A Question Of Balance

Sea otters are characterized by their incredibly dense, dark brown fur (no blubber for insulation), strong forepaws with retractable claws and loose skin pockets for storing food, large, webbed hind feet and a muscular tail for swimming, and a stout body with a broad head, using sensitive whiskers and specialized molars to crush hard-shelled prey, requiring them to eat 25% of their body weight daily due to high metabolism. 

Sea otters are highly social, playful, and intelligent marine mammals known for using tools, living in groups (rafts), diligently grooming their fur, and wrapping themselves in kelp to rest, often holding paws to stay together; they forage using high metabolic rates, diving for food, and storing prey in loose skin flaps, exhibiting distinct territorial behaviors in males during breeding season.  

Hunted to the edge of extinction by fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries, the few remaining sea otters (about 2,000 scattered in remnant colonies throughout the North Pacific rim) were first protected by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911. Sea otters in the United States received additional protections with the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s.

It is hard to envision the enormous size of a blue whale. As the largest animal on Earth, blue whales are about the length of three school buses, their heart alone is the size of a small car and they weigh on average 200,000 to 300,000 pounds. There are records of individuals growing to over 100 feet long. However, it’s more common to see individuals measuring 80 to 90 feet long. These whales can be found in all oceans except for the Arctic. They are generally more common in the Southern Hemisphere. The majority of their summers are spent in the polar waters, where they feed on specific type of crustaceans called krill. Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. They feed almost exclusively on krill, straining huge volumes of ocean water through their baleen plates (which hang from the roof of the mouth and work like a sieve). Some of the biggest individuals may eat up to 6 tons of krill a day. Blue whales are not currently going extinct, but they are endangered due to historical whaling and ongoing threats like ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. While commercial whaling significantly reduced their populations, international bans and conservation efforts have allowed some blue whale populations to begin recovering. 

With their long, curved beaks and talons the size of grizzly bear claws, Harpy Eagles are the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. These commanding birds swoop through the rain forests of Latin America, routinely picking up prey weighing more than 15 pounds—and sometimes equal to their own weight. Although Harpy Eagles maintain healthy populations in South America, the outlook is troubling in Central America, where in most countries they are listed as Critically Endangered. New roads, slash-and-burn farming, and forest fires threaten to destroy intact rain forests that are crucial to their survival. What is killing the harpy eagle?

The scientific name of the harpy eagle is Harpia harpyja. Alternate names for this species include the American harpy eagle and the royal hawk.

Elephants are the largest land mammals on earth and have distinctly massive bodies, large ears, and long trunks. They use their trunks to pick up objects, trumpet warnings, greet other elephants, or suck up water for drinking or bathing, among other uses. Both male and female African elephants grow tusks and each individual can either be left- or right-tusked, and the one they use more is usually smaller because of wear and tear. Elephant tusks serve many purposes. These extended teeth can be used to protect the elephant's trunk, lift and move objects, gather food, and strip bark from trees. They can also be used for defense. During times of drought, elephants even use their tusks to dig holes to find water underground.

Two genetically different African species exist: the savanna elephant and the forest elephant, with a number of characteristics that differentiate them both. The African savanna elephant is the largest elephant species, while the Asian forest elephant and the African forest elephant are of a comparable, smaller size.

Asian elephants differ in several ways from their African relatives, with more than 10 distinct physical differences between them. For example, Asian elephants' ears are smaller compared to the large fan-shaped ears of the African species. Only some male Asian elephants have tusks, while both male and female African elephants grow tusks.

Led by a matriarch, elephants are organized into complex social structures of females and calves, while male elephants tend to live in isolation or in small bachelor groups. A single calf is born to a female once every four to five years and after a gestation period of 22 months—the longest of any mammal. Calves are cared for by the entire herd of related females. Female calves may stay with their maternal herd for the rest of their lives, while males leave the herd as they reach puberty. Forest elephants' social groups differ slightly and may be comprised of only an adult female and her offspring. However, they may congregate in larger groups in forest clearings where resources are more abundant.

Elephants need extensive land areas to survive and meet their ecological needs, which includes food, water, and space. On average, an elephant can feed up to 18 hours and consume hundreds of pounds of plant matter in a single day. As a result, as they lose habitat, they often come into conflict with people in competition for resources.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today. They feed on plankton and travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world. Their white spotted colouration makes these gentle giants easy to distinguish, and popular with snorkelers and divers at sites where they aggregate off the coast.

