1. Today is the birthday of Jamshedpur-born British naturalist Gerald Durrell, who had a single goal: to care for and save from extinction as many species of animals as possible. He went on to organise captive-breeding programmes for endangered creatures and find ways of introducing these animals back into the wild. He established the Jersey Zoo, which does that job incredibly well. Their mascot is the Raphus cucullatus . This animal was wiped clean out of existence by humans in less than 100 years. What animal is this that everyone has heard of, but no one really knows much about?
2. This animal was not known to the world till 1869, when the skin of one was studied with great interest. As of now there are only 1,864 of these beautiful animals in the wild and another 266 in captivity. Every one of them is from one country only. They have lived on Earth for millions of years and they almost got wiped out by us in the last few decades. Unanimously described as ‘cute’, the collective noun for a group of these animals is ‘an embarrassment of ____.’ What animal is this?
3. These animals were spread all over South East Asia 12,000 years ago. Today, there are about a lakh of them on just two islands. They are the only one of their kind in Asia, all of their cousins are from Africa. They are extremely smart and have been observed making and using tools in the wild. Their homes are currently being demolished at a frantic pace to make way for palm trees as palm oil has become a major export item. What uniquely coloured gentle giants are these?
4. These majestic animals have been around on the African continent for seven million years. They are divided primarily into two types. The larger of this species gets its name because of a mistranslation of the Dutch word, which describes its large square-lipped mouth. The other species has a hooked lip and a darker colour. Both species are critically endangered. A subspecies of the larger animal has only three members left! These two females (Fatu & Najin) and one male (Sudan), who are kept under tight security, are the only remaining individuals of what massive animal?
5. This is the tallest bird in North America. Its name is made up of two words — one describes the sound it makes and the other describes the type of bird it is. Hunting and reduction of their wetland habitat had destroyed the population to such an extent that in 1941 there were only 23 individuals left. Today, there are over 700 birds, thanks in large part to innovative breeding programmes. The sound they make is loud and carries for several kilometres. The same sound also gives its name to a childhood respiratory infection. What endangered birds are these?
6. These whales were the preferred target for whalers because of their docile nature, their slow surface-skimming feeding behaviours, their tendency to stay close to the coast, and their high blubber content. Effectively they were the ‘____’ whale to be hunted, hence their name. It is estimated that before the 1700s, there were close to a million of them as two species in the Northern Atlantic and Pacific. Today, after restrictions tightened on hunting, there are about a few hundred in the Pacific and about 60 individuals in the Atlantic. The Southern _____ Whale thankfully has about 10,000. What is the name of these beautiful giants?
7. This species split from its more prevalent cousin about 40 million years ago and took residence in the area above 60 degree North Latitude. The area they mainly inhabit gets its name from the Greek word for the animal and the antipodal region gets its name from the fact that this animal does not exist there. Currently numbering around 20,000 individuals, they are dwindling fast due to climate change as they need hard strong ice to carry their weight. What animals are these?
8. This beautiful animal has been revealed to be genetically linked to the Tiger, but gets its name from another big cat. It is estimated that only around 7,000 of these animals remain. They have thick fur and wide paws to distribute their weight evenly and long tails which help it jump gracefully between rocky crevices. Unlike other big cats, it cannot roar and only hisses and mews. What lovely animal is this?
9. These animals have a very complex social structure and because they reproduce slowly, the removal of even a few individuals from a troop can catastrophically impact its ability to sustain itself. Around 110,000 are left on the planet. Habitat loss to rapidly developing human inhabitation is the biggest threat they face. The most famous of the species has a very interesting scientific name. It’s the only one where it’s the same word twice and that word is also its common name. Give me the scientific name of this wonderful creature.
10. The luxurious waterproof coat that insulates these cute animals from the chilly waters that they inhabit almost led to its extinction. In the early 1900s, only 2000 of them were left. Excellent conservation efforts have ensured they have bounced back. What are these playful animals, which are major attractions at zoos?
Answers
1. The Dodo
2. Giant Panda
3. Orangutans
4. White Rhinoceros. (Dutch word was ‘wijd’, which means ‘wide’ in English)
5. Whooping Cranes
6. Right Whales
7. Polar Bears – ‘Arctic’ and ‘Antarctic’
8. Snow Leopard
9. Gorilla gorilla
10. Sea Otter
A molecular biologist from Madurai, Berty Ashley enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
