At first glance, the strength and size of the Black Rhino may make it seem impervious to danger – but the numbers of this majestic species have drastically declined. By the end of 2001, it was believed that only 3100 black rhinos remained in all of Africa. The reasons for this are many; illegal demand of the black rhinos horn continues to be a major threat facing the species, as well as a lack of sufficiently focused law enforcement.

They say that the dog is man’s best friend – but one type of dog may become a thing of the past without a little help.The African wild dog is one of the world’s most endangered species, and one of the great conservation challenges for the 21st Century.

Fun Fact: When staring at a herd of Zebra, all of the animals may look alike – but in truth, their stripe patterns are as distinctive as fingerprints are in man.

In the last 100 years, the African Painted Dog population has dropped a whopping 99% - down to just 3000 remaining dogs – making them one of the rarest species in all of Africa. These precious pups are often the victims of poaching, killings by farmers and run-ins with automobile traffic. But one organization has vowed to come to the aid of these defenseless dogs. The Painted Dog Conservation Program (PDCP) is focusing on research, education and community development in order to save them.

What’s gray and fluffy and soon to be pink all over? SeaWorld San Diego’s cutest new resident, a rare lesser flamingo chick. Born July 30, the chick is being raised behind the scenes at the park’s Avian Center until it reaches three months old, when it will be introduced to the flock.

With just 3,000 Grevy’s zebra left in the world, The Grevy’s Zebra Trust was established to address the urgent need to conserve this zebra species, found only in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia where drought has been severe, habitat has shrunk and they are illegally killed and persecuted due to competition for resources with domestic cattle.

100-plus pound baby rhino born at Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby white rhinoceros on July 12, 2010.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby reticulated giraffe just days ago. Weighing approximately 147 pounds at birth, the newborn is the calf of mother, Teesa, and father, Sterling. The addition brings Busch Gardens' giraffe population to 15.