In class today we discussed the extinction of animals, along with various factors that have led them to become extinct. The leading cause of most animal species becoming dyeing out is some type of extreme altercation to their habitat. For example, the Dodo bird became extinct because of humans inhabiting the island they were living on. When the Portuguese settled the island of Mauritius, they brought with them animals to live off of. Both the animals and the Portuguese would use these birds as a food source, ultimately leading them to extinction.
However, according to researchers, some animals are more susceptible than others to becoming extinct due to habitat changes and human activity. Placental mammals, such as bats and rodents, expend more energy than marsupials, such as kangaroos, performing the same task. While most may think that a animals with a larger body mass would have the tendency to use up more energy while performing comparable tasks. However, this is not always the case. Birds tend to use up more energy to drink water than what large species of lizards use, even though the bird is smaller and has less body mass.
According to the article, orangutans expend less energy swinging through treetops than humans do sitting on the couch watching television. Orangutans use nearly 30% less energy than expected for their body mass, making them the most energy efficient primate. This could be why orangutan are able to survive on a limited food supply, and are able to better cope with their deteriorating and endangered habitats. This adaptation enables them to adapt to their limited food supply and will allow them to reduce overall energy needs, making it easier for orangutan to meet their daily intake when food is scarce.
Source: http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/08/orangutans-go-green.html?ref=hp
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