Jungle

Jungle: Shayla []


 * A region of tall trees in year round warmth, it rarely gets higher than 93 degrees F and no lower than 68 degrees F
 * 50-260 inches of rainfall each year.
 * The average humidity is 77-88%
 * They now cover less than 6% of the Earth
 * The last remaining jungles could be consumed in 40 years.
 * 1 1/2 acres are lost every second.
 * We are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every day because of jungle deforestation.
 * Half of the worlds plants and animal species live in the jungle.
 * Produce 40% of the Earths oxygen
 * 70% of all plants in the jungle are trees
 * 1/4 of all medicines come from the jungle.
 * There were ten million Indians living in the jungle now there is less than 200,000
 * One hectacre (2.47 acres) has approximately 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher plants.
 * There are 3,000 fruits but only 200 are in use in the western world.
 * The jungle was once very dense and its soil was rich in nutrients and now its said to be shallow and poor in nutrients.
 * 90% of all the nutrients are in root mats and when its cut down or burned the nutrients are taken from the soil and the area can only be used for a short period of time before it becomes depleted of all its nutrients.



The three largets jungles:
 * The American
 * The African
 * The Asian



Four layers of the Jungle
 * 1) Emergent: Tallest layer of the rainforest that contains a small number of large trees. Hot temperatures and strong winds occur here.
 * 2) Upper Canopy: Densets areas of biodiversity inhabit the canopy. Top part of the jungle that has continuous coverage of foliage. Half of all the life on Earth could be seen here.
 * 3) Understory: Lies between the canopy and forest floor
 * 4) Forest Floor: The bottom most layer of the forest that receives only 2% sunlight.



Adaptations to life in the jungle:
 * Prehensile tails: able to grasp/ hold objects with easily.
 * Bright Colors
 * Sharp Patterns
 * Loud Vocalizations
 * Diets heavy of fruit

//__**Phylum Chordata:**__// I chose this phylum because it represents the most common type of animals that people enjoy seeing while visiting a zoo. It displays a wide range of animals and by chosing this phylum its almost guarenteed that someones favorite animal will be represented. __**//Class Mammalia://**__ By chosing this class you have a large spectrum of animals to chose from.
 * Species**

__//**P. pardus (Leopard)**//__
 * Phylum**: Chordata
 * Class**: Mammalia
 * Scientific** **Name**: P. Paradus
 * Common Name**: Leopard
 * Leopards are found south of the Sahara, along the North African coas to the Arabian Peninsula,South East Asia and in the Russian Far East.
 * Leopards are found in semi- deserts and savannahs, coniferous forests, subtropical decidous forests, grasslands and tropical rainforests.
 * **Habitat:** They live in habitats where the find sufficient cover and shade to find and stalk their prey. But also in the open country where they find shrubs to stalk their prey from far distances. They are able to use all sorts of landscape to cover themselves, therefore, they have the ability to live in such wide ranges of habitats.
 * **Size**: 4-6 feet
 * **Weight**: Up to 200 pounds in males and 132 in females.
 * **Lifespan**: 23 years in captivity and 15 years in the wild
 * **Diet**: Carnivores. Ranges from monkeys, reptiles, amphibians, cheetah cubs, large birds, fish, and rodents.
 * They hunt at night and use their sense of smell and hearing to catch prey.
 * **Diet in the Zoo:** Carnivore diet with an occasional large bone thawed rabbit and sheep carcass
 * **Gestation**: 3.5 months and can have up to 6 in a litter
 * **Conservation status:** All eight species are endangered
 * **Predators**: Humans
 * **Fun Fact:** There are 50,000 species of leopards around the world and are one of the only cats that actually like water
 * **Habitat in the Zoo:** They can be around other leopards in captivity but they have to have sufficient amount of space to be able to run around get the exercise that they recieve from the wild. They must be placed in an area with grass and landscape that allows them to run around and climb but they can also be dangerous so there has to be some sort of plexiglass barrier between the leopards and human activity. Also, there shouldnt be any other animals in the area with them.
 * **Reason why I chose a leopard:** One of the reasons why I chose a leopard is because its my favorite animal and because a lot of people like to see the uniqueness of leopards. They also are mammals that can easily adapt to their surroundings so it would be easy to move and place the leopards in different areas of the zoo.

