endangered species

Getting Wild With… Emperor Penguins!

Did you know that emperor penguins are a type of bird that can’t fly? They are also the largest type of penguin. In late 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that emperor penguins should be protected by law because Antarctic ice, where the penguins raise their young, is being threatened by climate change.

Getting Wild With… Cheetahs!

Cheetahs, as many people know, are the fastest land animal in the world. They can reach speeds of up to 61 miles per hour, and their stride length reaches an incredible 23 feet. Now that there are just 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild, the U.S. Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed cheetahs as endangered.

Getting Wild With… Beavers!

By Anya Rothman, age 11

A study published by the Ecological Society of America found that beaver dams cooled streams in northwestern Washington by more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit during certain times of the year.

Getting Wild With…Hippopotamuses!

Hippopotamuses, which are native to Africa, are semi-aquatic animals, meaning that they live both in water and on land. An adult male hippo can weigh up to 9,000 pounds, but they are still very good swimmers. Hippo populations have been dropping due to habitat loss caused by climate change and hunting. As hippos are reliant on freshwater systems, they are often threatened by drought and the loss of grazing areas.

Getting Wild with the Hispaniolan Hutia

The Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium) is also known as the “zagouti” or “jutía” in Spanish. It is the only species of hutia still alive and can be found on the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.