Species of the week: Amazon river dolphin

Species of the Week:
Amazon River Dolphin ( Inia geoffrensis)

1. As the name implies the Amazon River Dolphin is found in freshwater systems in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia. Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. It's found in the river systems of the Orinico in the Amazon and the  Araguaia/Tocantins rivers.
2. They are either colored light grey or pink which makes then unusual for cetaceans 
3. It's the largest freshwater cetacean and can grow from 1.53-2.5 m and they weigh from 80-95kg. Females tend to be larger than males.
4. They feed on fish and crusteceans and small turtles.
5. They are specialised in hunting in murky waters and have really flexible necks and spinal cords in order to hunt and forage in underwater tree trunks.
6. Their neck has an unfused neck vertebrate which allows them to turn their head 90 degrees and hence makes them highly flexible.
7. Calves are born between July and September and usually one calf is born at a time.
8. Gestation period lasts from 9 to 12 months.
9. These dolphins are mostly blind, relying heavily on the sonar abilities to hunt for prey. More than usual dolphins do.
10. Although originally considered Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, due to the lack of data they are now not classified. However many believe that they are in extreme danger due to habitat loss.

Species of the week:Meerkat

Species of the Week:
Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)

1. They are found in the Kalahari Desert, in the Namib Desert, southwest Angola and in South Africa.
2. A Meerkat social group consists of about 20 members and it is called a clan, gang or mob.
3. Meerkats hunt and forage during the daytime and sleep during the night.
4. They are mostly insectivores but will attack and eat lizards,fungi, small mammals, eggs, scorpions, centipedes and millipedes, spiders and some plants.
5. They are immune to a variety of venoms including the scorpion venom of the Kalahari desert.
6. When Meerkats forage there is always one member of the clan that has sentry duty and looks out for predators. When one is spotted, the meerkat sounds the alarm and all the other clan members go into hiding.
7. Meerkats can reproduce throughout the year but prefer warmer seasons to give birth too. Usually only the matriarch gets to breed however in larger groups for subordinate meerkats may secretly breed. These females are often chased away from the group and form their own clan.
8. One to five pups are born with the most common number being three pups.
9. Meerkats have been found to demonstrate altruistic behaviour and will often look after young that are not their own.
10.  Meerkats are considered "Least Concern " under the IUCN Red List.

Species of the week: Hen Harrier

Species of the week:
Hen Harrier(Circus cyaneus)

1. They can be found in the Northern Hemisphere, in Northern Europe and Northern U.S.A and Canada.
2. Hen harriers have  sexual dimorphism in their appearance. Males are pale grey//white while females are brown.
3. They are about 40-52 cm long and has a wingspan of 97-122cm.
4. They feed on small mammals and small birds and live in open areas.
5. Hen harriers are migratory birds, migrating South for the winter. If they opt to stay at certain countries due to mild climate, they generally just migrate to lower altitudes.
6.  It lays from four to eight eggs and the eggs are incubated from 30-32 days.
7. The chicks become fledgelings at around 35-36 days old but do not fully mature until they are 2 years old if female or 3 years if male.
8. They are the only hawk-like bird to practise polygyny.
9. The males maintain a large territory in which they can be responsible for up to five females.
10. They are considered "Least Concern"by the IUCN red list but in specific areas such in the U.K they are regarded as under threat due to human conflicts as gamekeepers shoot them since they influence Red Grouse populations.