpoles, and fish. Cannibalism has been observed among tadpoles. Early developers who gain legs may be eaten by the others, so the late bloomers survive longer.

At the end of the tadpole stage, frogs undergo metamorphosis, in which they transition into the adult form. This metamorphosis last typically only 24 hours. The disappearance of the tail is somewhat later. The material of the tail is used for a quick growth of the legs. After the tail has been reabsorbed, the animals are ready to leave the water and disperse into terrestrial habitats, or continue to live in the aquatic habitat as adults.

Almost all species of frogs are carnivorous as adults, eating invertebrates such as arthropods, annelids and gastropods. A few of the larger species may eat prey such as small mammals, fish and smaller frogs. Some frogs use their sticky tongues to catch fast-moving prey, while others capture their prey and force it into their mouths with their hands. There are some species that primarily eat plants. Adult frogs are preyed upon by birds, large fish, snakes, otters, foxes, badgers and other animals. Frogs can live for many years; recorded living up to 40 years. Frogs from temperate climates hibernate through the winter.

Once adult frogs reach maturity, they will assemble at a water source such as a pond or stream to breed. Many frogs return to the bodies of water where they were born, often resulting in annual migrations involving thousands of frogs. Once at the breeding ground, male frogs call to attract a mate, collectively becoming a chorus of frogs. The call is unique to the species. Some species have satellite males who do not call, but intercept females that are approaching a calling male. The male and female frogs then undergo amplexus. This involves the male mounting the female and gripping her tightly. Fertilization is external: the egg and sperm meet outside of the body. The female releases her eggs, which the male frog covers with a sperm solution. The eggs then swell and develop a protective coating.

Some species of frog lay eggs on the forest floor and protect them, guarding the eggs from predation and keeping them moist. The frog will urinate on them if they become too dry. After hatching, a parent will move them, on its back, to a water-holding bromeliad. The parent then feeds them by laying unfertilized eggs in the bromeliad until the young have metamorphosed. Other frogs carry the eggs and tadpoles on their hind legs. Some frogs even protect their offspring inside their own bodies with pouches along their side. Some swallow their tadpoles, which then develop in the stomach. Some will put the tadpoles in their vocal sac for development. Some species of frog will leave a 'babysitter' to watch over the frogspawn until it hatches.

Frog populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s: more than one third of species are believed to be threatened with extinction and more than 120 species are suspected to be extinct since the 1980s. Habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, the introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and emerging infectious diseases.

Frogs are threatened by the inhumane pet trade. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the wild and exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. The animals also pose safety risks to humans.

Frogs are also victims of the animal entertainment industry, placed on display in zoos, aquariums, businesses and nature centers. They are removed from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.

Lionfish (also called turkeyfish, dragonfish, tigerfish, butterfly cod and scorpionfish) are venomous spiky fish that inhabit warm waters of the western and central Pacific Ocean. Lionfish are predatory fish, hunting small fish. Their venom is used for self-defense and can kill large animals. Lionfish are known for their beautiful colored bodies, covered with zebra-like stripes of red, orange, white, brown or black color, depending on the species.

Lionfish live in coastal waters around rocky crevices, as well as coral reefs with an abundance of smaller fish. There are at least 12 different species of lionfish including the Andover lionfish, Spot-fin lionfish, Red Sea lionfish, Japanese/Luna lionfish, Devil firefish, Frill-fin turkeyfish, Clear-fin lionfish, Soldier lionfish, Hawaiian turkeyfish, Red lionfish, African/Mombasa lionfish and Indian Ocean shortfin lionfish.

The range of the lionfish covers a very large area from western Australia and Malaysia east to French Polynesia and the United Kingdom's Pitcairn Islands, north to southern Japan and southern Korea and south to Lord Howe Island off the east coast of Australia and the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand. In between, the species is found throughout Micronesia.

