Conservation Challenge

Do you have what it takes to be a Conservation Champion? At the end of each blog post, there is an opportunity to participate in a Conservation Challenge and earn a rank that is worth a range of point values. The more conservation challenges you participate in, the more points you will earn toward advancing ranks! 

Use #theconservationchronicle on social media to share photos of the Conservation Challenge in action, and see how others are doing, too! 

Ranks
0-200 Points - You got Vaquita!

Figure 1. Vaquita

The Vaquita is native to a relatively small region of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, also known as the Gulf of California, where the Vermilion Sea Institute is located. Unfortunately, it is the most endangered and rare marine mammal in the world, having been almost driven to extinction by the drive for the Totoaba fish, even though it is now illegal [1]. Vaquita are known to eat a wide variety of fish, crustaceans, and squid [1]. 

201-400 Points - You got Hooded Capuchin!

The Hooded Capuchin is a very intelligent species of monkey that spends most of its time among the trees of the dense Atlantic Forest in Paraguay where Para La Tierra operates [2]. Like humans, it can use its opposable thumbs and big toes to walk upright and even carry food [3]. It has even been observed using rocks to crack open nuts [3]!

401-600 Points - You got Chinese Pangolin! 

Figure 3. Chinese Pangolin. 

Pangolins are the most trafficked animal in the world, being highly desired for their meat and scales [4]. The Chinese Pangolin is 1 of 4 species found in Asia, while an additional 4 species are native to Africa [5]. It uses its very long tongue to eat ants and termites out of the ground [5]. The Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife recently rescued a female Chinese Pangolin, who was unknowingly pregnant, and then gave birth at the center [6]. 




[1]: Animals Network Team. (2018). Vaquita. https://animals.net/vaquita/[2]: Primate Info Net. (2018). Field Methods in Primatology - Paraguay. http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs/listings/38240
[3]: Denver Zoo. (2020). Hooded Capuchin. https://denverzoo.org/animals/hooded-capuchin/
[4]: World Wildlife Fund. (2020). Pangolin Facts. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolin
[5]: Edge of Existence. (n.d.). Chinese Pangolin. http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/chinese-pangolin/
[6]: Boobbyer, Claire. (2020, February 5). Champa Meuanglao. https://champameuanglao.com/the-lao-conservation-trust-for-wildlife/

Figure 1: SEMARNAT. (2008, October 18). Vaquita Marina. https://www.flickr.com/photos/semarnat/5931901236

Figure 2: Dupont, B. (2016, June 18). Hooded Capuchin. Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/berniedup/27146377744

Figure 3: Manis Pentadactyla. (2016, September 14). Wikipedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manis_pentadactyla_(29054818144).jpg