VEGAN DAILY FRIEND:  Monarch Butterfly

• Monarch butterflies are the only insect to migrate up to 2,500 miles to get out of the cold weather and hibernate.
• Monarch butterfly larvae eat milkweed and they need them to live. As milkweed plant habitats are destroyed for roads, conservationists are working hard to bring back the milkweeds so that monarch butterflies have a place to live and grow.
• It is believed that the monarch uses the magnetic field of the earth and the position of the sun to find the area in Mexico where it spends the winter avoiding the Canadian cold.

PRINCIPAL THREAT:  Climate change threatens to disrupt the annual pattern on which the Monarch’s existence depends by affecting weather conditions in both wintering grounds and summer breeding grounds. Colder, wetter winters could be lethal and hotter, drier summers could shift suitable habitats north. The number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico has dropped by nearly a third since 2011.

VEGAN DAILY FRIEND:  Javan Rhinoceros

• Perhaps the planet’s rarest large mammal, with large adults weighing up to 5000 pounds.  Its horn is prized by poachers, and its forests are prized by developers.  Both could spell doom for the species.
• Javan rhinos have a single horn on the tip of their snout that grows to about 10 inches.  They are solitary nocturnal animals found only in the forests of Southeast Asia.
• More than 90 percent of the world’s rhinos have disappeared since 1970.   Few rhinos are left outside of national parks and other protected areas.
• Today the total worldwide population of rhinos numbers less than 16,000.  The number of remaining Javan Rhinos is fewer than 60!

PRINCIPAL THREAT:  Out-of-control poaching, worsened by more roads and logging routes, poses a grave threat to the Javan rhino and other species. Rhinos are killed primarily for their horns, and little else.

VEGAN DAILY FRIEND:  Flamingos

Flamingos live in groups called colonies. They won’t nest unless there are other flamingos around. Both male and female flamingos mound up mud for a nest for their 1 egg and take turns incubating it. When chicks hatch, their down is gray or white.  The little ones turn pink after having eaten loads of small shrimp, crustaceans and algae with high levels of beta carotene.  Flamingos rest by standing on one leg. The “knee” of the flamingo is actually an ankle joint and the lower leg bends forward.

Principal Threat:  The primary threat that flamingos encounter is toxins and pollution in the water supply, generally run-off from manufacturing facilities, which can quickly kill off large numbers of the birds. Beyond that, encroachment on their habitat is the major threat.

VEGAN DAILY FRIEND:  Beluga Whale

The beluga or white whale is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean.  This marine mammal is commonly referred to simply as the beluga or sea canary due to its high-pitched twitter. It is up to 16 feet in length and an unmistakable all-white color with a distinctive protuberance on the head.  Belugas are highly sociable.  When pods aggregate in estuaries, they may number in the thousands. This can represent a significant proportion of the entire population and is when they are most vulnerable to hunting.  Radio tracking has shown that belugas can start out in a pod and within a few days be hundreds of miles away from that pod.

Principal Threat:  Because the belugas congregate in river estuaries, their health and habitat is threatened by human-caused pollution and development. Planned development projects threaten beluga whale habitats, which are also at risk from the discharge of municipal sewage into inlets. The Alaska region’s oil industry introduces the added dangers of spills and leaks, toxic waste and harmful noise pollution. 

VEGAN DAILY FRIEND:  Serval

Servals are medium-sized wild cats from Africa, averaging about 30 pounds. The servals’ very long legs and neck allow sight over tall grasses, while its ears are used to detect prey, even those burrowing underground. Servals have been known to dig into burrows in search of underground prey, and to leap into the air to grab birds in flight.  The serval is an efficient killer, catching prey on an average of 50% of attempts, compared to an average of 38% for leopards and 30% for lions.  Servals are extremely intelligent, demonstrate remarkable problem-solving ability, and can easily outwit their prey. 

Principal Threat:  Because of their beautiful coat, servals are a prime target for poachers.  Their skins are sold as young leopards or cheetahs, which are much scarcer.  Pelts are sold mostly for domestic ceremonial, medicinal purposes or the tourist trade rather than for commercial export.