Lionfish prey on a large variety of small fish and crustaceans. Lionfish are active hunters who ambush their prey by using their outstretched, fan-like pectoral fins to slowly pursue and corner them. The large mouths of lionfish allows them to swallow prey whole. The stomachs of lionfish have the ability to expand up to 30 times their size, allowing lionfish to eat animals larger than themselves. When food sources are scarce, lionfish will even eat other lionfish.

Lionfish have teeth. They are small and are located not only on the upper and lower jaws, but also in a small patch on the roof of their mouths. Their extra teeth aid in grasping prey caught by quick predatory strikes.

Lionfish move about by slowly undulating the soft rays of the dorsal and anal fins. During the day, they sometimes retreat to ledges and crevices among the rocks and corals.

Lionfish are mostly solitary fish, but some live in groups. Lionfish communities usually house one male lionfish and a few female lionfish that he mates with. Male lionfish are very territorial.

A female lionfish can releases up to two million eggs each year – or about 10,000 to 30,000 eggs every four days. The eggs are then fertilized by male lionfish. Lionfish couples hide after mating so their eggs can float away before being seen by predators that eat lionfish eggs. Lionfish eggs hatch in 2 days. A baby lionfish is very small and is called a fry. Baby lionfish remain near the surface of the water until they grow larger. When they are about an inch long they join the reef community. Lionfish reach adult size when they are about 2 years old.

Lionfish have few predators due to their large size and intimidating appearance. Spikes protruding from lionfish contain venom. Lionfish have over 19 spines, 13 along the backside of their bodies. Their spines are not used to hunt; only self-defense.

Lionfish live up to 15 years in the wild.

Lionfish are not currently listed as threatened or endangered in their native range. However, the increase in pollution in coral reefs may negatively affect the lionfish's primary food sources (crustaceans and fish). If lionfish are unable to adapt to declines in their prey species, their numbers may decrease.

Lionfish are victims of the pet trade. The lionfish is a very popular aquarium fish, condemned to a life in a small tank for the amusement of humans.

Lionfish are also an invasive species due to the pet industry, flourishing unnaturally in U.S. Southeast and Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native animals. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs.

Crane are large, long-beaked birds found all over the planet. There are 15 species of crane. Despite their similar appearance to other long-necked birds like storks and herons, cranes are not related genetically to these birds.

Cranes inhabit every continent except the Antarctic and South America. They prefer temperate wetlands and swamps in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The smallest species of crane is the Demoiselle crane. The tallest species of crane is the Sarus crane. The heaviest species of crane is the Red-crowned crane.

Despite being such large birds, cranes are quite agile fliers. Unlike herons, cranes outstretch their necks when flying to help control their large bodies during flight.

Cranes are omnivorous birds, feeding on both plants and animals. They are also opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever they can find in their habitat. Preferring to be near water, cranes usually feed on aquatic organisms such as fish, amphibians and insects, while also eating a variety of plants including seeds, berries, tree bark and grains.

Cranes are very social animals that form large communities called flocks. They communicate with each other via a variety of sounds and body language. Alarm calls inform other birds in the community that a threat is near.

Some species of crane live in a single territory, while others that live in temperature climates migrate seasonally. Migratory crane species travel up to 10,000 miles during migration. Cranes also travel up to 500 miles each day searching for food.

Cranes are monogamous, mating for life. Mating rituals consist of a complicated dance of fast movements of the feet, jumps, bowing and stretching. Nests are constructed in marshy habitats. Female cranes lay two eggs that hatch in about 30 days. Both crane parents care for the babies for up to 10 months. It takes 2 to 4 months for chicks to grow plumage like their parents. Cranes reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 5 years.

Being large animals, cranes have few natural predators. Wildcats, large birds of prey and foxes are common predators of crane babies.

The average lifespan of cranes in the wild is from 20 to 30 years old.

All crane species populations have declined dramatically due to habitat loss, pollution and the illicit pet trade industry. 15 crane species are now either vulnerable in the wild or critically endangered. The Whooping crane, Florida Sandhill crane, Siberian crane and Mississippi Sandhill crane are among the endangered crane species.

