The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is severely endangered. Formerly New Zealand’s third most common bird, today only 154 are known to exist. Because the kakapo is such a fascinating feathered creature, it is the focus of many intensive conservation efforts.
It’s a strange bird. It’s flightless. It’s a parrot. It’s an owl, well, it’s nocturnal. It’s also called an owl parrot. It lives on the ground and it’s the world’s only flightless parrot. It weighs 4 to 9 pounds, slightly more than the macaw. Surprisingly, it’s one of the world’s longest-living birds. The oldest kakapos live 120 years!
Orca
Better known as the killer whale, the orca (Orcinus orca) is the largest member of the dolphin family, and, with no natural enemies, it is a vicious killing machine. Orcas are formidable predators at the top of the food chain. These intelligent carnivores are as large as a semi-truck and extremely powerful. Orcas hunt penguins, seals, sea lions, squids, birds, fish and even other whales. With four-inch-long teeth, they will sometimes snag a seal right off the ice.
Orcas can live for 60 years. On average they only make it about 29 years in the wild. However, one male known as Old Tom, spotted first in the 1840s, lived for 90 years. Orcas live in families, or pods, and reach the reproductive age at 20. Females stop breeding around age 40 and can live for many years after that. Granny, an orca studied by researchers, was thought to be 80 to 105 years old. Orcas can be found from the polar regions to the equator, though they are often spotted in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Atlantic Halibut
The Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) is a large fish that can live to be 50 to 90 years old. The typical lifespan of this halibut is 25 to 30 years. The Atlantic halibut is a flat fish, making it look like it swims sideways, but with both eyes on the top of its head. As the largest of all flatfish, the Atlantic halibut can grow to 7 feet and weigh up to 720 pounds!
Due to its exquisite cuisine qualities, the overfished Atlantic halibut has become scarce and the fishery has collapsed. Found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean and in parts of the Arctic Ocean, its numbers have become so low that in 1996 it was rated “endangered” and put on the Red List for protection.
Eastern Box Turtle
An eastern box turtle’s high rounded carapace and bright coloring make it one of the cutest turtles and, so, a popular pet. Native to states like Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Florida, and the official state reptile of both North Carolina and Tennessee, they can also be found in most eastern states and as far north as Maine. Its conservation status is “vulnerable.” Wild eastern box turtles are captured by the thousands for pet store sales in South Carolina, the last state where it’s still legal.
Caring for a box turtle requires continuous access to fresh water and foods such as worms, slugs, berries, flowers, mushrooms, and crickets. Captive eastern box turtles can die in three days without proper care. The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) has an incredible lifespan. This turtle can live over 100 years, and, in general, live beyond 50 years. As pets, there may need to be some arrangements made!
Humpback Whale
A humpback whale is the size of a school bus, but it’s a gentle giant feeding primarily on krill and other small fish it sucks in and traps in its baleen. It was hunted to the brink of extinction, down 90%, until the 1966 moratorium saved it. In 2008 its threat for extinction was lowered to “least concern.” Today, the greatest threat to humpback whales are collisions with large ships and becoming entangled in fishing equipment.
Humpbacks can live for a long time. On average, they live 80 to 90 years. They can be found throughout the world’s oceans. Amazingly, they migrate 5,000 miles per year to feed their young. They can be found from Alaska to Hawaii, and across the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Maine to Norway. In California, whale watching is a popular activity, but the graceful beasts can also be viewed from the coast.