The maximum size of whale sharks is not known, but could be as large as 20m. Females give birth to live young but this has never been observed. Where pupping occurs and where the youngest animals situate remains a mystery, as they are very rarely found. Adults are often found feeding at the surface, but may dive to 1000m. Whale sharks are protected from fishing in many countries these days, but are in decline in some areas.

Gorillas,  

The largest living primates, make their homes in central and east Africa. They function in a well-developed social structure and often exhibit behavior and emotions similar to the human experience, including laughter and sadness. Poaching, disease and habitat destruction remain threats for gorillas, and WWF is working to designate new protected areas where populations can thrive.  

What threats do gorillas face? 

Poaching, diseases such as Ebola, and habitat destruction threaten the four gorilla subspecies; most gorillas live outside of protected areas. WWF works to designate new gorilla sanctuaries, such as in Congo. 

` How big do gorillas get?  

Adult male gorillas weigh up to 440 pounds and can reach a height of six feet when standing on two legs. Mature male gorillas are known as “silverbacks” for the white hair that develops on their back at about 14 years of age.  

How often do gorillas give birth? 

Females have a gestation period of 8.5 months and nurture their young for several years. Generally, females give birth to one baby every four to six years. This slow population growth makes it harder for gorillas to recover from any population decline.  

Does wildlife crime affect gorillas?  

The illegal trade of gorillas and other great apes is a problem across Central Africa. WWF works with How closely related to gorillas are humans? 

Charismatic and intelligent animals, gorillas share 98.3% of their DNA with humans. They are our closest cousins after chimpanzees and bonobos. 

Do gorillas live alone? 

Gorillas move around in family groups that can range from a couple of individuals to more than 40 members. A dominant male leads and holds the position for years. 

What do gorillas eat? 

Gorillas stick to a mainly vegetarian diet, feeding on stems, bamboo shoots and fruits. Western lowland gorillas, however, also have an appetite for termites and ants, and break open termite nests to eat the larvae. 

Gorillas, the largest living primates, make their homes in central and east Africa. They function in a well-developed social structure and often exhibit behavior and emotions similar to the human experience, including laughter and sadness. Poaching, disease and habitat destruction remain threats for gorillas, and WWF is working to designate new protected areas where populations can thrive.  Source: Wildlife Fund

The polar bear is a hyper-carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore. Wikipedia

Eats: Seals and Arctic Fox

Conservation status: Vulnerable (Population decreasing) Encyclopedia of Life

Speed: 25 mph (Maximum, Adult, Sprint)

Species: U. maritimus

Class: Mammalia

Height: 5.9 – 8 ft. (Female, Adult, On hind legs), 4.4 ft. (Male, Adult, At Shoulder)

Mass: 990 lbs (Male, Beaufort Sea population, Mature), 330 – 550 lbs (Female, Adult)

Polar bears' personalities will vary due to life experiences, but at their core all bears have the same basic nature. They're very intelligent, playful, and curious. We've never given them reason to be fearful of us, so our mutual curiosity and respect translates into amazing, on-foot encounters. Nov 2, 2020

10 Cool Facts about Polar Bears - Churchill Wild

https://churchillwild.com › 10-cool-facts-about-polar- bears

Interestingly, the polar bear's coat has no white pigment; in fact, a polar bear's skin is black and its hairs are hollow. They have a thick layer of body fat, which keeps them warm while swimming, and a double-layered coat that insulates them from the cold Arctic air. 2.

Tigers are the largest cat species in the world. Amur tigers (sometimes called Siberian tigers) are the biggest tigers, with males weighing up to 660 pounds and measuring up to 10 feet long from nose to tip of the tail. Sumatran tigers are the smallest of the tiger subspecies, maxing out at about 310 pounds and 8 feet.Jul 29, 2020.

1) Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world. ...

2) Tigers are carnivores, eating only meat. ...

3) Tigers are solitary hunters, and generally search for food alone at night. ...

4) Tigers are good swimmers! ...

5) A tiger's roar can be heard as far as three kilometres away.