Caterpillar are the babies (larvae) of butterflies and moths. There are more than 20,000 different species of caterpillars found around the planet.

The fascinating cycle of caterpillars transforming into butterflies and moths is called complete metamorphosis. The cycle has four stages: egg, larva (the caterpillar stage), pupa (the chrysalis stage), and adult (the butterfly or moth stage).

Butterflies and moths lay their eggs on plant leaves. When caterpillars are first born from the eggs, they are called larva. Larva eat continuously to grow. As caterpillars grow, their skin becomes too tight so they shed, or molt. They molt four or five times. After molting several times, a caterpillar may look very different than when first born – becoming fuzzy and featuring different colors, spines, bristles and tufts (called pencils). Different species of caterpillars vary in size, color and appearance to intimidate their predators to keep from being eaten. When caterpillars are two to four weeks old they begin making a chrysalis, or cocoon. Their cocoons hang from a stick or tree. While inside the cocoon their bodies transform into butterflies or moths – growing antennae, developing wings, and their mouthparts are transformed. They then emerge from the cocoon as a butterfly or moth. They cannot fly right away since their wings are small and wet. When their wings dry, and their muscles are exercised, they fly off the host plant and begin their new lives as butterflies or moths.

Caterpillars have three body parts, like all insects: a head, thorax and an abdomen. Their hard, outer covering is called an exoskeleton. Caterpillars have six pairs of eyes that cannot see images but do detect light intensity. They use their antennae and tiny hairs, called setae, to sense touch. Caterpillars do not breathe through their mouths, but instead breath through holes on the sides of their bodies called spiracles.

Caterpillars have eight pairs of legs. The first three pairs of legs are jointed with hooks and become the butterfly’s legs. Butterflies use just four of these six legs because two are in the front and against their bodies.

Some species of caterpillar, often those that live in tropical rain forests, are poisonous. Some of these species are no longer poisonous when they transform into a butterfly or moth.

Caterpillars, like butterflies and moths, are usually herbivorous animals, but the diets of caterpillars are very different from moths and butterflies. Caterpillars eat mostly plants, leaves, and flowering plants. Some species of caterpillar are carnivorous and eat insects. Butterflies and moths, on the other hand, feed on the nectar of flowers with their long tongues.

The main predators of caterpillars are birds and large insects. They are also preyed upon by small mammals and reptiles.

The biggest threat to caterpillars, butterflies and moths is habitat destruction. Many species are now critically imperiled.

Residential, commercial and animal agricultural development threaten caterpillars, moths and butterflies. Butterflies and moths usually need very specific host plants to lay their eggs on for the caterpillars to eat once they hatch. So, it is in the larval stage that habitat destruction causes the most threat as adult butterflies and moths can often survive on a variety of different nectar sources.

The loss of breeding habitat and overwintering habitat throughout much of the world is creating a decline in butterfly, moth and caterpillar populations. Pesticides are also having a detrimental effect.

Changes in climate also threatens butterflies and moths, changing the migration and breeding range of many species.

The coyote, also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada. It occurs as far north as Alaska and all but the northernmost portions of Canada. There are currently 19 recognized subspecies, with 16 in Canada, Mexico and the United States, and 3 in Central America. Unlike its cousin the gray wolf, which is Eurasian in origin, evolutionary theory suggests the coyote evolved in North America during the Pleistocene epoch 1.81 million years ago alongside the Dire Wolf. Unlike the wolf, the coyote's range has expanded in the wake of human civilization, and coyotes readily reproduce in metropolitan areas.

