Conservation of Endangered Animal Species

By Darwin Museum

By State Darwin Museum

State Darwin Museum

Female leopard with a cub (1960/1960) by G. N. GlikmanState Darwin Museum

Preserving Endangered Species

The population of wild animals on our planet is constantly decreasing. This mass extinction is mainly causedby human activities. Endangered and rare species require special care, because their extinction may take place in a very short time. That is why the conservation of endangered species is considered a priority goal in our country.   

Wolves (1995/1995) by V. A. GoryachevaState Darwin Museum

There are about 35 000 specimens of the Russian desman on our planet, and almost all of them live in Russia. This animal inhabits floodplain lakes and slow-moving streams. The Russian desman was the object of intense fur trade until 1920. Its fur and musk were especially valuable. The main reasons of this species population decline are water pollution, drainage of floodplains, and deforestation. Many animals die in fishing nets. The Russian desman is included as endangered species in the Red Data List.

Chlamydotis undulataState Darwin Museum

Birds

The houbara bustard or North African houbara lives in the sandy borderland area of clayey semi-deserts and deserts. The males have a beautiful fluffy collar of long, wide, black and wide feathers. This species is known for a peculiar manner of running in a zigzag pattern. The population of the houbara bustard has significantly decreased because of intense human activities in its nesting area.

Otis tardaState Darwin Museum

The great bustard is the inhabitant of the steppe zone of Eurasia. At first, human activities increased population of the great bustard but later on intense hunting and plowing of the steppes put the species on the brink of extinction. Their nests can be found in fields. These birds often leave their nests because of restless environment; many eggs and chicks die under the wheels of agricultural machinery.

Phalacrocorax pygmaeusState Darwin Museum

The habitat of Pygmy cormorants includes lakes, floodplains and river deltas with dense thickets of reeds and willows. Pygmy cormorants are excellent divers. They often have to wait until their plumage is dry again because it usually gets wet after hunting in the water area. These birds dry their plumage by taking an interesting pose: stretching out their long necks and spreading their wings. The main causes of the population decrease are water pollution and the lack of fish.

Tetraogallus altaicusState Darwin Museum

Altai snowcocks prefer high mountainous environments. Despite its appearance, Altai snowcocks can be extraordinarily nimble and quick. These birds can easily climb the hills using wings and strong calloused feet. Harsh environment of high mountains in summer (snowfalls and low temperatures at night) cause the population decrease. The hunting of Altai snowcocks is prohibited.

Aquila chrysaetosState Darwin Museum

The females of Golden eagles are significantly larger than males, and can weigh almost seven kg. These birds are known for their extremely keen eyesight which allows them to find their prey in hardly accessible places. For example, this species is able to see a hare at a distance of a few km. Golden eagles have to move their head to look around because their eyes are too big to move in the eye sockets. The population decline is primarily caused by human activities (illegal hunting, poison baits, loud noise near the eagles’ nests, and destruction of nesting habitats).

Falco rusticolusState Darwin Museum

Gyrfalcons are the most northerly birds of prey and the largest species among falcons. Gyrfalcons mostly feed on willow ptarmigans. Gyrfalcons are very strong, they are able to rapidly fly up and kill their prey even in flight. The main reasons of decreasing population are poaching and the arctic foxes traps. Illegal trapping and trade of gyrfalcons are stimulated by their high value as hunting birds.

Falco peregrinusState Darwin Museum

Peregrine falcons are the fastest birds in the world. The bird is able to exceed 300 km/h in a dive flight. During the Second World War, the peregrines were used to intercept the pigeon post. Today they prevent collisions of airplanes with other birds by dispersing them at the airports. Also peregrine falcons can be used in guarding architectural monuments by scaring away pigeons and crows. Peregrine falcons like other large falcons (saker falcons and gyrfalcons) are one of the most vulnerable birds. They are included into the Red Lists of Threatened Species of almost all countries where peregrine falcons used to be very common.

Branta (Rufibrenta) ruficollisState Darwin Museum

It is impossible to confuse the red-breasted goose with any other bird. It has a very exquisite appearance and became the symbol of international ornithological congress in Moscow in 1982. The images of red-breasted geese were found on ancient Egyptian frescoes. Red-breasted geese have been highly valued for a long time and often were kept in captivity. In the XVIIIth century “the red geese” were brought from Siberia according to imperial decrees. This species has a very limited habitat and breed only in Russia. In 1992 a commemorative coin of 10 rubbles nominal value with an image of a red-breasted goose was issued by the Central Bank of Russia.

