After a week of online celebrations, we are thrilled to announce that our 9th birthday is finally here! ARKive would like to say a huge thank you to all of our fans and followers who have been sharing our wild number 9 facts on Twitter this week, helping us unwrap our presents on Facebook and generally spreading the birthday cheer!

While it has been an exciting week here in the office, our real highlight has been reading all the lovely birthday messages you sent us, and as promised, here are some of our favourites:

 erikanoelia7: i learn sth new everyday with @ARKive! info is concise, yet thrilling and engaging. pics are simply delightful. cheers guys! #HBARKive :)♥

ThatBlokeMyk: @ARKive Happy Birthday, here’s the best birthday caique available for you… pic.twitter.com/q2ZkTasC

saunieindiego: Happy 9th Birthday to @ARKive. Thanks for bringing so many plants and animals into my life every day.#wildlife #endangered #photography

MrsAltham: Happy 9th birthday #Arkive! We’re hoping your party is a black tie affair. bit.ly/hNJIQJ

We would also like to say a special thank you to Crest Star for our birthday card!

crest_star: Happy 9th Birthday @ARKive – so glad you are in our world! pic.twitter.com/uJTLgbSE

We hope you have enjoyed the celebrations as much as we have. If you have a birthday message for ARKive please post it using the comment form below, we would love to hear from you!

The ARKive Team

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Endangered Species Day, which was started by the United States Senate, is a chance to raise awareness about the plight of the thousands of animals and plants around the world threatened with extinction. People across the USA are taking part in events to support the day and promote conservation. However, it shouldn’t stop there, wherever you are in the world you can do your bit to support this day too.

In honour of this day, the ARKive team have had a good dig around in the collection to showcase some of the slightly less famous, but no less important, endangered species from the USA.

Soaking up the rays

The striking Alabama red-bellied turtle is endemic to the states of Alabama and Mississippi and is now listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. You might often spot this critter basking in sunshine on fallen logs. Sadly, one of the main threats to this species is the destruction to nesting habitats and the collection of eggs by humans as a food source.

Clever little beetle

The vibrant American burying beetle is currently Critically Endangered and is the largest carrion beetle in North America. At night, beetle pairs will locate a suitable carcass and then cooperate to bury it in the soil, thus protecting their find from competition with other species. One of the major causes of this species’ decline is the fragmentation of available habitat, a global threat to many species.

Curious creatures

Once classified as Extinct in the Wild, the black-footed ferret is one of the world’s rarest mammals and the only ferret native to North America. Today, following concerted conservation efforts, reintroduced black-footed ferret populations exist in eight western states and Chihuahua. While this is a fantastic conservation success story, wild ferret populations remain small, and conservation will need to continue if this species’ future is to be secured.

Happy chappy

Due to the low numbers of this species in the wild and its nocturnal habits, the California tiger salamander is a rarely seen amphibian. This species prefers to spend most of its life underground, often in the burrows of California ground squirrels. With its range now reduced to less than 50 percent of its original historical extent, conservation action is necessary to ensure the future of this Vulnerable species.

Tallest on Earth

Coast redwood forests once stretched along the coast from Santa Cruz to Oregon in the USA. Around 90 to 95 percent of old growth forest has since been logged due to its extensive use in construction, and the remainder is now almost entirely in parks and reserves. This Vulnerable species is one of tallest trees on Earth, reaching up to 379 feet (115.5 m) in height.

Colourful desert-dweller

The Near Threatened Gila monster is the largest lizard in the United States, and one of the few species of venomous lizard in the world. With their venomous bite and elusive nature, these lizards have inspired many myths over the centuries. However, much of the bushland of the Gila monster’s habitat has been cleared for agriculture and remaining populations are isolated in habitat fragments.

Critically Endangered crayfish

The Delaware County cave crayfish is known from just three caves which occur in a very small area of Delaware County, within the Neosho River watershed. Its biggest threat is the disposal of untreated animal wastes from surrounding hog farms and poultry houses which are seeping into the groundwater. Measures have been put in place in an attempt to reduce the impact of groundwater pollution, however nothing has been done to improve the water quality of the Neshos river. More conservation work needs to be done in order to save this species from extinction.

Aquatic predator

The giant garter snake lives a highly aquatic lifestyle, rarely being found away from water, where it is an active hunter, foraging mainly for fish and amphibians. Unfortunately this species has been lost from much of its former range as a result of the loss, fragmentation and degradation of its wetland habitats. The total population of the giant garter snake is currently unknown, but its declining range makes the species increasingly vulnerable to extinction.

Butter wouldn’t melt

This adorable giant kangaroo rat is endemic to the San Joaquin Valley in California. Population numbers have plummeted during the 20th Century, mainly as a result of habitat loss as desert areas were converted to agriculture. Luckily, a Recovery Plan has been developed in an effort to secure the future survival of this species, and populations are protected within the Carrizo Plan Natural Heritage Reserve.

