The manatee, just weeks old, was rescued from the waters of Daytona Beach, Florida and transported to SeaWorld by the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In the wild, all three species of manatee are considered threatened by the IUCN Redlist. The Florida manatee subspecies is considered endangered.  Threats include habitat destruction, red tide, and boating accidents.

SeaWorld animal care specialist Jeff Braso bottle-feeds a baby manatee, Tuesday, July 27, at SeaWorld’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Orlando, Fla. The park’s animal staff has been providing 24-hour care for the animal since she was orphaned by her mother in Daytona Beach, Fla. on July 24, 2010. (Photo by SeaWorld Orlando)

For more photos, visit the LA Times.

All species of slender loris are native to Sri Lanka and southern India. Deforestation has led to a decline in all populations and prompted a study of the nocturnal animals.

It was during this study the photograph of the male Horton Plains slender loris was taken.

For more, visit CNN.com

Visitors can view the new additions from the Serengeti Express or on a Serengeti Safari, an open-truck tour of the plain.

To learn more, visit the Busch Gardens website.

Kiwi are native to New Zealand. There are five species, all of which are endangered. The main threats to kiwi are habitat loss and invasive mammals.

Fun fact: The kiwi lays the largest egg in relation to its body size of any species of bird.

For more, visit the National Zoo website.

A tawny frogmouth chick, hatched April 11, 2010 at SeaWorld Orlando, reaches for a bite to eat.

This tawny frogmouth chick, shown being fed by its mother,  is the 24th chick bred by SeaWorld aviculturists over the past 10 years.  In the past,  tawny frogmouth breeding programs were largely unsuccessful, and populations in North American zoos dwindled.  But SeaWorld worked with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to improve captive breeding methods, and the program has helped strengthen population numbers.  The little guy pictured above is the first chick in the program to be raised by its parents, instead of hand-reared by aviculturists.

Tawny frogmouths inhabit the savannas and open woodlands of Australia. When threatened, they rely on camouflage for protection.

The “longhead dreamer” anglerfish is one of 38 fish species found around Greenland for the first time. It is thought that rising water temperatures and increased deep-sea fishing has brought more new species into the area.

To see many of the new creatures visit National Geographic.

Often Nicklen was exposed to harsh conditions while on expeditions, many times risking his life to attain his captivating images.  Yet Nicklen relayed these powerful stories while interjecting humorous remarks.  His anecdotes were hugely entertaining and inspiring.  He spoke of his up close encounter with an enormous female leopard seal who tried to feed him penguins.  At one point, the seal had placed a dead penguin on his head waiting for him to eat it, and he’d continued to take photos of her with the lifeless bird resting there, all the while tearing up with laughter. In the photo, you can see the penguin’s feet at the top of the frame.

Throughout his talk, Nicklen stressed the simple truth that man-made climate change is negatively affecting both polar regions.  The dramatic loss of the polar ice has an enormous impact on entire ecosystems.  It starts with the microorganisms that inhabit the multiyear ice (ice that builds up over several years).  These phytoplankton are eaten by zooplankton, and in turn they are consumed by fish. Next in the chain are larger animals such as whales and seals.  Without the ice, the phytoplankton cannot thrive, and the ripple continues throughout the chain.  Many of the animals towards the top of the chain, such as polar bears, also rely on ice for breeding and hunting.

In light of this sad situation, Nicklen urged the audience to get involved in conservation, to start a revolution and save these ecosystems.

To learn more about Nicklen’s work and view his amazing photographs, purchase his book Polar Obsession. It contains many of the stories behind his photos.

Editor P.A. Smith in front of the Garde Arts Center in New London, where wildlife photographer Paul Nicklen spoke.

An extremely rare all-black penguin was photographed near Antartica by Andrew Evans of National Geographic.  The king penguin doesn’t look like his tuxedoed counterparts because of what one scientist described as a “one in a zillion kind of mutation.”

Source: Yahoo Green.

Every March 1st since 1972 has been declared National Pig Day in the United States. The day was devised by sisters Ellen Stanley and Mary Lynne Rave to elevate the status of pigs and acknowledge their role as intelligent and domestic animals.

At many locations throughout the country pigs are the focus of a variety of events, from pig parades to showings of pig-friendly films like Babe.

So take a moment today and think of all the wonderful pigs in the world!

To read more, visit the LA Times.