15 of the World’s Most Endangered Animals

The world is filled with incredible wildlife. But, as we all know, many species are facing increased difficulties. Whether that means habitat loss due to climate change or battling against the animal trade, there are many reasons why animals are at risk of extinction. Many of them, like elephants, gorillas, and tigers, receive a lot of attention. While others, like spiders or small birds, may not be on most people's radar. But all of these animals are important to the Earth's biodiversity and that is why we are taking a look at some of the world's most endangered animals.

Since 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has compiled its Red List of Threatened Species. The list includes plants and animals at all levels of risk and today, the IUCN Red List has become an important tool for scientists and conservationists.

We've selected 15 animals categorized as Critically Endangered on the Red List. The next step beyond this category is Extinct in the Wild and then, tragically, Extinct. By learning more about these incredible animals, their contributions to our planet, and the reasons that they are at risk, there is hope that change can come about. And by looking at some of the charitable organization that help these animals, it's also possible to be part of that change.

Here are 15 of the world's most endangered animals today.

Amur Leopard

Photo: slowmotiongli/123RF

Sometimes called the Far East leopard or Manchurian leopard, Amur leopards live in the Russian Far East. They are considered one of the rarest cats on Earth and their population has dwindled to around 120 due to poaching (both of leopards and their main prey, deer), habitat loss, and deforestation. Their small population also makes them susceptible to problems associated with inbreeding. Uniquely adapted for the cold weather, they inhabit a small area of 2,700 square miles and are solitary animals typically viewed only thanks to camera traps.

The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) lead local conservation efforts to try and preserve the existing population, as well as increase its numbers.

Black Rhino

Photo: nickdale/123RF

The Black rhinoceros is just one of several rhino species that are, unfortunately, at risk of extinction. Along with the Javan rhino and Sumatran rhino, the Black rhino is listed as critically endangered. Three subspecies have already been declared extinct, the last in 2011, and conservationists are racing to ensure that the Black rhino doesn't meet the same fate. Luckily, its population has increased by 12% from 2015 to 2021 according to an IUCN report. This coincides with a decrease in poaching. But, at the same time, threats due to habitat change and competing species are still a concern.

The International Rhino Foundation works to help all rhinos facing extinction through the restoration of wildlife habitats and community education and outreach.

Bornean Orangutan

Photo: whitcomberd/123RF

Orangutans are highly intelligent animals who shared 97% of their DNA with humans. But, unfortunately, many orangutan species are at risk of extinction. This includes the Bornean orangutan, as well as the Sumatran orangutan and Tapanuli orangutan, which are all listed as critically endangered. As their name suggests, the Bornean orangutan lives on the island of Borneo. They are the largest tree-dwelling apes and are greatly at risk due to habitat and the bushmeat trade. In just 20 years, their habitat has been slashed by 55%. Though they are more plentiful than Sumatran orangutans, who have a population of about 14,000, their population has declined 50% over the past 60 years.

Orangutan Foundation International has been working since 1986 to save these primates. They work with the Indonesian government and communities in Borneo to expand national parks, establish reserves, buy and safeguard land, and replant degraded forest areas to create permanently protected orangutan habitats. They also provide educational programs and local outreach to involve local communities in conservation efforts.

Cross River Gorilla

Photo: Fkamtoh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

While the Cross River gorilla was first described in 1904, it wasn't until 1987 that its features were fully confirmed. That is because this rare gorilla lives in the rugged terrain on the borders of Cameroon and Nigeria and is wary of humans. Scientists have estimated their tiny population by counting nests and the estimated range of their habitat. Cross River gorillas need an abundance of uninhabited forest to survive and, unfortunately, deforestation and land fragmentation have made it difficult for them to survive. Sadly, they are just one of many gorilla species in central Africa facing extinction. The western lowland gorilla and eastern lowland gorilla are also on the critically endangered list. Civil unrest, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has exacerbated issues for the eastern lowland gorilla, as well as poaching. In good news, the mountain gorilla, which also lives in the DRC, has seen population increases due to conservation efforts, though it still remains on the endangered list.

