Peale’s dolphin (also known as the Black-chinned dolphin and the Peales black-chinned dolphin) is a small dolphin found in the waters around Tierra del Fuego at the bottom of South America. However, since Rice’s work, Peale’s dolphin has been adopted as the standard common name. Peale’s dolphin is of typical size in its family — about 1 m in length at birth and 2.1 m (6.9 ft) when fully mature. Its adult weight is about 115 kg. It has a dark-grey face and chin. The back is largely black with a single off-white stripe running curving and thickened as it runs down the back on each side. The belly is white. Conspicuously, also a white patch occurs under just behind each flippers. These are known as the “armpits”. The flanks also have a large white-grey patch above the flipper.
The total population is unknown, but recent research estimates there to be ~21,800 individuals in the South Atlantic part of its range.
Peale’s dolphins’ propensity for moving over only small areas, and staying close to shore, has rendered them vulnerable to interference by man. During the 1970s and ’80s, Chilean fisherman killed and used thousands of Peale’s dolphins for crab bait each year. This practice has decreased, but not been made illegal.
In Argentina, Peale’s dolphins have been reported becoming trapped in gill nets, but the extent of this is not known. Conservation groups such as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation demand further research be made into this species.
The Peale’s dolphin or black-chinned dolphin is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.
Below you will see a video of this species, and below that a list of all (if any) articles written on this species on this website – it will update automatically. Below that, we will add any links in the area which might help you see this species in the wild. They will be added as we make connections.
The primates are in some ways one of the most successful families. It is true that many are now endangered, however, unfortunately, that is as a result of the run-away success of the most successful member of the primate family us! Having left the rainforests behind, we have been reducing their coverage dramatically over the last few centuries.Â
The sad thing, is that while we have pushed many of our closest cousins towards extinction, the loss of forests may well cost us dearly in the future as well. As a species, we need to pull together to meet this challenge. in order to jump to the various families, click on the family of interest above – though all can also be reached by scrolling down.
Great ape Family split is thought to have split from its nearest relative – the gibbon family, around 17 million years ago.
4 million years later the Orangutan family split from the gorilla line and the human/chimp line.
3 million years after this (so around 10 million years ago) the gorilla family split from the Homo (humans) and Pan
Finally the human line (homo) split from the Pan line 5-6 million years ago.
It should be noted, that chimpanzees and Bonobos split from a common ancestor just 1.8 million years ago. This occurred as the two populations ceased to be able to have contact with each other – the Congo rive formed between 1.5 and 2 million years ago.
For more information on each species, click on their photo and this will take you to their page
It should be noted that while I have grouped eastern western and skywalker gibbon together, there is some contention that the skywalker gibbon should be in its own genus, having diverged around half a million years aog
The short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis), also known as the short-eared zorro or small-eared dog,  is a unique and shy canid species endemic to the Amazonian basin. It is the only species assigned to the genus Atelocynus.
short-ear fox, blue-eyed fox, savannah fox and black fox are all other names that it is known by, often from Portuguese or Spanish.
Two subspecies are recognized.
They are found throughout much of the Amazon, and seems to prefer areas with little human disturbance.
Its diet consists of fish insects and small mammals.
Feral dogs are one of the biggest threats, both through direct attacks, but also for the illnesses that they carry. It is not currently threatened.
Rüppell’s fox (Vulpes rueppellii), also called Rüppell’s sand fox, is a species living in desert and semi-desert regions of North Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. It has been assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008.[2] It is named after the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell.
This fox is a close relation of the Red fox (this is something that can be suspected, looking at the animal.
It is found throughout all of North Africa, and the middle east, and stretches into Iraq and Iran, alongside Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is not known, but it is suspected to be one of a relatively few number of mammals benefitting from climate change, as it is causing the worlds deserts to grow, which expands areas that this fox can out-compete the red fox.
There is some debate as to how many of these subspecies are valid, but currently 5 are recognized.
The Bush dog is a south American Canid, and the only member of the genus Speothos (there was another species in this group but it is already extinct.
The bush dog is a small canid that lives in South America
Bush dogs are active during the day, and live in packs of up to 12 animals. There is only an alpha pair which breeds, but all will guard the pups, and the males will bring food for the female who stays with the pups.
It is classed as near threatened, but are found across the northern half of the Southern American continent.
They are effective hunters. Their small size allows them to move across the forest floor rapidly, and they have webbed feet, which means that they are good swimmers when they need to cross water (many rainforest flood from time to time.
They are so rarely seen, even in their native habitat, that they were first discovered in the fossil record.
This fox is a also known as the forest fox, wood fox, and bushdog (as apposed to the Bush dog which we have encountered already).
Crab-eating fox
Like other foxes in south America it is not a true fox. It lives in anges in savannas; woodlands; subtropical forests; prickly, shrubby thickets; and tropical savannas such as the caatinga, plains, and campo, from Colombia and southern Venezuela in the north to Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina at the southernmost reaches of its range. Its habitat also includes wooded riverbanks such as riparian forest. In the rainy season, their range moves uphill, whilst in drier times they move to lower ground.[13] Their habitat covers all environments except rainforests, high mountains, and open grassy savannas. In some regions of their range, they are threatened with extirpation.
Looking, at first glance, like a fox on stilts, it is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. It is actually not a wolf or a dog, but instead sits in its own genus Chrysocyon which means “golden dog”. It is crepuscular and omnivorous, and lives on the open habitat of the South America Savanna. The IUCN classes it as near threatened, while a Brazilian organisation with a similar role lists it as vulnerable.
Its name in a local language calls it a big fox. Indeed some studies have suggested that it should be in the same genus as pseudo-foxes.
A recent study suggested that its nearest relative was the Falkland islands wolf, and its mainland relatives – but you have to go back 7 million years to find a common ancestor with this group.
It only hunts solitarily, and its preferred habitat is grasslands, scrub prairies, and forests.
It is not currently considered endangered, given its wide area in which it inhabits, never-the-less it is recognized as a near threatened species due to its reducing numbers. In Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay it is forbidden to hunt them. It has been used to publicize the fight to protect the Brazilian cerrado, by placing it on one of the Brazilian notes.
This animal was shown in great detail in planet earth 3 episode 3, however, this clip is from a bbc series a few years ago.
As we make contacts which you can use to plan your travel to see this animal for yourself.
For those watching this amazing series, you will have see the beautiful animal - looking rather like a fox on stilts, the maned wolf is a species that lives on...
The Pampas fox is also known as the grey pampean fox, Pampas zorro, Azara fox or Azara zorro. It is a midsized (non) fox as all south American foxes, which are more closely related to the wolf and jackal.
Pampas fox
The Pampas fox resembles the Culpeo or Andean fox in appearance and size, but has a proportionately wider snout, reddish fur on the head and neck, and a black mark on the muzzle. Its short, dense fur is grey over most of the body, with a black line running down the back and onto the tail, and pale, almost white, underparts.
The Pampas fox can be found in northern and central Argentina, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. It prefers open pampas habitats, often close to agricultural land, but can also be found in montane or chaco forest, dry scrubland, and wetland habitats. It is most common below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) elevation, but can inhabit puna grasslands up to 3,500 m.
They are occasionally hunted for their fur, or to avoid livestock deaths, however thus far this has not impacted population.
Also known as Hoary zorro, its Brazilian name means little meadow fox. It primary feeds on insects,
Hoary fox
The Hoary fox is generally nocturnal and usually solitary except during the breeding season. They survive for the most part on insects such as termites, dung beetles and grasshoppers. They will also eat rodents, small birds and fruit. Their home range varies widely depending on how much food is available. An example is one adult in Southern Bahia whose home range covers 950 acres, however in the pastures of Minas Gerais a breeding pair with 5 young survived on 1130 acres, and in Eastern Mato Grosso 2 breeding pairs shared 120 acres.
They are mostly native to Southern central Brazil.
The referendum on Yasuni reserve will benefit a huge range of species, along with several groups of uncontacted tribes of indigenous people. The vote was not close, with 90% of votes counted protection won by around 20%. It will also keep around 726 million barrels of oil in the ground. Given that one barrel is 158 litres, that is 114 billion liters of oil, and as each one emits at least 3 kg of carbon dioxide, this is going to save 350 billion kg of carbon dioxide released into the air. This is a huge win for the environment, but also for the wildlife of the Yasuni reserve.
