(The Real) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Equids

This article was originally published by Youth Time Magazine

In this edition of (The Real) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, we delve into the realm of the equids. There are, of course many different kinds that have been domesticated over the centuries by humankind, but there are still seven species that are considered to be truly wild. From the iconic zebras roaming the plains of Africa to the elusive and mysterious Takhi of Mongolia, Leigh introduces you to the wild and majestic equidae family that graces our planet in the present day.

Note that the wild mustangs of the Americas have not be included for the reason that they are not currently considered a truly feral species.

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Przewalski’s Horse

Also known as the Dzungarian Horse or Takhi, the Przewalski’s Horse is native to both China and Mongolia, but was driven to extinction back in the 1960's primarily due to hunting and interbreeding with other domesticated horses. Thankfully, large conservation efforts including a breeding program supported by the Zooligical Society of London helped to preserve the species and reintroduce it to its former natural habitat. Their number has grown steadily since 12 horses were released in southern Mongolia in 1992. With all of them descended from 9 of 13 horses captured in 1945, there are now thought to be over 300 Przewalski’s Horse in the wild. Hustai National Park in Mongolia offers the best opportunities of witnessing them in the wild.

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Onager

Like other horses, the Onager has several different common names including Hemione and Asiatic Wild Ass. Around 55,000 wild Onager roam the arid deserts and mountainous steppes situated across several countries including China, Mongolia, Iran, India, and Turkmenistan. Data suggests that the Onager may have lost as much as 70% of its range since the 19th century. Due to severe over hunting and competition with livestock for pastures and water, they have become regionally extinct in most former range countries including Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Their favored habitats include arid grasslands, desert plains, savannahs and mountain ranges with the largest remaining population found in southern Mongolia and parts of adjacent China.

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Kiang

The largest of all the wild asses, the Kiang is native to the Tibetan Plateau. Also referred to as the Tibetan Wild Ass, Khyang or Gorkhar, its range is currently restricted to the montane and alpine grasslands that stretch across China, Nepal, India and Pakistan. Several subspecies (Western, Southern and Eastern Kiang) occur within its broad range as their distribution has become increasingly fragmented. The current global population estimate of Kiang is 60,000-70,000 individuals, with up to 90% of them located in protected areas along the China/Nepal border.

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African Wild Ass

Without doubt the most vulnerable to extinction of all the wild equids, the African Wild Ass is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, with species numbers estimated at approximately 200 mature individuals. Due to human/livestock impact and climate change, data reveals that their population may be undergoing a continuing decline (only 70 individuals have been observed), with the species meeting the threshold for critically endangered status. Their current range is approximately 23,000 km2 across the arid lands of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

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Burchell’s Zebra

The Burchell’s, or, Plains Zebra is the most common and widespread of the three zebra species. Easily distinguished from their close relatives by the stripes that meet around the belly, as opposed to the Grevy’s and Mountain Zebras which sport more compact stripes which end at the lower flanks. Around 500,000 Burchell’s Zebra walk the plains, deserts and savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa, and chances of spotting them on safari are extremely high. In fact, those travelling to wildlife hotspots such as the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, and Kruger National Parks in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa respectively are all but guaranteed to observe entire dazzles (herds) of these stripy steeds.

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Grevy’s Zebra

With a population estimated at around 2,860 individuals, the Grevy’s Zebra is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is restricted to the Horn of Africa, specifically Ethiopia and Kenya. It is the largest not only of the zebra family but of the entire living wild equid group. Also known as the Imperial Zebra, they are the most threatened of the three species of zebra. There are currently a discontinuous range of Grevy’s Zebra found from the eastern side of the Rift Valley in Kenya to the Tana River, with a small, isolated population roaming the Alledeghi Plains situated northeast of Awash National Park in Ethiopia.

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Mountain Zebra

Last but certainly not least are the beautiful Mountain Zebra which have been divided into two subspecies (Cape Mountain Zebra and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra). Some scientists argue that each is an entire species of its own due to some physiological and geographical differences. Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra are more numerous (up to 1300 in the wild) and they occur in the mountainous transition zone between the Namib Desert and the central plateau of Namibia. Numbering at between 600-700 individuals, the only surviving natural populations of Cape Mountain Zebra are found in Mountain Zebra National Park, Gamka Mountain Reserve and the Kamanassie Mountains.