//**__E. geoffroyi (spider monkey)__**//
 * Phylum:** Chordata
 * Class:** Mammalia
 * Scientic Name:** E. geoffroyi
 * Common Name**: Spider Monkey

//**Reptilia**// __//**R. toco (Toucan)**//__
 * Spider Monkeys are found in Mexico, South America, and North America in tropical rainforests.
 * **Habitat:** Upper canopy of the jungle and tend to never touch the forest floor. They adapt easily to habitats and if the environment is limited they can be found in other parts of the jungle.
 * **Size:** 14-26 inches
 * **Weight:** 13.25 pounds
 * **Lifespan:** 27 years in the wild
 * **Diet:** fruigivorus eating 90% fruits and seeds and the other 10% is bark and sometimes small insects.
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Primate chow, bananas, oranges, apples, sweet potatoes, eggs and sunflower seeds.
 * **Gestation:** 226-232 days
 * **Conservation status:** They have a moderate threat of becoming endangered because of deforestation.
 * **Predators:** Raptors, jaguars, pumas, and large snakes.
 * **Fun Fact:** Females are usually larger than males
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** They would have to live in an area with trees and vegitation that allow them to climb and exercise. There is no need to use a protective barrier between the animal and humans. Other species of monkeys could be in the habitat with them as well as birds.
 * **Reason why I chose a Spider Monkey:** I chose a Spider Monkey because they are a smaller version of a monkey and they are more adapt to changing their environment if necessary. Also, they are entertaining to watch jump from tree to tree so I think it would be a fun and exciting addition to the zoo
 * Caiman Crocodilus (Spectacled Caiman)
 * E. deschauenseei (Anaconda)
 * //__Class Aves:__//** I chose to do this class because of the many different types of birds that are in the jungle and because all of the birds that are in the jungle are beautiful beyond measure. People enjoy seeing their beauty and unique mating calls.
 * Phylum:** Chordata
 * Class:** Aves
 * Scientic Name:** R. toco
 * Common Name:** Toucan
 * Generally located in Central America and South America
 * **Habitat:** The canopy of the jungle with plenty of tree space and an abundant of species present.
 * **Size:** 12.5- 24 inches long
 * **Weight:** 3.4 ounces - 1.9 pounds
 * **Lifespan:** unknown in the wild but up to 18 years in the zoo
 * **Diet:** Primarily frugivores but are known to catch insects, dine on tree frog, and even catch eggs.
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Fruit, small insects, and lizards.
 * **Incubation:**15 to 18 days
 * **Conservation Status:** low risk
 * **Predators:** Humans, big cats, and the worst is a jaguar.
 * **Fun Fact:** Toucans are terrible flyers and hop from tree to tree.
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** An area with trees for the birds to land and exercise on. Also, there has to be enough space for the bird to fly around, they do not need to be enclosed because they arent a threat to humans in the zoo. Animals such as monkeys and other birds could be inclosed in the area with them.
 * **Reasons why I chose a toucan:** I chose a Toucan because they are beautifully colored and will be eye catching to visitors in the zoo. Also, they dont require much care and arent limited on their habitat conditions.


 * //__A. macao (Scarlet Macaw)__//**
 * Phylum:** Chordata
 * Class:** Aves
 * Scientic Name:** A. macao
 * Common Name:** Scarlet Macaw

> __//**Phylum Arthropods**//__**:** I chose to do this phylum because a lot of animals in the jungle are arthropods and it has very diverse classes. Also, people like to see all the beautiful colors that come with arthropods. __//**Class Insecta:**//__ By chosing this class it allows me to pick from all types of insects and will present many arthropods with different features.
 * Can be found in Southern Mexico to Peru, Bolivia, eastern Brazil, and the island of Trinidad
 * **Habitat:** They live in tall trees near water in large noisy groups.
 * **Size:** up to 33 inches
 * **Weight:** over 2 pounds
 * **Lifespan:** up to 50 years in the wild
 * **Diet:** Nuts, leaves, berries and clay
 * **Diet in the zoo:** peanuts, seeds, oranges, bananas, coconuts, green pepper, and corn on the cob.
 * **Incubation:** 23- 30 days
 * **Conservation Status:** High risk of being endangered or at risk.
 * **Predators:** monkeys, toucans, snakes, and other large mammals.
 * **Fun Fact:** They can eat toxic foods that can kill other animals.
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** A Macaw can be in an area with trees for climbing and open area for flying. They do not have to have any sort of special encloser because they do not harm humans. They can be in the same area as monkeys but there must be a distance and inability to reach one another in the zoo. Other than that they can be with other birds and fish.
 * **Reason why I chose a Scarlet Macaw:** I chose a Scarlet Macaw because I always thought they were beautiful animals. They have a very distinct color pattern that sets them apart from other birds, also, people would love to experience their beauty.