The color of the coyote's pelt varies from grayish brown to yellowish gray on the upper parts, while the throat and belly tend to have a buff or white color. The forelegs, sides of the head, muzzle and paws are reddish brown. The back has tawny-colored underfur and long, black-tipped guard hairs that form a black dorsal stripe and a dark cross on the shoulder area. The black-tipped tail has a scent gland located on its base. The ears are proportionately large in relation to the head, while the feet are relatively small in relation to the rest of the body. Coyotes typically grow to up to 30–34 inches in length, not counting a tail of 12–16 inches, stand about 23–26 inches at the shoulder and, on average, weigh from 15–46 lb. Northern coyotes are typically larger than southern subspecies, with the largest coyotes on record weighing 74¾ pounds and measuring over five feet in total length. Coyotes shed once a year, beginning in May with light hair loss, ending in July after heavy shedding.

Female coyotes go into heat once a year, and remain in heat for 2–5 days between late January and late March, during which mating occurs. Once the female chooses a partner, the mated pair may remain temporarily monogamous for a number of years. The gestation period lasts from 60 to 63 days. Litter size ranges from 1 to 19 pups; the average is 6. These large litters act against the high juvenile mortality rate, with approximately 50–70% of pups not surviving to adulthood. The pups are initially blind and limp-eared. Coyote growth rate is faster than that of wolves. The eyes open and ears become erect after 10 days. Around 21–28 days after birth, the young begin to emerge from the den, and by 35 days they are fully weaned. Both parents feed the weaned pups with regurgitated food. Male pups will disperse from their dens between months 6 and 9, while females usually remain with the parents and form the basis of the pack. The pups attain full growth between 9 and 12 months. Sexual maturity is reached by 12 months.

The calls a coyote makes are high-pitched and variously described as howls, yips, yelps, and barks. These calls may be a long rising and falling note (a howl) or a series of short notes (yips). The calls are most often heard at dusk or night, but may sometimes be heard in the day or in the middle of the day. Although the calls are made throughout the year, they are most common during the spring mating season and in the fall when the pups leave their families to establish new territories. When a coyote calls his pack together, he howls at one high note. When the pack is together, he howls higher and higher, and then they yip and yelp and also do a yi-yi sound, very shrill, with the howl.

Coyotes are opportunistic, versatile carnivores with a 90% mammalian diet, depending on the season. They primarily eat small mammals, such as voles, prairie dogs, eastern cottontails, ground squirrels, and mice - though they will eat birds, snakes, lizards, deer, javelina, and livestock, as well as large insects and other large invertebrates. The coyote will also target any species of bird that nests on the ground. Though they will consume large amounts of carrion, they tend to prefer fresh meat. Fruits and vegetables are a significant part of the coyote's diet in the autumn and winter months.

Part of the coyote's success as a species is its dietary adaptability. As such, coyotes have been known to eat human rubbish and domestic pets. Urban populations of coyotes have been known to actively hunt cats, and to leap shorter fences to take small dogs. However, this behavior is often reported when normal urban prey, such as brown rats, black rats and rabbits, have become scarce.

Coyotes shift their hunting techniques in accordance with their prey. When hunting small animals such as mice, they slowly stalk through the grass, and use their acute sense of smell to track down the prey. When the prey is located, the coyotes stiffen and pounce on the prey in a cat-like manner. Coyotes will commonly work in teams when hunting large ungulates such as deer, which is more common in winter (when large prey is likely weakened) and in larger-bodied Northern coyotes. Coyotes may take turns in baiting and pursuing the deer to exhaustion, or they may drive it towards a hidden member of the pack. Coyotes are persistent hunters, with successful attacks sometimes lasting as long as 21 hours; even unsuccessful ones can continue more than 8 hours before the coyotes give up. Packs of coyotes can bring down prey as large as adult elk.

Despite being extensively hunted, the coyote is one of the few medium-to-large-sized animals that has enlarged its range since human encroachment began. It originally ranged primarily in the western half of North America, but it has adapted readily to the changes caused by human presence and, since the early 19th century, has been steadily and dramatically extending its range. Sightings now commonly occur in a majority of the United States and Canada. Coyotes inhabit nearly every contiguous U.S. state and Alaska. Coyotes have moved into most of the areas of North America formerly occupied by wolves, and are often observed foraging in suburban garbage bins. Coyotes thrive in suburban settings and even some urban ones. Urban coyotes tend to live longer than their rural counterparts, and live anywhere from parks to industrial areas.