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All Photos from Shutterstock/Graphics by Leigh Woods

(The Real) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Giants

This article was originally published by Youth Time International Magazine

In this edition of (The Real) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them we take a closer look into the giants of the natural world. From megafauna roaming Africa’s vast savannas to the creepy critters that lurk the forest undergrowth, discover more about the Goliaths of each taxonomic class and learn where to best locate them.

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Largest Land Mammal: African Bush Elephant

The African Elephant has been classified into two subspecies, namely the African Bush Elephant and the African Forest Elephant. The former is the largest terrestrial animal on earth with the latter in third - after the Asian Elephant. With an average height of 3.3 metres and a mass of 6 tonnes, the African Bush Elephant towers over all others in the family. The largest elephant ever recorded was a bull (male) in Angola. He weighed in at 11 tonnes, and was nearly a meter taller than the average elephant. Due to illegal poaching for their ivory, habitat destruction, and human-wildlife conflict, elephant numbers have dwindled over the past few centuries making them vulnerable to extinction. Among the best places to witness the African Bush Elephant in its natural habitat are the Okavanga Delta, Botswana and the Addo Elephant Park in South Africa.

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Largest Marine Mammal: Blue Whale

Not just the largest of all marine mammals, but claiming the title of largest creature ever to inhabit the Earth, the Blue Whale can grow to lengths of up to 30 metres and weigh up to 180 tonnes. Comparable in size to a small car, they have the largest heart of any animal and possess tongues that can weigh more than an elephant! Due to commercial whaling, their numbers depleted significantly throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, but their population has steadily increased since being protected worldwide from 1966. The IUCN estimates the Blue Whale population at between 10,000 – 25,000 individuals with the best chances of observing these colossal beasts off the coast of Dondra Point in Sri Lanka.

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Largest Bird: Ostrich

The largest of all birds by some distance, the Ostrich can grow up to 2.8 metres in height and weigh close to 145kg (that’s the weight of two average adult humans!). To add to its repertoire, they also boast the fastest land speed of any bird – reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h – and lay the largest eggs of any living bird. Furthermore, along with the largest squids in the ocean, they have the biggest eyes in the entire animal kingdom. Females tend to be about 2/3 the size of males and sport a brown/grey plumage with the males exhibiting black and white feathers. It is thought to be a camouflage technique to evade predators during breeding season whereby the female will sit on the eggs during the day, with the male taking on the responsibility at night. For the best chances of spotting them in the natural environment, head to Oudtshoorn, South Africa which has been aptly named the Ostrich capital of the world.

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Largest Reptile: Saltwater Crocodile

The Saltwater Crocodile is a prehistoric looking reptile that is also known as the estuarine crocodile, sea crocodile, and more informally, saltie. The males grow up to sizes that far exceed that of females, typically reaching up to around 5-6 metres in length and weighing nearly a tonne. Owing to their ability to dwell in a wide range of habitats, these menacing characters have the broadest distribution of any extant crocodile species. In fact, their range spans from the eastern coast of India through to northern Australia. Well known Saltwater Crocodile hotspots include Daintree River in Far North Queensland, and Cahills Crossing, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory – both located in Australia. Always practice extreme caution when heading out to spot these highly aggressive critters.

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Largest Bony Fish: Mola Mola

The largest of all fishes is actually the cartilaginous whale shark, but since we’ve already covered this species in the Fantastic Beasts series, we decided to shed some spotlight on the largest of the bony fish – the Mola Mola, or, Ocean Sunfish. These odd looking marine animals are often as tall as they are long, with specimens growing up to 3.2 metres in height! The weight of mature Mola Mola can differ greatly, ranging between 250kg to a tonne. Due to the high levels of bycatch observed in many fisheries around the world, Mola Mola has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Their range is circumglobal and there are many operators that offer the chance to dive with Mola Mola, including those based in the Nusa Penida, Indonesia and Oban, Scotland. The Galapagos Islands are also well known for spectacular diving experiences with these gigantic ocean dwellers, among other aquatic animals.

