Tourists from all over the world come to Namibia to see her wonderful nature and unique wildlife, including the 'desert' elephants. Now the desert 'elephants remained no more than 240 individuals, with females – less than 60. Even the shooting of a few giants will bring unpredictable consequences for the entire population, scientists say. A similar fate awaits the wild dogs in Namibia, which is now on the verge of extinction. Every year they number is reduced by at least 10%, now in the country there are about 200-250 individuals.

They are found in 24 African countries, but their numbers are so small that the entire continent, there are now no more than 3-5 thousand of these animals. Wild, or as they are sometimes called, the Cape hunting dog, in the northeast of the country, unprotected from hunting areas. Their weight ranges from 16 to 36 kg, life expectancy – about 10 years. Zoologists believe that to maintain the ecological balance of wild dogs should be protected. They are fewer and fewer places, native habitats – grasslands and steppes of South Africa – are increasingly being used for grazing.

Ruthless extermination of these animals, the Red Book, can cause their extinction. Scientists have discovered the smallest snake in the world last week, American biologists said the discovery at Eastern Caribbean island of Barbados's smallest snake in the world. The length of the snake, which was named Leptotyphlops carlae, does not exceed ten inches. Leptotyphlops carlae belongs to the family uzkorotyh snakes and is the smallest among the more than three thousand species of snakes on the planet. Its size is comparable to the size of an earthworm, and its main food are the larvae of termites and ants. However, found the snake is not the most representative of the smallest vertebrate animals. According to various statements, that title belongs to a Sumatran carp, or a special type of fish-parasitic angler. According to scientists, the largest and most small animals are found mostly on the islands. This is due to the fact that ecosystems are formed in their niches that are occupied on the continent by someone else. For example, in Barbados do not live centipedes, which usually feed on the larvae of ants and termites. Adapting, snakes fill this gap, while significantly decreased in size. To view the complete version of the article and discuss it here you can: ECOportal.ru