The effects of acid rain on wildlife can be far-reaching. If a population of one plant or animal is adversely affected by acid rain, animals that feed on that organism may also suffer. Ultimately, an entire ecosystem may become endangered. Some species that live in water are very sensitive to acidity, some less so. Freshwater clams and mayfly young, for instance, begin dying when the water pH reaches 6.0. Frogs can generally survive more acidic water, but if their supply of mayflies is destroyed by acid rain, frog populations may also decline. Fish eggs of most species stop hatching at a pH of 5.0. Below a pH of 4.5, water is nearly sterile, unable to support any wildlife.

Land animals dependent on aquatic organisms are also affected. Scientists have found that populations of snails living in or near water polluted by acid rain are declining in some regions. In The Netherlands songbirds are finding fewer snails to eat. The eggs these birds lay have weakened shells because the birds are receiving less calcium from snail shells.

Animals in arid environments must adapt to conditions such as water shortages, high temperatures, and a high risk of food scarcity. Some species adapt by migrating to other climes, while others are able to survive for prolonged periods without water. Sizes of animal populations vary from area to area, depending on food abundance; and from time to time, due to unpredictable and scarce rainfall.

Rodent species, including the Nile rat, jerboa, gerbil, and hare, are common in arid and semiarid regions. Several species of gazelles are also found. Rodents and gazelles serve as prey for fennecs, other foxes, jackals, and hyenas. Ostriches, the world’s largest birds, are also found in arid and semiarid regions. Other birds restricted to the deserts and their fringes include sand grouse and coursers.

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When alligators search for a mate they bellow often, perhaps to announce their presence to females and to warn other males to stay away. Unwanted intruders are confronted with ritual gaping, lunging, and hissing, but courtship behavior is sedate. After mating, the male seeks his own territory while the female builds a nest of mud and plants nearby, above flood level. The eggs, from 30 to 60 in a clutch, are covered with mud and vegetational debris. The female stands guard as the eggs incubate in the heat from this decaying vegetation and from the sun. When the eggs are ready to hatch, in about 60 days, the young begin to croak softly within the egg. The female may then assist the young in escaping from the nest and may even carry them in her mouth to the water’s edge. The female may remain near her young for a year or more. A young alligator in distress will give a series of sharp croaks that may quickly bring the female to investigate.

Only two species of alligator exist: the Chinese alligator and the American alligator. The Chinese alligator makes its home in the Yangtze River Basin of China. It is more timid and much smaller than the American alligator, seldom exceeding 2.5 m (8 ft) in length, and is considered little threat to humans. The American alligator lives mainly in freshwater swamps, lakes, and bayous in the southeastern United States, but it ranges as far west as the Río Grande in Texas. It is larger, reaching up to about 6 m (about 20 ft) in length, and is potentially dangerous to humans. Attacks occur infrequently, usually in areas where humans have recently encroached on alligator habitat or where alligators have become accustomed to the presence of humans. Hunted for generations both for sport and for its hide, populations of the American alligator dwindled until, in 1967, it was declared an endangered species. Under this protection it made a strong comeback and, little more than a decade later, hunting of the American alligator was again allowed in some states.

Scientific classification: Alligators constitute the genus Alligator, family Crocodylidae. They are sometimes recognized as a separate family, Alligatoridae. The Chinese alligator is classified as Alligator sinensis and the American alligator as Alligator mississipiensis.

The alpaca, a surefooted animal, is smaller than the llama, has longer, softer wool, and ordinarily is not used as a beast of burden. Like the llama and camel, alpacas sometimes spit. After 11 months’ gestation the female gives birth to one offspring. The young have short wool until they mature.

Flocks of alpacas graze almost wild on high plateaus, 4267 to 4877 m (14,000 to 16,000 ft) above sea level. At shearing time the Native Americans drive them to the villages and clip off about 20 cm (about 8 in) of the wool. The alpaca provides white, gray, or yellow wool, although the black and dark brown fibers are especially valued. The fiber is elastic and strong and is straighter and silkier than sheep’s wool. Although the flesh of the alpaca is palatable, the animal is kept primarily for its wool, from which a fine cloth is made.

Scientific classification: The alpaca belongs to the family Camelidae. It is classified as Lama pacos.