//**Phylum:**// Arthropoda //**Class:**// Insecta
 * //__Callicore Butterfly__//**
 * Scientific Name:** C. astarte
 * Found in Mexico to Brazil
 * **Habitat:** They live in all sorts of habitats especially tropical jungles and only migrate short distances.
 * **Size:** less than 10 inches
 * **Weight:** Less than 0.1 ounce
 * **Lifespan:** 2 weeks to 2 months in the wild
 * **Diet:** Nectar from flowers or liquid from rotting fruit
 * **Diet in the zoo**: They are usually in an area that has plenty of flowers in the area and they leave out fruits.
 * **Development:** Can take as long as 7 years
 * **Conservation Status:** Critical risk
 * **Predators:** Frogs, lizards, birds, spiders, and other insects
 * **Fun Fact:** Its wings are so delicate touching its wings could cause them to rip
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** This butterfly could live in an area with a moderate to high heat index and doesnt need anything more than a small leaf to live on. It could fly around and it wouldnt be dangerous to anyone, humans would need to be informed that you can only look at the butterfly because of its sensativity. The best fit area for this butterfly would be inclosed with other butterflies and small insects.
 * **Reason why I chose this butterfly:** I chose this butterfly because of its beauty, its wings can be all sorts of beautiful colors and patterns. People would want to come and see all the different style of wings that are on a butterfly.
 * //__Lasaia agesila (glittering sapphire)__//**
 * Phylum:** Arthropods
 * Class:** Insecta
 * Scientific Name:** Lasaia agesila
 * Common Name:** Glittering Sapphire
 * It can be found from Mexico to Paraguay
 * **Habitat:** Found in jungles and in cloudforest habitats at altitudes between 200-1800 meters
 * **Size:** 4 cm wingspan
 * **Weight:** less than .001 of an ounce
 * **Lifespan:** One month
 * **Diet:** Nectar from flowers
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Flowers and fruits
 * **Conservation Status:** critical risk
 * **Predators:** Main predator, triorla striol
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** Their habitat would be an area that was open and had plenty of greenery. They must be able to fly around and exercise but also have enough room for nesting. They would be able to live with other butterflies and insects because they dont pose a threat to others.
 * **Reason why I chose this species:** I chose this species because of its beautiful color and stunning shade of blue.

__**//Class Arachnida://**__ I chose to do this class of arthropods because of their abundance in the jungle and because people are either freaked out by these marvelous creatures or fasinated. I feel like by having them in the zoo your benefits would out weigh the cost because they dont need much to survive and they are interesting to see.


 * //__C. barachycephalus (tarantula)__//**
 * Phylum:** Arthropoda
 * Class:** Arachnida
 * Scientific Name:** C. barachycephalus
 * Common Name:** Tarantula
 * Mainly found in Africa and South America
 * **Habitat:** Found in tropical, subtropical and arid regions. They burrow underground
 * **Size:** 4.75 inches long, leg span of 11 inches
 * **Weight:** 1-3 ounces
 * **Lifespan:** up to 30 years in the wild for females and 5-7 years for males.
 * **Diet:** insects, rodents and even small birds
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Insects
 * **Incubation:** 6-9 weeks
 * **Conservation Status:** threatened
 * **Predators:** Main predator, the pepsis wasp
 * **Fun Fact:** Females occassionally eat the male after mating.
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** They should be placed in a small inclosed glass area so that they cannot escape. They would need water and leaves in order to make a home and to survive. They shouldn't be placed with any other animals aside from other tarantulas.
 * **Reason why I chose this tarantula:** I chose a tarantula because they are huge spiders that have interesting designs on their bodies. They are neat to look at in captivity.
 * //__P. imperator (scorpion)__//**
 * Phylum:** Arthropoda
 * Class:** Arachnida
 * Scientific Name:** P. imperator
 * Common Name:** Scorpion
 * Mainly located in South America and Asia
 * **Habitat:** tropical rainforest, savanna, desert, mountains, and grasslands; they hide under rocks and logs.
 * **Size:** up to 8 inches
 * **Weight:** 2 ounces
 * **Lifespan:** 5-15 years
 * **Diet:** spiders, insects, and other scorpions
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Mainly consists of inscets and small spiders
 * **Gestation:** several months to a year
 * **Conservation Status:** threatened by habitat loss
 * **Predators:** Bats, rodents, and other scorpions
 * **Fun Fact:** They have a "glow in the dark" appearence because of fluores
 * Habitat in the zoo:
 * **Reason why I chose a scorpion:** I chose a scorpion because of its tail like feature. They are rare animals that don't look like anything else, also, I think that people would want to see it in the zoo and see its unique features.


