Author: BrantaMedia.Com

Protecting Hellbenders On Private Lands

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Ben Prater, our Southeast Program Director, explains how partnering with private landowners is helping to protect the third largest salamander in the world – the Eastern Hellbender.

Learn more: https://defenders.org/wildlife/hellbender


Footage by: @Running Wild Media

Video Transcript:

Today we are here in the home of one of the most amazing creatures that I have the privilege of working on and that’s the Eastern Hellbender.

It’s the third largest salamander in the world and the epicenter of its global population is right here in Western North Carolina.


In fact, they have persisted in these watersheds for over 65 million years, and … Continue

Shark Fact Sheet: Whale Shark

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The Whale Shark(Rhincodon typus) is the largest species of fish on earth. The Whale Shark is classified in the order Orectolobiformes and the family Rhincodontidae.

GenusRhincodon
SpeciesR. typus
Binomial NameRhincodon typus
LengthAbout 18 meters(59.1 feet)
WeightAbout 19,000 kg(41,887.8 lbs.)
DietCarnivore
IUCN StatusEndangered 

Range and Habitat 

The Whale Shark inhabits tropical and temperate waters across the world. 

Physical Characteristics 

Whale Sharks have a wide blunt head; their whole top side a is covered with spots. They also have a filter feeding mouth. 

Reproduction

Whale Sharks are ovoviviparous and give birth to live young. Ovoviviparous … Continue

What Are Chondrichthyes?

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Chondrichthyes are a class of animals made up of cartilaginous fish that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. The fish classified in Chondrichthyes include, sharks, rays, skates, sawfish, and chimaeras.

Chondrichthyes can be divided into two sub classes:

Elasmobranchii. Sharks, rays, and skates  are classified in Elasmobranchii. Members of the Elasmobranchii have no swim bladders, rigid dorsal fins, and their eyes have a tapetum lucidum.

Holocephali. Chimaeriformes is the only surviving order classified in the sub class holocephali.  Chimaeriformes is made up of  chimaeras, ghostsharks, rabbitfish, ratfish, and spookfish.

Physical Characteristics

All chondrichthyans breathe through five to seven pairs … Continue