Destruction and fragmentation of habitat has resulted in dramatic conflicts with carnivores such as coyotes.

The killing of wild carnivores has long been common practice in North America, as they are often viewed as a threat to humans and domestic animals...rather than an important part of the ecosystem. They are also killed to protect corporate-owned lands, and to boost “game” stocks for hunters. Trophy hunting and trapping take a massive toll on carnivores across the continent.

“Damage control programs” result in the killing of million of animals by the U.S government each year. Government agencies and private interests employ a disturbing array of lethal methods to kill an alarming number of carnivores including: leghold traps, neck snares, poisoning, clubbing, trapping, gunning from helicopters, hounding, baiting, shooting, and killing pups in their dens.

These techniques are inhumane and do not address the root causes of conflicts; nor do they provide long-lasting solutions.

A fox is a member of any of 27 species of small omnivorous canids. The animal most commonly called a fox in the Western world is the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), although different species of foxes can be found on almost every continent. With most species roughly the size of a domestic cat, foxes are smaller than other members of the family Canidae, such as wolves, jackals, and domestic dogs.

Recognizable characteristics also include pointed muzzles and bushy tails. Other physical characteristics vary according to their habitat. For example, the Desert Fox has large ears and short fur, whereas the Arctic Fox has small ears and thick, insulating fur. Unlike many canids, foxes are not pack animals.

Foxes are solitary, opportunistic feeders that hunt live prey (especially rodents). Using a pouncing technique practiced from an early age, they are usually able to kill their prey quickly. Foxes also gather a wide variety of other foods ranging from grasshoppers to fruit and berries. Foxes are nearly always extremely wary of humans, and are not kept as pets. However, foxes are to be readily found in cities and domestic gardens.

Foxes do not come together in chorus like wolves or coyotes do. Fox families, however, keep in contact with a wide array of different sounds. These sounds grade into one another and span five octaves; each fox has its own characteristically individual voice. Fox noises can be divided, with a few exceptions, into two different groups: contact sounds and interaction sounds. The former is used by foxes communicating over long distances, the latter in close quarters.

"Wow-wow-wow": The most well-known vulpine noise is a sort of barking that spans three to five syllables. Conversations made up of these noises often occur between widely spaced foxes. As their distance decreases, the sound becomes quieter. A cub is greeted with the quietest version of this sound.

The alarm bark: This monosyllabic sound is made by an adult to warn cubs of danger. From far away it sounds like a sharp bark, but at closer range it resembles a muffled cough, like a football rattle or a stick along a picket fence.

Gekkering: This is a stuttering, throaty noise made at aggressive encounters. It is most frequently heard in the courting season, or when kits are at play.

The vixen's wail: This is a long, drawn-out, monosyllabic, and rather eerie wail most commonly made during the breeding season; it is widely thought that it is made by a vixen in heat summoning dog-foxes. Contrary to common belief, however, it is also made by the males, evidently serving some other purpose as well. This noise fits into neither the contact nor the interaction group.

Foxes are at risk from habitat loss, inhumane trapping, hunting and vehicle deaths. Fox penning is an indefensible and barbaric blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase - and sometimes rip apart - foxes and coyotes taken from the wild.

Foxes are senselessly tortured and killed to satisfy the dictates of fashion. Wild-caught fox fur is obtained by setting traps or snares. Once an animal is caught, it may remain in the trap or snare for several days starving or slowly strangling. Farm-raised fox fur comes from animals kept in tiny, filthy cages, deprived of adequate protection from the elements. As a result, animals develop stereotypical behavior, including pacing, head bobbing and self-mutilation. On fur farms, foxes are electrocuted by placing a metal clamp on the snout and forcing a rod into the anus, and then connecting the metal to a power source. Some animals are forced into bags or boxes and gassed with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.

