Group 7

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Xt8dTqydn7w/Sy8ig-dIfWI/AAAAAAAAAWs/8Amk2qYKQpY/kangaroo%20rat.jpg The Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys  Hermann  Morrosesis https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/6367 Description and Ecology: While the scientific name  Dipodomys  Hermann  Morrosesis covers several sub-species of kangaroo rats, the specific individual we wish to concentrate this blog on is the Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat. This particular sub-species is solely found in the county of San Luis Obispo, California. Sporting a darker color, smaller build, and specific locale, the Morro Bay kangaroo rat is a noticed subspecies under the general name of Hermann kangaroo rat. At about 15cm long (1ft including tail), and a weight of 70-80  grams  this rodent, while called a rat, is in fact more closely related to  squirrels . It inhabits habitats with  stabilized  sand dunes and coastal scrub/chaparral communities. The sandy soils are  essential  for the "rat", for they utilize underground

                            The Red Wolf By: William Motluk Bewley http://i.imgur.com/iWEgb.jpg Considered to be the rarest species of wolf in the world, the Red Wolf has been listed as critically endangered by the IUCN since 1998. Reintroduced in 1987 into eastern North Carolina after becoming extinct in the wild, the Red Wolf population is currently estimated at less than 150 individuals. [i] The adult population in the wild is closer to 50 or fewer. Red Wolfs were bread in captivity following their wild extinction in 1980, and were later re-introduced by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Even after their re-introduction, they remain critically endangered and threatened by hybridization with coyotes. [ii]   Though the wolves historically bred with other wolves, their reduced numbers prompted cross breeding with coyotes to such an extent that fewer than 20 captured wolves were eligible for the captive breeding program. [iii] Once release

Panthera onca The Jaguar Elizabeth Neill BIO 227 Description and Ecology of Organism The  Panthera onca  is commonly called the jaguar. Historically, this cat has roamed across the southwestern U.S. (including Louisiana) and Mexico, extending  down to northern Argentina. The Jaguar can live up to 12 years in the wild. They are commonly found in dense, forested habitats. These lean, muscular mammals range from 150 to 180 cm in length and can be up to 75 cm tall (up to the shoulder). Their coat colors range from pale yellow to dark reddish brown, with the small black spots (as seen above). There are also many black jaguars, which have barely visible black spots. These animals are solitary, being most active at dusk and dawn. However during mating season, males travel with the females.The cats communicate through grunting vocalizations. Resting near sources of water is preferred by the animals. They are also found resting in tree branches, sometimes due to flooding. Jagua

March’s Palm Pit Viper (Bothriechis Marchi) http://www.lazoo.org/blog/tag/rowleys-pit-viper/ Description and Ecology: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/30846-Bothriechis-marchi.0.kRzvOWsQOXM#imgrc=-35rDhjYmzQSnM: The March’s Palm Pit Viper, also known as Bothriechis Marchi is one of 10 venomous pit viper species. Palm Pit Vipers tend to be small and relatively slim (around 2 to 3 feet long). They are often spotted near low-lying palms. They can be distinguished by their green/bluish-green color and their lack of “horns”, comparable to the eyelash pit viper, a closely related pit viper species. Bothriechis marchi is a poorly researched species of neo-tropical palm viper, with little being know about its natural ecology. They are  arboreal (rarely seen on the ground), and have a fairly long prehensile tail. March’s palm pit vipers are able to utilize a variety of microhabitat when hunting or resting