The Facts About Alligator

Because more than 90 percent of Madagascar’s forests have been affected by human activity, many species on the island face extinction because of loss of habitat. Many other notable species have already vanished, including the giant lemur, giant tortoise, and elephant bird.

A typical Japanese Bobtail

Japanese Bobtail is a breed of short-tailed cat developed in East Asia in the 7th century. The Japanese bobtail enjoyed special status in Japan until 1602, when a government decree required that all cats be turned loose to control rodents, which were destroying that country’s silkworm. The Japanese bobtail was introduced in the United States by returning American soldiers after World War II (1939-1945).

The Japanese bobtail has a medium-sized, lean body. The back legs are longer than the front legs, but deeply angled leg joints keep the cat’s back level when it stands. The long, triangular head has high cheekbones. Large, oval-shaped eyes that slant down toward the nose are alert. Upright ears that tilt forward are set wide apart at right angles to the sides of the head. Thin, parallel lines of dark fur run along each side of the nose from tip to brow. The short, bushy tail is less than 7.5 cm (3 in) long. It resembles a pompom or a rabbit tail, and often appears crooked.

The Japanese bobtail’s medium-length fur is soft, silky, and thickest on the tail. The most popular color for this breed is a red, black, and white combination called Mi-Ke. Tradition says that a cat with this coloring brings good luck. The coat may also be bicolored. Regardless of coloring, the coat is noted for its dramatic, contrasting markings. The Cat Fanciers’ Association recognized this breed (Japanese Bobtail)  in 1976.

Javanese

shorthair cat, named for the elegant dancers from the island of Java. The Javanese was developed by cat breeders who crossed the colorpoint shorthair with the Balinese to introduce the colorpoint shorthair’s colors in the Balinese breed. Colorpoints are characteristic large spots of darker fur on the face, ears, legs, and tail, contrasting with a lighter body coloring.

The Javanese has a medium-sized, slender body that is tubular in shape. Although this cat looks fragile, it is muscular and strong. The back legs are longer than the front legs. The slender neck supports a wedge-shaped head that has well-defined bone structure. Both the neck and head are long. Medium-sized, almond-shaped, blue eyes slant toward the long, straight nose. The triangular-shaped ears are strikingly large. The long, thin tail tapers to a fine tip.

The fine silky coat of the Javanese grows longer than the coat of a Siamese, but not as long as that of a Persian cat. The coat looks shorter than its real length because it lies close to the body. The fur is longest, up to 7.5 cm (3 in) in length, on the plumelike tail.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association recognized this breed in 1986, restricting recognition of individual Javanese cats to those with a light-colored coat and contrasting darker, nontraditional colorpoints. The dark colorpoints on the Javanese ears, nose, paws, and tail are limited by registration standards to a tortoiseshell point, a red point, a cream point, and a tabby or multicolored point.

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Turkish Angora

the Angora, this cat originated in the city of the same name (now Ankara).

By the early 20th century, many years of breeding with Persian cats had nearly destroyed the Turkish Angora breed, which had acquired many of the Persian traits. A breeding program was started at the Ankara zoo in the early 1900s to save the Turkish Angora from extinction, but serious interest in reestablishing the breed did not emerge until the early 1960s when two Turkish Angoras were exported to the United States. Another pair was sent to the United States in 1966, and these four cats became the foundation of the breed as it appears today.

The sleek-looking Turkish Angora has a long, medium-sized body with a deep, narrow chest, long legs, and small, dainty feet. The back legs are longer than the front legs, and the cat’s rump stands higher than its shoulders. Both sexes reach maturity in about two years. A slim, graceful neck carries the small- to medium-sized, wedge-shaped head, with a gently rounded chin and a medium to long nose. Large, almond-shaped eyes angle upward at the outer corners and are amber or blue, or sometimes one of each color, depending on the color of the coat. Large, erect ears sit high on the head, have a wide base, and end in a pointed tip. This cat’s long, tapered tail has a full plume of hair that it holds at a low angle.

The Turkish Angora’s coat is pure white, black, blue-gray, red, brown, or multicolored. The long, silky fur is wavy on the stomach and longer around the neck where it forms a ruff, or collar. The tail has a full brush of long, fine hair. Tufts of fur grow between the cat’s (Turkish Angora) toes and on the tips of the ears.

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