Skip to main content

Raso Lark

Today's animal is named for the tiny island that it lives on-- Raso Islet in the Cape Verde chain. When I say tiny, I really mean tiny-- it is only 7 square kilometers!

No humans live on Raso, which is good for the few animals that reside there, as most are very, very endangered. Raso is the only home of the Raso Lark, which is itself critically endangered.

The Raso Lark has not been studied extensively-- there are very few of them and they live in a rather remote area. It is estimated that the population numbers around 150 individuals, but that the male to female ratio is quite off (about 2 males for every female). Reproduction is especially tough due to some of the Lark's neighbors. The island is home to the also-rare Cape Verde Giant Gecko, which loves to feed on eggs.

Raso Larks have irregular breeding seasons which are tied to the availability of food and water. Raso Islet is a volcanic island that is very dry and has little vegetation. Food and water can quickly become scarce. When food is to be found, it usually comes in the form of plant bulbs.
IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Cape Verde
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m), Weight up to 130lbs (65kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Alaudidae -- Genus : Alauda -- Species : A. razae
Image : Winkel
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent
Post a Comment
Read more