Howler monkeys are one of the largest species of monkeys inhabiting the forests and savannas of South America. Being the loudest animals in the world, they are known for their distinctive calls that can be heard miles away. There are 9 different species of howler monkey. Howler monkeys inhabit the central parts of South America in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay.

Howler monkeys are New World monkeys. Unlike Old World monkeys, New World monkey possess wide, side-opening nostrils and do not have pads on their rumps. They also have prehensile tails, or tails that can grip. Howler monkeys are diurnal; they are active during the day and sleep at night.

Howler monkeys possess large necks and jaws that enable them to make their loud vocalizations. They have long tails that help them to grasp branches and move through the forest canopies. Despite being large monkeys, howler monkeys weigh very little allowing them to move through the forest with great agility. Their light weight also allows howler monkeys to hang from branches by their tails.

Howler monkeys have beards and long, thick hair. Male howler monkeys and female howler monkeys have a very different appearance. Female howler monkeys have yellow to olive brown fur. Male howler monkeys have black fur. Male howler monkeys are larger than female howler monkeys.

Howler monkeys move in troops of up to 18 howler monkeys. The leader of a howler monkey troop is usually an elder male. Troop members spend much of their time grooming each other and sleeping. Howler monkeys are believed to be one of the least active monkeys.

Howler monkeys can project their voices for miles. Howler monkeys usually howl during the mornings and evenings to alert neighboring troops of their presence. Howling sessions involve the entire troop of howler monkeys. Howler monkey calls sound like a loud roar or whooping bark. After one troop of howler monkeys calls, another troop answers. Despite being territorial, howler monkeys rarely engage in conflict and sometimes even share an overlapping territory.

Howler monkeys feed mostly on eat leaves, but will sometimes eat fruit, seeds, flowers, buds and moss. Howler monkeys get most of their water from the food they eat.

Howler monkeys prefer not to jump from tree to tree, rather they use their hands, feet, or tails to hold on to one tree as they reach to the next tree. They will link together hand-to-tail between trees to create a bridge for young howler monkeys to walk across.

Howler monkey females usually have one baby each year. When howler monkey babies are born they are a light golden brown so they can hide in their mother’s fur. Girl baby howler monkeys maintain the light brown color fur. Boy baby howler monkey fur darkens to black in about three years.

Howler monkeys live to be around 20 years old. Being large animals, howler monkeys have few predators with the exception of harpy eagles and humans.

Howler monkeys are threatened with habitat loss from clear cutting and logging by the animal agriculture industry. Their populations are in decline, especially in the Argentinean provinces of Salta, Formosa, Misiones and Corrientes. The Yucatán Black howler monkey is endangered. Howler monkeys are also targeted for bushmeat.

The dingo is a medium-sized canine inhabiting the Australian continent and Southeast Asia. The dingo is believed to have been a domesticated dog that returned to the wild thousands of years ago.

The dingo lives in a variety of habitats on the Australian mainland and surrounding islands in forests, rainforests, shrublands and the outskirts of deserts. The dingo is also found throughout Southeast Asia in natural forests in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papau New Guinea, Burma, Thailand and southern China.

The dingo is not a dog. Dingoes are semi-domesticated but are more wolf-like than dog-like. The dingo may have once been domesticated by humans, but was abandoned and reverted to a wild state. It is thought that travelers from Southeast Asia or Indonesia brought the dingo to Australia about 4000 years ago. Abandoned by humans, the dingo regained its wolfish instincts. Some dingoes interacted with Australian Aboriginal tribes, but they were not kept as pets.

Varied Australia climates helped to develop the dingo into different types. The Desert dingo has a compact body size and is a golden yellow, reddish or sand color. The Alpine dingo has a light cream coat is very rare in the wild. The Northern dingo does not have the double coat like the Desert dingo and Alpine dingo, and possess a finer stature.