Bubo blakistoniState Darwin Museum

Along with the Siberian tiger this large bird can be called the symbol of the Ussuri taiga. Blakiston's fish owl prefers to live in hollows of old trees with plenty of aquatic prey nearby. However old forests and hollow trees are often harvested which inevitably reduces the area of original habitat. These birds can hunt in two different ways: they look out for prey, quickly dive into the water snatching it or start probing the bottom by foot having lifted wings and a tail.

Marmaronetta angustirostrisState Darwin Museum

The bird got its name due to unusual plumage that looks like marble: sandy-brown color with light spots. In Russia the species habitat is not varied, it includes the Pricaspian region and the Volga Delta. It mainly caused by human activities (agricultural land development, diversion of water for irrigation and drainage of wetlands). Although marbled duck hunting is prohibited in Russia, these birds are still endangered because hunters can’t always identify the marbled duck in flight.

Anser erythropusState Darwin Museum

Poaching is the main reason for the inclusion of this species in the Russian Red Data Book. There is a significant difference between the lesser white-fronted goose and the greater white-fronted goose: the lesser white-fronted geese are smaller and have a large white spot on their foreheads reaching their crown. These birds often become the hunters’ prey. This species is known for a subtle squeak during the flight. The birds nest in the Northern mountainous taiga region, and spend winter in the southern regions. The lesser white-fronted goose spend almost half of their lives in the air, they can cover almost 8 th km per year.

Anser cygnoidesState Darwin Museum

The swan goose also has another name – the Chinese goose because it was domesticated in China over 3 th years ago. The species is the same size as a domestic goose, but its neck is thinner and longer, so it looks more like a swan on the pond or in flight. The main reasons of the population decline are credulity and curiosity of these birds as well as noticeability and accessibility of their habitat during the breeding season.

Oxyura leucocephalaState Darwin Museum

The characteristic features of these large ducks are a white head with black crown and a blue beak. White- headed ducks spend most of their life in the water; they almost never come ashore, because these ducks don’t walk well. They swim and dive wonderfully. White-headed ducks are reluctant to fly, in case of danger they prefer to escape by diving or hiding in the reeds. One of the reasons for the population decline is the destruction of natural habitats caused by human activities.

Aix galericulataState Darwin Museum

This representative of an order of Anseriformes has a strikingly beautiful and harmonious plumage. The main habitats of these miniature ducks are mountain rivers with lush vegetation in the coastal zone. Couples prefer building nests in hollows of trees high off the ground. After hatching chicks leave their nests. Thanks to light weight, they can glide like parachutists. Mandarin ducks live in the Far East. Raccoon dogs often destroy their nests. Hunting also causes the decrease of population.

Pernis apivorusState Darwin Museum

This predatory bird has a very unusual name. It reflects the peculiarity of this bird’s lifestyle which includes feeding on larvae of social hymenopterans, primarily wasps. A predator rakes a wasp nest, opens its cover and pulls out cells with delicious larvae. European honey buzzards are rare in all habitats. Many birds become the hunters’ prey during migration period over the southern Europe.

Eolagurus luteusState Darwin Museum

Mammals

This small animal’s fur has a sandy-yellow color. From an environmental point of view Yellow steppe lemmings are little studied, at present time this species was occasionally seen in southern Altai, near the borders of Kazakhstan and China. The causes of extinction are unknown.

Cuon alpinusState Darwin Museum

The main habitat of Dholes includes mostly mountains. These animals don’t dig any burrows, their dens can be found in caves and rock crevices. The species can be confused with a fox because of its fluffy fur and a long tail. The main causes of Dholes’ low population are unknown. Scientists suggest that Dholes shared the same habitat with gray wolves and were eventually replaced by them. In 2005 a commemorative coin of 1 rubble nominal value with an image of a Dhole was issued by the Central Bank of Russia.

Vormela peregusnaState Darwin Museum

A Marbled polecat is a nocturnal predator. This animal inhabits the steppes and hills covered with bushes. The Latin name “vormela” has the German origin and means "little worm". Plowing of steppes and mass extermination of rodents (the main food of the species) brought this species to the brink of extinction.

Spalax giganteusState Darwin Museum

The animal used to live on the vast territory, but under the influence of changing conditions this species went extinct in many places. Now the individual groups of Giant mole-rats have survived only in Russia and Kazakhstan. The animal’s fur has a unique feature: it can be equally combed in all directions which allows Giant mole-rats to move in any direction at the same speed.

Felis (Otocolobus) manulState Darwin Museum

The fur of this species is the most fluffy and thick among cats (9000 hairs per 1 square cm). The tips of hair are white which gives the impression that an animal is covered with snow. The animals are considered to be one of the most slow and clumsy among wild cats, in danger it prefers to hide or climb a rock. A Pallas's cat is a rare animal, and poaching rapidly decreases the population.

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