See White Rhinos In Johannesburg
For holidaymakers interested in following in Stephen Fry’s footsteps and embarking on a journey to some of the most remote places on earth in search of endangered animals, Round The World Experts has today launched the perfect package.
Featuring destinations included in the hit BBC series, ‘Last Chance to See’, Round The World Experts’ consultants have put together a worldwide tour that includes stops at some of the most important ecological sites and animal conversation locations – offering holidaymakers the opportunity to see some of the world’s most endangered animals.
Madagascar – See the Aye-aye
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
The Aye-aye is a lemur native to Madagascar. It is the world's largest nocturnal primate and the only primate thought to use echolocation (more commonly used by dolphins, whales and bats), which they use to find insect grubs hidden deep inside trees.
Madagascar is regarded as the world’s number one conservation location and is home to five per cent of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80 per cent are endemic to Madagascar.
Johannesburg – See White Rhinos
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
The White Rhino consists of two subspecies: the Southern White Rhino, with an estimated 17,480 wild-living animals at the end of 2007 and the much rarer Northern White Rhino. The northern subspecies may have as few as 12 remaining worldwide - eight captive and four wild - although the wild population has not been seen since 2006 and may have disappeared entirely.
Southern White Rhinos can be found in Kruger National Park – only a few hours drive from Johannesburg.
Bali – See Komodo dragons
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. It is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of three metres and weighing around 70 kilograms.
Komodo dragons were first recorded by Western scientists in 1910. Their large size and fearsome reputation make them popular zoo exhibits. The number of animals in the wild has fallen due to human activities and they are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are protected under Indonesian law, and a national park, Komodo National Park, has been founded to aid protection efforts.
Christchurch – See Kakapo parrots
Conservation Status: Critically endangered
The Kakapo is unique among its kind - it is the world's heaviest parrot and the only species of parrot unable to fly. Kakapos are critically endangered and as of April 2009 only 125 living birds are known. Since January 2009, surviving Kakapo are kept on two predator-free islands, Codfish and Anchor islands where they are closely monitored.
Balem (Brazil) – See Amazonian manatees
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Travel to the freshwater habitats of the Amazon basin to the see the Amazonian Manatee. The manatees are unusual in being the only plant-eating marine mammals of modern times and scientists are working to protect these endangered animals, whose numbers have been drastically reduced by hunting, habitat degradation, and other environmental impacts.
Tagged in Travel