The dingo is the largest predator on the Australian continent, an apex predator, playing a vital role in the varied ecosystems of Australia. The dingo is considered an important part of the native Australian fauna, as the dingo lived on the continent before the arrival of Europeans and a mutual adaptation of dingoes and the surrounding ecosystems occurred.

The dingo lives in a pack of about 10 dingo individuals. Some dingoes are nocturnal, active at night. Other dingoes are active during the daytime. Dingoes travel together and hunt together and are lead by a dominant female dingo and a dominant male dingo. Members of the pack care for the dominant female’s young.

The dingo has unique wrists, capable of rotation like human wrists. This amazing ability for a canine enables the dingo to use its paws like human hands. Dingoes have larger canine teeth than domestic dogs. They have permanently erect ears. Dingo limbs are double-jointed and their necks can turn 180 degrees. Dingoes are also exceptional runners, climbers and jumpers. The dingo does not bark, but howls like a wolf.

The dingo eats a mostly carnivorous diet. The dingo diet is similar to other pack-canines such as wolves. Dingoes hunt small reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects and mammals, including wallabys and kangaroos. They also eat fruit, grains and nuts.

Dingoes breed once a year, usually before August in the south of Australia and after August in the north of Australia. Following a gestation period of about 2 months, female dingoes give birth to a litter of 1 to 10 babies. The pups are blind when first born. Dingo pups leave their mother's den when they are about 8 weeks old. At 3 years old they find a mate and often mate for life.

Because dingoes are large animals and have a dominant nature, the dingo has no predators in its natural environment with the exceptions of humans and occasionally crocodiles.

Dingoes are threatened by persecution by humans, habitat loss and domestic dogs.

Despite being considered a native animal under Federal law, Individual State laws consider the dingo a pest to be controlled. Control methods of the dingo include shooting, poison baiting and trapping. While the dingo is often accused of preying on sheep, analysis of the stomach contents of dingoes has shown that sheep are not a significant part of the dingo diet.

Humans continue to move further into the dingo habitat, creating habitat loss and reducing the buffer zone between dingoes and domestic dogs. This increases the interactions between dingoes, established wild dogs and roaming domestic dogs. Dingoes breed with domestic dogs and produce hybrid animals. Their pure genetic strain is being compromised. Over a third of southeastern Australia's dingoes are now hybrids.

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammal and bird populations. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognized, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, primitive southern foxes of Asia and the Middle East.

Red foxes are social animals, whose groups are led by a mated pair which monopolizes breeding. Subordinates within a group are typically the young of the mated pair, who remain with their parents to assist in caring for new kits. The species primarily feeds on small rodents, though it may also target leporids, game birds, reptiles, invertebrates and young ungulates. Fruit and vegetable matter is also eaten on occasion. Although the red fox tends to displace or even kill its smaller cousins, it is nonetheless vulnerable to attack from larger predators such as wolves, coyotes, golden jackals and medium and large felines. The species has a long history of association with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for centuries, as well as being prominently represented in human folklore and mythology. Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the inhumane fur trade.

Red foxes use their urine to mark their territories. Urine is also used to mark empty cache sites, as reminders not to waste time investigating them. Red foxes live in family group sharing a joint territory or a pack, scout or troop made of an alpha male and/or female with rogues (loner or abandoned foxes) and family members. In favorable habitats and/or areas with low hunting pressure, subordinate foxes may be present in a range. Subordinate foxes may number 1-2, sometimes up to 8 in one territory. These subordinates could be formerly dominant animals, but are mostly young from the previous year, who act as helpers in rearing the breeding vixen's kits. Non-breeding vixens will guard, play, groom, provision and retrieve kits. Red foxes may leave their families once they reach adulthood if the chances of winning a territory of their own are high. If not, they will stay with their parents, at the cost of postponing their own reproduction.

