The Elephants

African and Asian elephants are the largest land animals on the planet, the sole survivors of a family known as Proboscidea. Their lives in modern times are marked by a conflictive coexistence with human beings.

In the past, the Proboscidea order was made up of more than 300 different species, but all became extinct, except the two species we know today. The African elephant's scientific name is Loxodonta africana, while the Asian elephant is known as Elephas maximus.

Characteristics such as their great size and their trunks have always caught the attention of humans. But elephants have other unique qualities: the live in close-knit families, express affection in unusual ways and - as the saying goes - elephants never forget.

They also have ivory tusks, an attribute used in self defense that paradoxically has been the main cause of their shrinking population. Poachers kill these giant beasts for their tusks because of the high price ivory fetches on international markets. There are numerous worldwide initiatives aimed at saving the elephants, including sharp restrictions on the ivory trade.

Meanwhile, there are other sources of conflict between elephants and humans who share the same ecosystems.

In some cases, people complain that there are too many elephants in a given area as a result of conservation efforts, and they have even asked for a softening of restrictions on the ivory trade. In others, the elephant families are finding it difficult to survive in areas where the original ecosystem has been altered by farming.

Portal: Elephant Information Repository
WWF: Threatened Species: Elephants
Save the Elephants
Living with Elephants
Elephant Sanctuary
Elephant Care International
Treaty against Ivory Trade

Smart Cetaceans

Dolphins have been popular with humans since ancient times due to their astonishing ability to learn and their extraordinary behaviors. But while they are admired by young and old alike, they suffer the impacts of human activities and are not strangers to the threat of extinction.

There are 70 species listed in the suborder of cetaceans known as 'Odontoceti' in the classification of animals. More informally, these are "whales with teeth", and cover all sea- and river-dwelling dolphins.

According to information found on the Internet, there are some 30 ocean dolphin species and five river dolphin species.

Dolphins are mammals, meaning mothers nurse their young, and are the result of a long process of evolution, which experts say began with creatures that lived on land. An important trait of this group of species is that, unlike fish, and like their cousins the whales, dolphins must breath air.

These excellent swimmers can reach speeds of 40 km per hour. They also possess a sophisticated sonar system that allows them to locate objects in the water around them.

But one of their most astonishing characteristics is the relatively large size of their brains, which determines intelligence. Dolphins are naturally curious and can easily learn behavior taught by humans.

The survival of dolphins, however, is at risk. Many fall victims to fishing nets, a problem that is the focus of several conservation campaigns worldwide. There is also a great deal of criticism about keeping these extremely intelligent animals in captivity and using them in marine shows or in experiments.

Species of Dolphins
International Dolphin Conservation Program
Thinkquest: Dolphins (educational)
Discovery Channel: Dolphins
FAQs about Dolphins
Similarities between Humans and Dolphins
Greenpeace Foundation: Dolphin-safe campaign

Delicate Avis

The hummingbird is known by several names in the Western Hemisphere: colibrí, picaflor, and beijaflor, but its scientific name is Trochilidae, and it is a wonder of nature in the Americas.

When the first Europeans arrived in the New World, these tiny birds amazed them. At first they confused them with giant insects, because of their buzzing of wings and their dedication to flowers, which provide their sustenance.

These tiny wonders captivate the human imagination, leading people to come up with ways to attract the birds to artificial nectar feeders to get a closer look at them. In the United States, it is illegal to keep hummingbirds as a pet.

The Trochilidae family is exclusive to the Americas, and its members can be found from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, with 328 different species recorded.

At websites dedicated to this bird, we find that the largest weighs 20 grams and lives in South America, while the smallest is just 2.2 grams, and is native to Cuba. One of the most interesting hummingbird cases is that of the Chilean island of Juan Fernández, which has its own unique species that is not found outside this island 600 km from the coast.

The flight of the hummingbird is awe-inspiring. The beating of the wings is so fast that it is nearly impossible to see the single movement. They can fly at high speeds, but also carry out such feats as flying in place and backwards.

These abilities mean that the hummingbird has an accelerated metabolism and must consume great quantities of energy. The bird must drink lots of water and feeds an average of 300 times a day. The human equivalent would be to eat 130 kilos of bread and drink 150 liters of water each day.

These "miniscule and sensitive birds" play an important role in the ecosystem as well, contributing to the pollination of plants.

The Hummingbird Web Site
Kolibri (Hummingbird) Homepage
Hummingbirds.net
Hummingbird websites
The Hummingbird Society
Hummingbirds: featured on postage stamps