From another time

One of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, the alligator snapping turtle is a prehistoric-looking species with a reputation as the ‘dinosaur of the turtle world’. It is another endemic species to the USA and there has been a major decline in numbers as a result of over-collection by a major soup manufacturing company and over-harvesting for their meat in many states.

Get involved

These are just a few examples of the endangered species on our planet. If you can spread the word and show your support through facebook or twitter or just speak to your friends about it – every little bit helps to raise awareness. If you are in the USA, take a look at the Stop Extinction website to get more ideas of what you can do and what events are running near you.

Rebecca Sennett, ARKive Media Researcher

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ARKive has been going for 9 years now, and our quest to profile every threatened species is still going strong. But the list of species seems to be ever growing – there have been some incredible species discovered during ARKive’s lifetime. It’s a privilege to be able to showcase some of these on the ARKive website. So just what has been found over the last 9 years?  

2003: Kipunji discovered

Kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji)

A remarkable find in 2003, the kipunji was Africa’s first new monkey discovery in 20 years. Originally named the highland mangabey, the kipunji actually belongs to a whole new genus and is far more closely related to baboons than to mangabeys. The kipunji is endemic to southern Tanzania, and its population is thought to number a mere 1,117 individuals.

 2004: Hawaiian cyanea tree discovered

Hawaiian cyanea tree (Cyanea magnicalyx)

This large, tree-like shrub is endemic to Hawaiian island of Maui. Sadly, there were fewer than ten Hawaiian cyanea trees remaining by 2008. In Hawaii it is listed as a “Species of Greatest Conservation Need”, and significant efforts are being made to preserve the remaining individuals.

 2005: Goodman’s mouse lemur discovered

Goodman's mouse lemur (Microcebus lehilahytsara)

While ARKive was just getting off its feet, another primate was being added to the species tally. Goodman’s mouse lemur, named after primatologist Steve Goodman, can be found in Madagascan rainforests. Its arboreal and nocturnal nature along with its remote location may explain how this primate managed to keep out of the scientists spotlight for so long.

2006: Kaempfer’s woodpecker rediscovered

Kaempfer’s woodpecker (Celeus obrieni)

Originally known from a specimen collected in 1926, Kaempfer’s woodpecker was rediscovered 80 years later. One of Brazil’s most enigmatic birds, Kaempfer’s woodpecker is only found in Cerrado, a unique tropical woodland-savanna ecosystem. Kaempfer’s woodpecker is suspected to have a highly patchy distribution and a small population size. Its habitat is under threat as around three million hectares of Cerrado are destroyed each year.

2007:  Banggai crow rediscovered

Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor)

Known from only two specimens collected in the 19^th Century and with numerous expeditions failing to find it in the 1990’s, the Banggai crow was long presumed extinct. Unconfirmed sightings of the crow gave hope to its continued survival, and in 2007 two Banggai crows were recorded, bringing this species ‘back’ from extinction. However, it remains Critically Endangered - the small numbers recorded indicate a very small population in an area experiencing high rates of habitat loss.

2008: Ayres black uakari discovered

Ayres black uakari (Cacajao ayresi)

Another primate discovered in the 21^st Century and our second hidden gem of Brazil is Ayres black uakari. It has been seen only twice in the wild and so very little is known about this elusive species. Its short tail has baffled scientists, as long tails normally help arboreal species like the uakari to keep balance in the treetops.

2009: The David Bowie spider discovered

David Bowie spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

The David Bowie spider is a large spider with yellow hair, and is found only in Malaysia. It was discovered and named by German spider expert Peter Jäger. Its celebrity common name has helped draw attention to the spider and the often-overlooked threats to this and many other species of invertebrate.

2010: Beaked toad discovered

Beaked toad (Rhinella sp. nov.)

The beaked toad was one of 3 new discoveries on an expedition to find amphibians in Colombia. Its beaked nose gained this species the name ‘Mr. Burns toad” after the notorious villain from The Simpsons. This species has an unusual lifecycle as it bypasses the tadpole stage, with fully formed toadlets hatching from eggs.

More information on the Search for Lost Frogs campaign can be found on the Conservation International website.

2011: Chalazodes bubble-nest frog rediscovered

Chalazodes bubble-nest frog (Raorchestes chalazodes)

The Chalazodes bubble-nest frog was last seen in India in 1874. An expedition to find the Lost Amphibians of India uncovered 5 species not seen for decades, including Ramanella anamalaiensis and Micrixalus thampii. Many of these species live in highly degraded habitats and remain at risk of extinction.