Red fox body language consists of movements of the ears, tail and postures, with their body markings emphasizing certain gestures. Postures can be divided into aggressive/dominant and fearful/submissive categories. Some postures may blend the two together. Red foxes have a wide vocal range, and produce different sounds spanning five octaves, which grade into each other.

Foxes are at risk from habitat loss, inhumane trapping, hunting and vehicle deaths. Fox penning is an indefensible and barbaric blood sport in which dozens of dogs compete in a fenced-in area to chase - and sometimes rip apart - foxes and coyotes taken from the wild.

Foxes are senselessly tortured and killed to satisfy the dictates of fashion. Wild-caught fox fur is obtained by setting traps or snares. Once an animal is caught, it may remain in the trap or snare for several days starving or slowly strangling. Farm-raised fox fur comes from animals kept in tiny, filthy cages, deprived of adequate protection from the elements. As a result, animals develop stereotypical behavior, including pacing, head bobbing and self-mutilation. On fur farms, foxes are electrocuted by placing a metal clamp on the snout and forcing a rod into the anus, and then connecting the metal to a power source. Some animals are forced into bags or boxes and gassed with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.

On rainy nights, in late March or early April, if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place, at the right time, you will hear the almost eerie sound of the spring peepers. These tiny treefrogs and the equally vocal wood frogs sing at night, in the rain, when temperatures are above 40 degrees.

 

Spring Peepers, also called Chorus Frogs, are amphibians (animals that live part of their lives in water and part on land). Though they rarely climb a tree above the level of your knee, these little gems are a type of treefrog.

Spring Peepers are very small, about the size of a nickel, and brown-green, with "X" marks on their backs. This coloring allows them to blend into the background, so predators, including curious humans, can’t find them. During this season, the throats of the male are gray in color and, surprisingly, they also have mustaches.

A Spring Peeper pushes air out of a sac in its throat and draws it quickly back in, to make two clear notes. “Peep out! Peep in!” The call of male Spring Peepers forms a loud chorus, each singing its high-pitched song.

Spring Peepers will begin to appear in February or March, when the ground has thawed and the cold rains of early spring soften the earth. They gather at pools and puddles filled by winter rains and snowmelt. Woodland ponds surrounded by bushes, with branches and twigs in and above the water, are perfect for them. Like all treefrogs, they have sticky round toepads that they use to climb and cling to the twigs and bark. You'll also find Spring Peepers in fields and other low places, where they cling to stalks of grass.

Male Spring Peepers call out from their perches, peeping to attract a mate. They prefer to stay close to the deepest end of these temporary pools; the better to jump into the water and hide if anything threatening comes too close. ‘Though harbingers of spring, sometimes, you may also hear a lone male peeper calling in the autumn.

Frog populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s: more than one third of species are believed to be threatened with extinction and more than 120 species are suspected to be extinct since the 1980s. Habitat loss is a significant cause of frog population decline, as are pollutants, the introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and emerging infectious diseases.

Frogs are threatened by the inhumane pet trade. Every year, a variety of sources provides millions of animals to the wild and exotic pet trade. Animals are captured from their native habitat and transported to various countries to be sold as “pets”. Others are surplus animals from zoos or their offspring. Backyard breeders also supply exotic animals. The sellers of these animals often disregard state or local laws regulating private possession of exotics,  and the dangers, difficulties, physical and physiological needs of the animals they peddle. The suffering of the animals in the hands of unqualified and hapless buyers appears to be of no concern in the lucrative exotic pet trade. The animals also pose safety risks to humans.

Frogs are also victims of the animal entertainment industry, placed on display in zoos, aquariums, businesses and nature centers. They are removed from their natural habitat; depriving them of the ability to freely engage in instinctual behaviors. Both children and adults are desensitized to animal mistreatment by the animal entertainment industry. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity is cruel for wild animals. Confined to tiny areas and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. While zoos may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals.