Elongated Tortoise
Elongated tortoises (Indotestudo elongata) are found in South and Southeast Asia. Their narrow, elongated shell allows them to navigate through the densely forested areas they inhabit. They are omnivorous, and have a more diverse diet than other tortoise species, feeding on a wide variety of plants, as well as mushrooms, snails, eggs, and worms.
Elongated tortoises reach lengths of up to 30cm, and can weigh up to 3.5kgs. The females tend to have a wider, rounder shell, and longer back claws, possibly to facilitate nest-building. Nests are built in soft, sandy soil, where up to 9 eggs will be laid, incubated naturally by the sun.
The elongated tortoise is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, with numbers declining across all of its range. The main driver of the decline is mass hunting for food markets, with habitat destruction and the pet trade also contributing.
Madagascar Day Gecko
Madagascar day geckos (Phelsuma grandis) are a type of lizard found on the eastern coast of Madagascar, inhabiting tropical and subtropical rainforests, and spending most of their time in the trees. Their diet is largely composed of insects, along with fruit and nectar.
These geckos can reach up to 28cm long, with females being smaller than males. This comparatively large size is the reason they are referred to as Madagascar giant day geckos. Male geckos are territorial, and will not allow other males to enter their territory. Females lay multiple pairs of eggs during the breeding season (December to June), and the temperature at which the eggs are incubated determines whether the offspring will be male or female.
This species is listed as least concern by the IUCN, but potential threats to their populations include deforestation and collection for the pet trade.
Blue-throated Macaw
The Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a type of parrot which is only found in a small area of north-central Bolivia known as Los Llanos de Moxos. They are not a forest-dwelling bird; rather they nest in islands of palm trees that grow in the tropical savanna of the Llano de Moxos. They feed primarily on palm fruit, with nuts and seeds making up only a small part of their diet. The Urucuri palm (Attalea phalerata) is their main food source, and they have even been seen drinking the liquid from the immature fruit.
Blue-throated macaws breed once a year, building their nests in the hollow cavities of dead palm trees. A clutch consists of 1-3 eggs, which are incubated for 26 days. The chicks usually fledge after 14 weeks, though they remain dependent on their parents for food, often staying with the adults for up to a year. Blue-throated macaws can live for up to 50 years.
Thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered in 1992, blue-throated macaws are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN - their very small population means they remain on the verge of extinction in the wild. Fewer than 350 remain in the wild, and threats include deforestation and habitat loss due to cattle ranching, agriculture, and burning in the savanna, the illegal pet trade, and severe weather and flooding related to climate change.