The International Gorilla Conservation Programme works across central Africa to save these primates. This coalition of international partners works with local organizations in countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC to ensure that National Parks are protected and communities are educated about gorillas.

African Forest Elephant

Photo: Thomas Breuer via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)

Threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as poaching for their tusks and bushmeat, the African forest elephant was added to the Critically Endangered list in 2021. It's the smallest of the surviving elephant species and one of two elephant species to live in Africa. Because they live in the dense forest of West Africa and the Congo Basin, it is difficult to carry out a population count, but one assessment saw a 62% population decline between 2002 and 2011. Due to fragmentation and habitat loss, these elephants often find themselves confined to small areas where food is scarce. And with a slow reproductive rate, it is difficult for these populations to rebound after a loss. Their role in the environment is critical, as they help disperse the seeds of the fruit that they eat, which maintains biodiversity.

The African forest elephant is just one of the many species in Africa that the African Wildlife Foundation seeks to protest.

Sunda Tiger

Photo: kengriffiths.live.com/Depositphotos

The Sunda tiger, also called the Sumatran tiger, is the only remaining tiger species on the Sunda Islands after the extinction of the Bali and Javan tigers. The population has diminished significantly, mainly due to habitat loss, prey depletion, and illegal trade. The expansion of palm oil plantations and acacia plantations has had an impact on the large swaths of the forest these tigers need to survive. Climate change has also had an impact, as the change in temperatures has caused the remaining populations to move into areas where there is more human-animal conflict.

The Wild Cats Conservation Alliance is one organization working to change the future of these animals. They provide support to the Kerinci Seblat National Park in helping its Sunda tiger population thrive.

Chinese Pangolin

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters – Manis pentadactyla via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

The Chinese pangolin is one of four pangolin species found in Asia. Easily recognizable for its scales, this nocturnal animal feeds on ants and termites. The biggest threat to the Chinese pangolin is humans. The wild population has declined a stunning 80% in the past 60 years due to intense poaching. Its scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine and its meat is also eaten in China. Over the past several years, more attention has been paid to the plight of all pangolin species, including the Chinese pangolin. While legislation has been in place since the 1970s and 1980s to stop the killing of pangolins, in many countries it was still common to see them on the illegal wildlife markets.

In 2020, China officially took pangolin scales off its list of ingredients approved for use in traditional Chinese medicine in an effort to curb the poaching of these animals.

Saola

Photo: Silviculture via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Also known as an Asian unicorn, the saola is a bovine that lives in the forest of a mountain range in Vietnam and Laos. It was first described in 1993, making it the first large mammal discovery in 50 years. These elusive animals have only been photographed in the wild a few times by camera traps and attempts to bring the saola into captivity have failed. When captured, they only lived a few weeks or months. Researchers are still discovering more about these animals, which appear to be related to antelopes, as they are skittish around humans and rare in their restricted area. Saolas have run up against obstacles such as getting trapped in snares hunters set for other animals and being hunted by locals, who take pride in bringing back the rare carcass.

Vietnam has set restrictions on deforestation in the area saolas are known to live in as a way to stop habitat loss and fragmentation.

California Condor

Photo: odeliavo/123RF

The California condor is a rare success story in the world of endangered animals, even if the bird's population is growing. These giant birds are the largest North American land bird and in 1987 were declared extinct in the wild. At that time, the small wild population of just 27 birds was captured and put into breeding programs at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. In 1991, as the number of condors bred in captivity grew, they were reintroduced into the wild. Today, there are an estimated 336 condors living in the wild, with an additional 201 in captive breeding programs. So why did California condors risk extinction in the first place? There were two factors. First, these birds reach sexual maturity quite late, and when they do, females only lay one egg every two years. Secondly, the condors were being poisoned by lead found in the ammunition of carcasses animals they scavenged and were being poisoned by pesticides. These issues, coupled with slow breeding, remain an obstacle to their survival.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s California Condor Recovery Program is looking to save and increase current populations by focusing on captive breeding. The program hopes to “establish two geographically distinct self-sustaining populations, each with 150 birds in the wild and at least 15 breeding pairs, with a third population of condors retained in captivity.”

