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Mississippi Gopher Frog

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  The  Mississippi gopher frog  or the  Lithobates sevosus , also known commonly as the  dark gopher frog  is a critically endangered species of frog  in the family  ranidae  . The species is endemic  to and  Its natural habitats  are temperate coastal forests  and intermittent freshwater marshes.  This secretive frog is on average 3 in long, and has a dark brown or black dorsal surface covered in warts. The diet of adult Mississippi gopher frogs includes other frogs, insects, spiders and earth worms. These frogs spend most of their time underground in burrows made by tortoises.  The cause of this frogs decline is due to    the  loss of open longleaf pine habitat needed for subsistence and the seasonal ponds needed for reproduction This species is already so rare that if they disappeared it wouldn't greatly affect the ecosystem where the reside. However, just because they don't have a large niche in their ecosystem does not mean that they are not important.  Fortunately, a cons
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Ocelot

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       The ocelot is a medium sized spotted cat that reaches 15-19 inches. It is native to the southwestern states, Mexico, Central and South America, and some Caribbean Islands. The ocelot is efficient at swimming, running, leaping and climbing as it a very athletic animal. It is typically active at twilight and tends to be solitary and territorial.      This species niche in the ecosystem is that it eats small mammals such as rodents, armadillos, opossums, and fish. The ocelot primarily hunts and eats mammals that are under 3 pounds. The cause of the Ocelots decline is primarily habitat loss, poaching for the fur trade/ pet trade, and vehicles. They are important because they control the small mammal and bird populations.          Current conservation efforts  USFWS monitors the ocelot population and protects and restores thorn scrub habitat . They also work with the Texas Department of Transportation to install under-road wildlife crossings to help keep ocelots off the roads as vehi
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Black-footed Ferret

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  The black-footed ferret is a species of mustelid native to central north America, more specifically the grasslands in the northern great plains. This ferret relies on prairie dogs for their source of food. This animal was thought to be extinct but  the species was rediscovered in Wyoming in 1981. concerted efforts by many people have given black-footed ferrets a second chance for survival. Captive breeding, reintroductions, habitat protection, and cloning have helped restore them to over 300 animals in the wild.  These Ferrets are essential essential members of the ecosystem and serve both as predator and prey. Black-footed ferrets help manage prairie dog populations. They also serve as a food source for larger predators like owls, coyote, and badgers.  They are very important for the health and diversity of the Northern American prairie ecosystem, and are considered a flagship species. If they were to go extinct it would be horrible for the entire prairie ecosystem. The reasons the
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Snow Leopard

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  Snow Leopard Panthera Uncia The Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) is a species of large cat in genus Panthera of the family Felidae. The population is estimated to be around 4,000-6,500. The species is native to the mountain ranges of central and south Asia. For Millenia, this amazing cat was the king of the mountains. Due to the rugged and severe conditions of where this cat lives, a surprising 70% of their habitat remains unexplored   Habitat and Role In summer, the snow leopard typically resides above the tree line on alpine meadows and in rocky regions at elevations of 8,900 to 19,700 ft. In winter, they go back down to elevations of about 3,900 to 6,600 ft. They prefer rocky, broken terrain, and can move in 33 inches of snow. The commonly hunt sheep, goat, and even domestic livestock. Snow Leopard Decline and Why We Should Care The sole predator of the Snow Leopard is Humans. This is caused from poaching, habitat loss, decline in natural prey species, and retaliatory killings. If th
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