 * //Diplopoda//**
 * A. gigas (giant millipede)
 * Portentose (Madagascar Hissing Cockroach)

__//**Phylum Annelida:**//__ I chose to do this phylum because it has a lot of the worms that are in the jungle. __//**Class Clitellata (Hirudinea):**//__ This class was a good choice because it has the leeches that are present in the jungle


 * //__P. catenifera (leech)__//**
 * Phylum:** Annelida
 * Class:** Clitellata
 * Subclass:** Hirudinea
 * Scientific Name:** P. catenifera
 * Common Name:** Leech
 * Europe to Asia and as far as Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan
 * **Habitat:** Mostly live in freshwater areas, terrestrail environments, and jungles.
 * **Size:** 1-25 centimeters
 * **Weight:** 1.025 grams
 * **Lifespan:** up to 10 years
 * **Diet:** small invertebrates that they eat whole, and rarely human blood.
 * **Diet in the zoo:** small invertebrates
 * **Conservation Status:** near threatened
 * **Predators:** fish, turtle, and crayfish
 * **Fun Fact:** 650 known species of leeches
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** In a fresh water enclosure with glass surrounding the leech and humans. They wouldnt need a large area just enough for it to move around, and they shouldnt be around other animals besides leeches of the same species.
 * **Reason I chose the leech:** I chose a leech because I thought that it was interesting that they sucked human blood.


 * __//Gnatbobdellida//__**
 * Phylum:** Annelida
 * Class:** Clitellata
 * Subclass:** Hirudinea
 * Scientific Name:** Gnatbobdellida
 * Sydney, Australia to Europe
 * **Habitat:** Most live in freshwater areas, terrestrail environments, and jungles.
 * **Size:** 3 centimeters long
 * **Weight:** 1 gram
 * **Lifespan:** 30 years in the wild. 40-50 years in captivity
 * **Diet:** small invertebrates such as a red wiggler
 * **Diet in the zoo:** earthworms and redworms
 * **Conservation status:** Nearly threatened
 * **Predators:** fish, birds and other invertebrates
 * **Fun Fact:** Gnatbobdellida are jawed leeches
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** In a fresh water enclosure with glass surrounding the leech and humans. They dont need a large area and also shouldnt be around other animals of different species.
 * **Reason why I chose the Gnatbobdellida:** I chose this animal because they are a different type of leech and I thought it was interesting that they were jawed leeches

//**Class Clitellata (Oligochaeta):**// I chose this class because it had a lot of unique earthworms from their size to their color.
 * //__P. darnleiensis (giant blue earthworm)__//**
 * Phylum:** Annelida
 * Class:** Clitellata
 * Subclass:** Oligochaeta
 * Scientific Name:** P. darnleiensis
 * Common Name:** Giant Blue Earthworm
 * Most commonly found in Australia
 * **Habitat:** podsolised sand, blue clayey soil, in stream banks, and upland areas of the rainforest
 * **Size:** 70 centimeters
 * **Weight:** 100 grams or more
 * **Lifespan:** 3 years
 * **Diet:** material in the soil and plants
 * **Diet in the zoo:** plants and minerals in the soil
 * **Conservation status:** Threatened
 * **Fun Fact:** They realease a glow in the dark mucus
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** It has to be in an area with clay and grass for it to move around in and it can be in an environment with other eartworms. It should be in a small glass covering so that it can be protected.
 * **Reason why I chose the Giant Blue Earthworm:** I chose this earthworm because of its unique color, its rare to see an earthworm this color of blue

__//**M. australis (giant gippsland earthworm)**//__
 * Phylum:** Annelida
 * Class:** Clitellata
 * Subclass:** Oligochaeta
 * Scientific Name:** M. australis
 * Common Name:** Giant Gippsland Earthworm
 * Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
 * **Habitat:** alongside steams as well as steep slopes and valleys with rich soil.
 * **Size:** Up to 3 meters
 * **Weight:** 200 grams or more
 * **Lifespan:** 4 to 5 years
 * **Diet:** plant tissue and organic matter in soil
 * **Diet in the zoo:** Plants and natural mineral in the soil
 * **Conservation status:** Protected
 * **Predators:** Humans are the main predator because of farming and chemicals in the soil.
 * **Habitat in the zoo:** It would have to be in an area big enough for it to move around in with plenty of greenery. Also, it can be in an area with other earthworms and it won't harm others.
 * **Reason why I chose the Giant Gippsland Earthworm:** I chose this earthworm because I thought that people would want to see its massive size compared to a regular earthworm.