2012: Leaf chameleon (Brookesia micra) discovered

Leaf chameleon (Brookesia micra)

One of the most recent additions to ARKive is the leaf chameleon Brookesia micra. This tiny chameleon is one of the world’s smallest lizards, measuring in at just 29mm. This was one of four new species found during an expedition to northern Madagascar. During the day these minute reptiles disappear into the leaf litter, while they can be spotted at night as they climb up to the branches to sleep. Restricted to a tiny range of one square kilometre, Brookesia micra is an example of extreme island dwarfism. Read more about these tiny discoveries on the BBC Nature website.  

These recent discoveries highlight how much of life on Earth remains unknown. The last 9 years have offered a plethora of new and exciting finds: with so much still to uncover, the next 9 years look to be equally as exciting!

Lauren Pascoe, ARKive Media Researcher

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More amazing photos, videos and texts are added to ARKive every alternate week. Here is a summary of our latest update:

• 40 new species
• 229 new images
• 61 new videos

We have added a new profile for the Critically Endangered San Jose brush rabbit

We've also added the Endangered Vences' chameleon

What’s new – our favourite new images

We've added great new images of the fire coral

We also have new images of the Endangered Angel’s Madagascar frog

What’s new – our favourite new videos

Check out fantastic footage of the Hummingbird hawkmoth feeding

We've added 8 new videos of the avocet

Get involved!

If you have any photos, footage or species information that you think we should add into ARKive please let us know. There are many ways to get involved with ARKive, from contributing your photos to just spreading the word about us – every little helps!

Full details 

Subscribe to our RSS feeds for full details of what’s new to ARKive.

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The most recent update to the Living Planet Index has revealed that wildlife populations in the tropics have declined by an alarming 61%.

Tiger populations have declined dramatically in recent decades

Trouble in the tropics

The Living Planet Report, produced jointly by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), assesses the health of the planet’s biodiversity by tracking more than 9,000 populations of animals across the world.

The report obtains its results from the Living Planet Index, an indicator of global biological diversity, which covers more than 2,600 different vertebrate species (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish) in both temperate regions and the tropics. The index tracks and analyses changes in the abundance of a variety of species over time, allowing scientists to spot trends in the biodiversity of different areas.

The latest update of the Living Planet Index has found that, globally, wildlife populations have declined by 30% since 1970. While temperate regions have seen an average recovery in wildlife populations of about 30%, the tropics, where the bulk of the world’s biodiversity can be found, have not fared well at all.

The index revealed dramatic declines of 60% in the tropics since 1970, with the worst affected species being those found in tropical lakes and rivers.

Deforestation for palm oil in Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo

Causes of decline

The severe declines in the tropics amount to an average biodiversity loss of 1.25% every year since the index baseline was set in 1970. Large-scale human impacts, including deforestation, habitat degradation, overexploitation and pollution, are the principal causes of these dramatic wildlife losses.

The Living Planet Index also examines the impacts in particular regions. For instance, in Central and South America, wildlife populations have dropped by half in the last 38 years. In the Indo-Pacific, where deforestation levels are the highest in the world, a shocking decline of 64% has been observed.

“This report is like a planetary check-up and the results indicate we have a very sick planet. Ignoring this diagnosis will have major implications for humanity. We can restore the planet’s health, but only through addressing the root causes, population growth and over-consumption of resources,” said Jonathan Baillie, Conservation Programmes Director with the Zoological Society of London.

Ecological footprints

Maintaining the health of ecosystems and the biodiversity within them is of utmost importance to human wellbeing. Biodiversity provides a number of valuable services, including pollination, carbon capture, food production, and medicines.

Yet analysis from the ‘Global Footprint Network’, which aims to calculate how sustainable our global society is in terms of its ecological footprint, has concluded that humankind is using one-and-a-half times more natural resources than the Earth can sustainably supply.

Tropical freshwater species have suffered the most dramatic declines

Rio+20

In time for the Rio+20 summit in June, environmentalists are now placing pressure on the world’s leaders to urgently step up the level of protection afforded to our natural resources.

“The Rio+20 conference is an opportunity for the world to get serious about the need for development to be made sustainable,” said David Nussbaum, CEO of WWF-UK. “We need to elevate the sense of urgency, and I think this is ultimately not only about our lives but the legacy we leave for future generations.”

The Living Index Report provides some shining examples of recent progress on sustainability, including a project in Pakistan which has helped cotton farmers to dramatically reduce their water, pesticide and fertiliser use, while experiencing no reductions in yield.

Professor Tim Blackburn, Director of ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, likened the latest index figures to a stock market of the natural world:

“There would be panic of the FTSE index showed a decline like this,” he said. “Nature is more important than money. Humanity can live without money, but we can’t live without nature and the essential services it provides.”

Read more on this story at BBC News – Rio+20 summit leaders ‘must improve nature protection’ and Mongabay.com – Wildlife in the tropics plummets by over 60 percent

Learn more about the Living Planet Index here.

Kathryn Pintus, ARKive Species Text Author

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