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Largest Amphibian: Chinese Giant Salamander

The most vulnerable to extinction of all animals in this article and the largest of all amphibians, the Chinese Giant Salamander is considered “a living fossil”. Endemic to rocky mountain streams and lakes in China, their numbers have fallen by as much as 80% since the 1950s due to pollution, habitat loss, and use in traditional Chinese medicine. As most Chinese Giant Salamander stop feeding at water temperatures exceeding 20 °C, the species is also highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. While they rarely reach such lengths in the present day, the Chinese Giant Salamander has been known to grow to as long as 1.8 metres and reach up to 50kg! Spotting them in the wild is a tall order, but doing so would likely happen in the basins of the Yangtze, Yellow and Pearl Rivers within China.

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Largest Insect: Wētāpunga

Unless you’re a diehard entomologist, you probably won’t be planning a trip to spot the world’s largest insect, the wētāpunga any time soon. Endemic to the arboreal forests situated on Little Barrier Island off the coast of New Zealand, these giant crickets can reach lengths up to 7.5 cm and weigh more than a small sparrow! They are heavily predated on by birds (especially saddlebacks) and kiore rats, and in tandem with their restricted distribution this has led them to become listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Note that the heaviest insect in the world is the Goliath Beetle.

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Largest Arachnid: Goliath Birdeater

The Goliath Birdeater is the thing of nightmares for any sufferer or arachnophobia. These enormous blond tarantulas are largest arachnids both by size and weight but second to Laos’ giant huntsman spider by leg-span. The Goliath Birdeater boasts a body length of up to 11.9 cm and can weigh as much as 175g. Their fangs are long enough to penetrate human skin, but seldom do they attack people and when they do, it is almost always in self defence. Further, despite carrying venom it is relatively harmless to humans, comparable to that of a wasp sting. Their diet consists mainly of large arthropods, worms and amphibians, but they have been known to prey on rodents, lizards, snakes, and, as their name suggests, birds! The Goliath Birdeater lives in deep burrows found in marshy and swampy areas of the Amazon Rainforest in northern Brazil and southern Venezuela. However, you’re more likely to find this nocturnal critter dead and served as part of the local cuisine!

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Largest Crustacean: Japanese Spider Crab

Not just the largest of all crustaceans but the biggest arthropod (insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans) that scuttles the planet, the Japanese Spider Crab can reach up to 5.5 meters from claw to claw and weigh as much as 19kg. Adults are found at depths between 50-600 meters below the water surfaces off the southern coasts of the Japanese island of Honshū, making the species very difficult to observe in the wild. In fact, the only chance you’re ever likely to encounter them in the wild is when they are unrecognizable – shortly after hatching. You may well have brushed past thousands of Japanase Spider Crabs without even knowing it if you’ve ever gone swimming in the waters off the coast of Japan!

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Other Natural World Giants

• Tallest animal: Maasai Giraffe (5.5 metres/1.2 tonnes)

• Largest land carnivore: Polar Bear/Kodiak Bear (3 metres/450kg)

• Largest marine carnivore: Sperm Whale (12 metres/57 tonnes)

• Largest fish: Whale shark (12.5 metres/21.5 tonnes)

• Largest mollusk/invertebrate: Colossal Squid (14 metres/495kg)

• Largest wingspan: Wandering Albatross (3.65 metres)

• Heaviest flying bird: Kori Bustard (18kg)

• Longest marine animal: Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (55 metres)

• Longest land animal: Reticulated Python (7.67 metres)

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All photos Shutterstock. Graphics by Leigh Woods

Happy World Orangutan Day!

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to observe these incredible and critically endangered primates in the Gunung Leuser ecosystem, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Combining my passion for wildlife with basic design skills, I've started creating infographics demonstrating the plight of some of the most iconic animals to roam the planet, starting with the world's largest arboreal mammal, the orangutan!