Since 2013, “World Wildlife Day” is being celebrated on 3rd March. Each year, the day is celebrated under a new theme. To point up the central role of forests and their ecosystems in sustaining and uplifting the livelihoods of millions of people around the world, the theme for this year is revealed as “Forest and…
Category: Story of the Wild
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae Genus: Ursus Species: U. maritimus Binomial name : Ursus maritimus Polar bears are one of the most iconic and well-loved species in the world. Despite this, these majestic and awe-inspiring bears are under serious threat from climate change, which has left their sea ice…
Africa’s Small Hunters
Africa’s iconic big cats are well documented, but the continent’s plains, grasslands, forests and wetlands are home to smaller felids whose statistics are just as impressive. 7 of Africa’s forgotten wild cats are as followed Serval (Leptailurus serval) Caracal (Caracal caracal) Sand cat (Felis margarita) African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) African golden cat (Profelis aurata) Black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) Jungle cat (Felis…
Jaguar
COMMON NAME: Jaguar SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera onca TYPE: Mammals DIET: Carnivores AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 12 to 15 years SIZE: Head and body, 5 to 6 ft; tail, 27.5 to 36 in WEIGHT: 100 to 250 lbs SIZE RELATIVE TO A 6-FT MAN: IUCN RED LIST STATUS: Near Threatened CURRENT POPULATION TREND: Decreasing The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a wild cat species…
Gray Wolf
COMMON NAME: Gray Wolf SCIENTIFIC NAME: Canis lupus TYPE: Mammals DIET: Carnivores GROUP NAME: Pack AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 6 to 8 years SIZE: Head and body, 36 to 63 in; tail, 13 to 20 in WEIGHT: 40 to 175 lbs SIZE RELATIVE TO A 6-FT MAN: IUCN RED LIST STATUS: Least Concern CURRENT POPULATION TREND: Stable The wolf (Canis lupus), also…
Sri Lankan Jackal (Canis aureus naria)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae Genus: Canis Species: C. aureus Subspecies: C. a. naria The Sri Lankan jackal (Canis aureus naria), also known as the Southern Indian jackal is a subspecies of golden jackal native to southern India and Sri Lanka. On the Asian mainland, the Sri Lankan jackal occurs…
The Crocodile Hunter
Who Was Steve Irwin? Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006), nicknamed “The Crocodile Hunter” was an Australian zookeeper, conservationist, and television personality. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter (1996–2007), an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted with his wife Terri; the couple also hosted the series, Croc Files (1999–2001), The Crocodile Hunter Diaries (2002–2006),…
Civets Of Sri Lanka
What is a Civet? The civet—a small nocturnal mammal native to tropical parts of Asia and Africa, is an animal most Sri Lankans have crossed paths with at least once. From causing a ruckus on our rooftops to eating fruits from our gardens, civets are arboreal animals, dwelling in the shadows, just out of sight…
The shaggy-coated Sloth Bear
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae Subfamily: Ursinae Genus: Melursus Species: M. ursinus FUN FACTS Sloth bears are the only bears to routinely carry their young on their backs. Sloth bears’ nostrils can close completely, protecting the animals from dust or insects when raiding termite nests or beehives. ABOUT THE SLOTH…
The Royal Bengal Tiger
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Feliformia Family: Felidae Subfamily: Pantherinae Genus: Panthera Species: P. tigris Subspecies: P. t. tigris “The tiger is the largest member of the felid (cat) family. They sport long, thick reddish coats with white bellies and white and black tails. Their heads, bodies, tails and limbs have…
Rotaract Club of SLIIT 