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The most endangered asiatic top predator, the Dhole is on the edge of extinction.

The Dhole', also known as the Asiatic Wild Dog, Indian Wild Dog or Red Dog is an endangered species of Asian canid, and the only member of the genus Cuon. It once ranged across East and South Asia from Russia Far East to Sumatra. Their range is severely fragmented and reduced and there are little over 2,000 individuals left in the wild.

It typically weighs 12–20 kilograms (26–44 lb) and measures 90 centimetres (35 in) in body length and 50 centimetres (20 in) shoulder height. The tail measures 40–45 centimetres (16–18 in) in length.

It is primarily a diurnal hunter, though it is not uncommon for it to hunt by night too. Solitary Dholes usually limit themselves to small prey such as Chital fawns and Indian Hares, while a pair or trio of Dholes suffices to kill medium sized ungulates such as deer in 2 minutes. Dholes will on rare occasions attack young gaur and water buffalo.

The western or lowland bongo is a herbivorous, mostly nocturnal forest ungulate and among the largest of the African forest antelope species.

Bongos are characterised by a striking reddish-brown coat, black and white markings, white-yellow stripes and long slightly spiralled horns.

The eastern or mountain bongo has a coat even more vibrant than that of lowland bongo. The mountain bongo is only found in the wild in one remote region of central Kenya. They are larger and heavier than the western bongo.

Bongos are one of the largest of the forest antelopes. In addition to the deep chestnut colour of their coats, they have bright white stripes on their sides to help camouflage them from their enemies.

Social organization and behavior

Like other forest ungulates, bongos are seldom seen in large groups. Males, called bulls, tend to be solitary while groups of females with young live in groups of 6 to 8. Bongos have seldom been seen in herds of more than 20. The preferred habitat of this species is so dense and difficult to operate in that few Europeans or Americans observed this species until the 1960s.

As young males mature and leave their maternal groups they most often remain solitary, although rarely they join-up with an older male. Adult males of similar size/age tend to avoid one another. Occasionally they meet and spar with their horns in a ritualised manner and rarely serious fights will take place. However, such fights are usually discouraged by visual displays, in which the males bulge their necks, roll their eyes and hold their horns in a vertical position while slowly pacing back and forth in front of the other male. They seek out females only during mating time. When they are with a herd of females, males do not coerce them or try to restrict their movements as do some other antelopes.

Although mostly nocturnal, they are occasionally active during the day. However, like deer, it may be that bongos may exhibit crepuscular behaviour. Bongos are both timid and easily frightened; after a scare a bongo moves away at considerable speed, even through dense undergrowth. They seek cover, where they stand still and alert, facing away from the disturbance and turning their heads from time to time to check on the situation. The bongo's hindquarters are less conspicuous than the forequarters, and from this position the animal can quickly flee.

When in distress the bongo emits a bleat. It uses a limited number of vocalisations, mostly grunts and snorts while females have a weak mooing contact-call for their young. Females prefer to use traditional calving grounds restricted to certain areas, while newborn calves lie in hiding for a week or more, receiving short visits by the mother to suckle.

Diet

Like many forest ungulates bongos are herbivorous browsers and feed on tree/bush leaves, bushes, vines, bark and pith of rotting trees, grasses/herbs, roots, cereals, shrubs and fruits.

Bongos require salt in their diet, and are known to regularly visit natural salt licks. Examination of bongo feces revealed that the charcoal from trees burnt by lightning is consumed. They have been known to eat burned wood after lightning storms. This behavior is believed to be a means of getting salts and minerals into their diet.

Suitable habitats for bongos must have permanent water available. A large animal, the bongo requires an ample amount of food, and is restricted to areas with abundant year-round growth of herbs and low shrubs. Such restrictions have been said to account for the animal's limited distribution.

The Pinta Island tortoise - Without argument, this turtle is one of the few species of Giant Galapagos tortoises and the rarest animal in the world since there is only one left alive. Lonesome George is the sole surviving member of the Pinta Island race, the giant tortoise being a symbol for the fragility of the Galapagos islands, and a constant reminder for vigilence and conservation of the species. The species was considered extinct until 1971, when a lone example was located by rangers. Since then, the Charles Darwin Research Station has been searching for a female tortoise, even posting a reward of $10,000 to those that find one.

Endangered Fennec Hare Born at Korea Zoo

The birth of one of the world's rarest creatures was celebrated this week at North Korea's Pyongyang People's Zoo. The Fennec Hare is on the brink of extinction with only a handful remaining in captivity.

Once found throughout the Iperian Steppe, but now critically endangered, the Fennec hare relies on its acute auditory sense to evade predators and detect its favored prey, the D. carota beetle.

The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is a very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than an adult man's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.