Species in News: African Penguin, Cobra, Chupacabra, Fungi

Description

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Context:

As per the new research, Artificial nests may enhance the success in breeding of endangered African penguins.

Scientists have recategorised the King Cobra Snakes into 4 distinct species.

Whether Chupacabra could be both Coyote or raccoon is being researched by scientists.

Fungi may be given a new taxonomical kingdom called ‘funga’ for conservation purposes.

African Penguins

*About*	It is a flightless bird native to southern African waters. They are also known as the Cape penguin or South African penguin.
*Scientific Name*	*Spheniscus demersus*
*Size*	Average weight: 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb) Height: 60–70 cm (24–28 in)
*Features*	They have distinctive pink patches above the eyes and a black facial mask. Their upper part is black and the underparts are white spotted and banded with black. They are excellent divers and known for loud, donkey-like calls They are also social birds often seen in groups.
*Diet*	They primarily feed on fish and squid.
*Habitat*	They reside at coastal areas and islands, particularly rocky shorelines and sandy beaches.
*Distribution*	They are endemic to Southern Africa. They are distributed along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia.
*Threats*	Their population is declining due to habitat loss, overfishing, and oil spills They are also eaten by seals and seabirds.
*Conservation*	They are classified as Critically endangered by the IUCN.

King Cobra and Its New Species

*New King Cobra Species*	King Cobras, which were considered one species have been divided into the following four new geographically separate categories Endemic Western Ghats lineage from the Western Ghats of India Asian mainland lineage from northern/eastern India, China and Thailand. Malesian lineage from the Malay Peninsula, Greater Sunda Islands, parts of the Philippines Isolated Luzon Island lineage from the Philippines.
*Details of the new King Cobra species*	Northern King Cobra *Scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah* Distribution: Northern India, Eastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and parts of Southeast Asia. Sunda King Cobra *Scientific name: Ophiophagus bungarus* Distribution: Southern Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali, and southern Philippines. It has similarities with kraits in morphology or behaviour. Due to this, it has been kept as the same genus of kraits Bungarus. ( More research is underway) Western Ghats King Cobra *Scientific name: Ophiophagus kaalinga* Distribution: The Western Ghats of India including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and parts of Maharashtra. It has been named kaalinga which comes from the Kannada word which implies the snake’s dark colour. Luzon King Cobra *Scientific name: Ophiophagus salvatana* Distribution: They are found only on Luzon Island in the northern Philippines.
About King Cobra
*About*	It is the world’s longest venomous snake and is capable of growing up to 19 feet long and living for as long as 25 years. It is the national reptile of India.

*Prey*	It preys majorly on other snakes and occasionally also on some other vertebrates, such as lizards and rodents.
*Behaviour*	It is a cruel snake on agitation or provocation. It is typically shy and avoids confrontation with humans when possible.
*Venom*	It is a highly venomous snake. Any envenomation from this species leads to rapid onset of neurotoxic and cytotoxic symptoms.
*Species*	1)Northern King Cobra Scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah 2)Sunda King Cobra Scientific name: Ophiophagus bungarus 3)Western Ghats King Cobra Scientific name: Ophiophagus kaalinga 4) Luzon King Cobra Scientific name: Ophiophagus salvatana
*Distribution*	They are endemic to Asia. In Asia, spanning from the Indian Subcontinent through Southeastern Asia to Southern China, the king cobra is widely distributed.
*Threats*	They are threatened by habitat destruction owing to deforestation and expansion of agricultural land. It is also threatened by poaching for its meat, skin and use in traditional Chinese medicine.
*Conservation status*	It is listed in CITES Appendix II. In India, it is placed under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. This means that killing a king cobra is punished with imprisonment of up to six years.

Chupacabra

*About*	Chupacabra means goat-sucker in Spanish. It is a cryptid(believed to have existed somewhere in the wild) from folklore in the Americas and it is known for allegedly attacking and drinking the blood of livestock.
*Physical Features*	Its physical descriptions vary. For instance, in Puerto Rico, it is considered to be reptilian, heavy, bear-sized, and spun back. In the southwestern U.S., it is said to have a dog-like appearance.
*Distribution*	Their sightings were reported from the US to Chile and beyond, including Russia and the Philippines.
Cryptozoology: The study of cryptids, an animal that is believed to exist in the wild, but whose existence is not proven by science.