Endangered Species Day

Celebrate the 16th annual Endangered Species Day on Friday, May 20. Taking place on the third Friday of May each year, Endangered Species Day seeks to celebrate, inform, and take action to protect endangered species. Organizations--zoos, schools, aquariums, wildlife refuges--hold special programs to enhance awareness.

The Endangered Species Coalition has a list of activities, featured events, and an event map highlighting activities around the globe. Interested in testing your knowledge on your favorite endangered animal? The World Wildlife Fund has animal trivia!

Check out the books below on animals currently on the endangered species list...

In 2007 only thirty Amur leopards remained in the wild. Scientists knew they needed to do more to help these big cats. However, details of the leopards' wild lives in their high-altitude forest home were still a mystery. With the help of new technology and the cooperation of scientists and governments around the world, people have learned more than ever before about these rare cats. An innovative plan is under way to give Amur leopards a more secure future. Can these cats rebound from the brink before it's too late?

Orangutan houdini by Laurel Neme

This is the true story of Fu Manchu, an adult male orangutan, who relishes outsmarting his friend, zookeeper Jerry Stones. He does just that when he escapes his enclosure at will and spends sunny days with the elephants in another part of the zoo. At first Jerry believes his staff's carelessness allowed the crafty ape to get out. But when that assumption proves wrong, he launches an all-out surveillance mission to discover how Fu manages his getaways. Jerry soon discovers that Fu can open the locked door, but can't figure out how he does it. The zookeeper removes every twig and stick that could be used as a lock pick, but Fu continues to escape. Eventually, Fu reveals to Jerry how he did it, and is rewarded with honorary membership in the American Association of Locksmiths.

A comprehensive reference that summarizes the current knowledge about the 56 turtle species of the US and Canada, of which 13 are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Each of the species accounts includes sections on recognition, karyotype, fossil record, distribution, geographic variation, confusing species, habitat, behavior, reproduction, biology, growth and longevity, food habits, populations, and predators. The authors also include a discussion of turtle anatomy, a key to species identification, a pronunciation glossary for scientific names, and an extensive bibliography. Illustrated with color plates and b&w photographs of each species, anatomical line drawings, and distribution maps. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. 

Elephants in danger by Helen Orme

In Elephants in Danger, young readers will follow elephants as they learn about their natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, lifecycle, and behavior. Yet unchecked human activity continues to threaten elephants' habitat. Can the elephants be saved? Produced in association with conservation experts, Elephants in Danger details efforts to reverse the threat to our wildlife, and even suggests steps children can make to help. Compelling full-color wildlife photographs, habitat map, and hi-lo text encourage children to become wildlife advocates. Elephants in Danger is part of Bearport's Wildlife Survival series.

Apes, monkeys, lemurs -- and other family members.

The Primate Family Tree is a beautiful and comprehensive resource on the subject of our animal relatives. Readers will find an abundance of up-to-date facts, review the latest research and conservation efforts, and discover the remarkable characteristics that all primates -- including humans -- share.

The book is structured according to the four main branches of the primate family tree and contains expert information on the natural history, characteristics and behavior of over 250 species, along with maps showing the ranges of the species. Some of the topics covered are:

Definition of a primate
Darwin's big idea, anthropological theories, DNA
The structure of the primate family tree
Distribution of species, including lorises and lemurs
Diet, habitat, life cycles, social structure, communication
Primate emotions
Primates as "gardeners of the forest"
Issues involving conservation, bush meat, civil war, habitat loss
Primate tourism: Does it help or hurt?

With its authoritative text, color photographs taken in the field, range maps and classification diagrams, The Primate Family Tree is a comprehensive reference on a subject that is vitally important to all humans. 

The survival of the giant panda depends on the survival of its only food: bamboo. Habitat loss from the destruction of bamboo forests in south central China where they live made the giant panda a vulnerable species. This book tells how habitat conservation and the creation of borrowing-and-breeding programs with zoos around the world kept the beloved bear from extinction. 

Arctic foxes by Leo Statts

Learn all about cute and furry arctic foxes! This book captivates young readers through simple and easy-to-read text combined with vibrant, full-color photographs. Plus, quick stats sections and bolded glossary terms invite readers to zoom in and learn more.Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Zoom is a division of ABDO.