Nine Banded Armadillo Research Paper

Thought to have been first introduced into the wild via pet owners (Dorcas & Wilson, 20011) have caused significant declines in mammal populations. An observational study conducted by Dorcas et al (2012), found a 90% reduction in encounter rates of a number of species including racoon, opossums, bob cats and white tailed deer over the period 2003-2011 in which Burmese python populations have increased. The introduction of the Burmese python has also caused a significant decline in bird species. A study conducted by Dove et al (2011) found remains of 25 different species of birds in the digestive tracts of 85 Burmese pythons collected from 2003-2008, 4 of which are of special concern in Florida and 1 the ‘Wood Stork’ is listed as endangered. Preying on native wildlife and competing with native predators has impacted the food web and trophic level dynamics of the ecological

Have you ever thought of bald eagles not being around anymore in this century? Some people must’ve thought about this when they couldn’t see their national bird flying around or caught on camera. Maybe the everyday things they were doing were harming the poor birds?

The American Alligator is also covered in an armor like coat called osteoderms or scutes. They have short legs with five toes on the front legs and four in the hind legs. The front toes are about half webbed and the outer hind toes are about two thirds webbed which allows them to swim with ease. The majority of all American Alligators are black or a dull gray with some lighter blotches on the sides and a light yellow underbelly. One of the most important features of the America Alligator is its muscular tail. Their tail is used to propel them out of the water, to swim fast, and to death

The armadillo is the only remaining member of the Cingulata order of the animal kingdom (www.factzoo.com). All species of armadillo are characterized by the number of bands they have (Brittanica, 563). Armadillo in Spanish means “little armored one” which hints at their armored bands. An armadillo’s armor is made of dermal bone plates which are covered with overlapping epidermal scales called scutes (www.factzoo.com).The armadillo’s armor works well against predators, not cars. They are known as the “Hillbilly Speed Bump” for their tendency to get run over by cars. They have bony rings or plates that protect their tails. The plates are separated by movable bands. Only one species of armadillo can actually roll up into a ball to defend itself. Armadillos have strong short legs, suited for digging. With their strong legs, they also have strong claws

White used similes to compare armadillos to a “blind knight” (l.9), like medieval knights, armadillos are covered in armor, a soft shell that surrounds their body as their defense mechanism, but even

Imagine waking up in the middle of a warm Texas night to the thundering sound of fences being annihilated by a cluster of swine, weighing in at a hefty 300 pounds each and armed with razor-sharp tusks. Within minutes, the rowdy pigs turn a beautifully manicured lawn into a scene fitting of the apocalypse, a yard with numerous piles of de-rooted sod, broken fence posts and mangled bushes. In the state of Texas, feral pigs are considered one of the most destructive species of animals ever introduced to America. The amount of destruction feral pigs produce on a yearly basis in Texas is alarming; almost half a billion dollars in damages to property and crops are estimated every year as a result of the pigs’ actions. Feral pigs are responsible for causing widespread agricultural damage, spreading diseases in the food supply, and harming the state’s ability to feed needy people with their meat.

Attributed to the release of the exotic pet, the encroachment of the voracious species has already demonstrated its appetite for the indigenous fauna of the Everglades. It is now feared that with their migration to the Florida Keys, the

There are many unique types of animals in the Blackland Prairie; here are a few examples of animals in the Blackland Prairie. One example of one of these animals is the nine-banded armadillo. The nine-banded armadillo is a large, short and brown armadillo with a long tail and nine lines on its shell (therefore its name). They typically eat grubs, insects, berries, and eggs. This scaly critter lives in most of Texas besides the west, they typically live in woods, brush, grasslands and forests. Another one of the many examples of animals in this diverse ecoregion is the black-tailed prairie dog. These chubby, stubby, brown, and furry balls of cuteness live along the border of Mexico. It lives in dry, flat, sparsely vegetated grasslands. These rodents like to consume things like plants, insects, seeds, and grasses. These items make up most of their diet. They are habitat modifiers just like beavers, they build burrows underground close to each other. These are called towns.

Florida, a treasure trove of many, many species of animals and diverse wildlife. How many of those, ‘Florida’ species are actually native to Florida though? If you walk outside you will probably see lizards everywhere, you know, the brown ones. Well, what if I told you, that they are not actually native to Florida? Those lizards are called Brown Anoles, and they are actually from Cuba and the Bahamas. This is just one example of the many invasive species, which compete with Florida’s native species for food, resources and territories everyday. A few more examples of invasive species that are harmful to our wildlife are the Cuban tree frog, which is a threat to not only other frogs but toads and lizards as well, the Burmese python, which is invading the everglades, and the air potato, which is slowly creeping its way up through Florida, tree to tree.

Many of its marshes, cypresses, and mangroves cover the majority of the wetland and an estimated number of 50 reptile species and 40 mammal species currently residing are either endangered, or worse, threatened for extinction. The Florida Panther, according to the National Park Service, has a successful breeding population; nonetheless, the “primary threats to the remaining population are habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation” (para. 2). Due to the ongoing urban development, the panther became a well-known endangered human threat. An estimated 80-120 panthers are surviving

This exceptionally charismatic megafauna has become synonymous with Florida along with “snowbirds”, orange juice, and Mickey Mouse but the Florida manatee may not be as permanent as its counterparts. Since being declared as endangered, the Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, has been at the center of conservation efforts throughout the east coast of the United States. While human involvement has been at the crux of the increasing population, it can be argued that the best way to save this species is by taking humans out of the picture altogether.

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) populations have been steadily declining in the last decade. This has raised concerns among wildlife biologists as to what is the driving force behind these declines. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is the main managing agency of waterfowl in the United States. The USFWS has decided to lower hunting bag limits in effort to decrease the population decline. In this report, I have reported the life history of the scaup, background to the population decline, current regulations, and other material dealing with the scaup population decline. I have created a proposed management plan to improve scaup habitat and compensate for the population decline.

The existence of the Florida panther is threatened by extinction processes because their current habitat is simply too small and fragmented for

Over the years many exotic or non-native animals have been introduced into the Florida Everglades. Many of Mickey Cray’s animals in the novel Chomp are animals not native to Florida. The vast majority of these creatures are illegally smuggled into Florida. These creatures are then introduced into the wild by irresponsible owners. They pose serious threats to the environment, damaging the natural equilibrium.

Because of this danger, thousands of these rattlesnakes are rounded up on an annual basis and killed. These snakes can be found all throughout the southern states, but are extremely common in Texas. They are characterized by the unique diamond shape pattern that is displayed on their back.