Okapi

    The okapi lives in the forest and rainforest and eats most plants and fungi. They face threats to their survival. Part of it is because of deforestation, human settlers and poaching (poaching is the illegal hunting, killing, or capturing of animals).  Now there are only 22,000 left in the wild.

Fun facts about okapi!

- A fun name for the okapi is the forest giraffe!

- The okapi’s tongue measures 18 inches long! They are able to touch their ears with it! 

- They were not discovered until 1901.

- The okapi communicates using quiet “chuff” noises.

- They mostly rely on hearing because of their bad eyesight.

Giant panda

    The giant panda is an endangered species and it may become extinct. Their greatest threat is habitat loss. Illegal hunting is no longer a problem; hunting for pandas is a crime and the consequences are harsh if you hunt them. In 2013 it was estimated that there were less than 2,500 adult  giant pandas living in the wild.

Fun facts about giant pandas!

- The giant panda’s diet is 99% bamboo and they spend up to 12 hours a day eating it!

- They live in a few mountain ranges in central China.

- They weigh up to 300 pounds.

- They live about 20 years.

- Giant pandas grow up to be 4-5 feet tall.

- They can climb as high as 13,000 feet in the air!

Blue whale

    Blue whales are another endangered animal. In the late 19th/early 20th century, blue whales were heavily hunted. And despite a global hunting ban in 1966, their population has dropped by 70-90 percent in the past 150 years. With only 10,000 left in the wild, these magnificent creatures are today classified as endangered.

    Fun facts about blue whales!

- They are the largest animals to have ever lived on the Earth.

- Despite their huge size, blue whales eat tiny shrimp-like crustaceans called krill. 

- To communicate they make super loud vocal sounds which are the loudest on Earth.

- They weigh more than 286,601 pounds!

African bush elephant 

    The African bush elephant is an endangered animal because they require large amounts of food and an area in which to forage. So habitat destruction is a major threat to their survival. Poaching has likely caused the most damage to the African bush elephant populations, with about 25,000 being lost every year. 

Facts about African bush elephants!

- Their life span is up to 70 years.

- African bush elephants are also known as the African savanna elephants.

- Their large ears are shaped like Africa!

- They eat grasses, leaves, and other plants and if they are not able to reach the leaves on a tree they will knock the tree down with their tusks.