North America // Vulnerable // Squamata // image source
The southern hog-nosed snake is one of several species of hog-nosed snakes. They are known not only for their upturned nose, but also for their ability to dramatically play dead when a predator is near.
Tropical Oceans // Vulnerable // Chondrichthyes // image source
Sharks and rays are closely related. The aptly named shark ray looks like a combination of both, but it is a large species of ray, growing to nearly 10 feet long. Like many other sharks and rays, it is dying out as a result of overfishing.
Northern, Southern oceans // Vulnerable // Chondrichthyes // image source
Fun Fact: Basking sharks feed primarily on zooplankton and other tiny animals. Despite their similarities to the whale shark, they are not closely related (as far as sharks go).
New Guinea (endemic) // Vulnerable // Psittaciformes // image source
Fun Fact: Pesquet’s Parrot is also known as the Vulturine Parrot. However, unlike vultures who have bald faces to keep rotting meat from sticking to their feathers, the Pesquet’s Parrot has a bald face to keep fruit from sticking to its feathers.
Southeast Asia // Vulnerable // Cartilaginous Fish // image source
Fun Fact: The giant freshwater stingray is one of the largest freshwater fish. There have been reports of them weighing up to 600 kg.
East Asia // Vulnerable // Artiodactyla // photo source
Fun Fact: Male water deer have tusks instead of antlers.
Galapagos Islands (endemic) // Vulnerable // Squamata // image source
Fun Fact: Marine iguanas can dive up to 30 feet deep. They are the only lizards to spend much of their time in the ocean.
Northwest Australia // Vulnerable // Peramelemorphia // image source
Fun Fact: Bilbies do not drink water. Like most Australian mammals, they are marsupials.
Southeast Asia // Vulnerable // Carnivora // photo source
Fun Fact: Believe it or not, the musk of the binturong smells like buttered popcorn.
Southern Europe // Vulnerable // Caudata // image source
Fun Fact: Because olms live in very dark caves, their eyes never properly develop, leaving them blind.