Javan Blue Flycatcher

Photo: Mike Prince via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Once one of the most common flycatchers on the islands of Java and Panaitan in Indonesia, this small songbird bird is now a rare sight. Part of its scarcity is due to it being trapped for the cagebird trade. In fact, there are estimates that upwards of 98,000 Javan blue flycatchers live in captivity, while very few appear to still live in the wild. It's suspected that the wild population has declined anywhere from 60% to 90% in the past few years and this is reflected in the fewer vendors selling these birds in Indonesia's songbird markets.

This species has received very little conservation attention; however, a recent program in Yogyakarta has rewarded coffee farmers for finding and monitoring nests.

Franklin’s Bumble Bee

Photo: Pete Schroeder, Southern Oregon University via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Bee populations around the globe have been declining steadily and Franklin's bumble bee is no exception. Known only in a small area in southern Oregon and northern California between the Coast and Sierra-Cascade mountain ranges, one hasn't been spotted since 2006. This makes it entirely possible that the species is already extinct, but until that can be verified, the bee is still listed as critically endangered. Franklin's bumble bees collect nectar and pollen from local wildflowers and have a distinct black abdomen. So what happened to the Franklin's bumblebee? Unfortunately, many of the same things that also make other bee species vulnerable. This includes commercial bee colonies that transmit diseases, as well as the planting of non-native flowers that take away its food source. Pesticides and habitat destruction are two other important factors.

If you want to know how to help bees in general, check out some easy tips to help your local bee population.

Vaquita

Photo: Paula Olson, NOAA via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Living in a small portion of the waters in the northern Gulf of California, the vaquita is the world's smallest living species of cetacean. They've been pushed to the brink of extinction due to illegal totoaba fishing in Mexico. Totoaba, which is also an endangered species, is considered a delicacy in China, fetching high prices. In the rush to make money, fisheries have set the scene for vaquita to become bycatch. As the vaquita was only fully described by scientists in the 1980s, it's impossible to know their historic populations. But, one thing is for certain, their small range of habitat, coupled with the bycatch issues, have made for a deadly combination.

In July 2022, the Mexican government increased enforcement against illegal fishing and began using acoustic sonar to detect fishing nets in the area.

Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle

Photo: Phuongcacanh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

One of the largest freshwater turtles on Earth, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle faces extinction due to hunting for its meat and eggs in addition to habitat destruction. These turtles rarely surface to breathe, making sightings and identification in the wild difficult. Currently, one living male is in captivity at the Suzhou Zoo in China. When his female breeding partner died in 2019, hope seemed to be lost for this species. But, in late 2020, researchers positively identified a female living in a lake in Vietnam via DNA testing. Sightings of another turtle in the lake have been confirmed and conservationists hope this is a male turtle that could help the species.

Great Hammerhead

Photo: imagesource/123RF

In 2019, the great hammerhead was listed as critically endangered after its global population fell more than 80% in the last 70 years. The largest of the hammerhead shark species, the great hammerhead has suffered as bycatch and is also heavily fished for its large fins, which are the main ingredient in shark fin soup. This apex predator rarely attacks humans, instead preferring its regular prey—stingrays, smaller sharks, crustaceans, and bony fish. Unfortunately, great hammerheads continue to be at risk and in 2022, the United States National Marine Fisheries Service decided against adding the species to its Endangered Species List (ESA).

Sharks Stewards is a non-profit that has been advocating for sharks since 2006 by lobbying lawmakers and restoring habitat. Recently, they helped put pressure on the passage of the U.S. Shark Fin Ban, which was signed by President Biden.

Peacock Tarantula

Photo: Morkelsker via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

This unusual tarantula, covered in metallic blue hair, is considered an Old World species of tarantula. Its natural habitat is the deciduous forest in central southern India, but its location is now restricted to a small reserve forest with an area of 39 square miles. Unfortunately, its habitat has slowly been eroded due to logging and the harvesting of firewood, leaving it restricted to a small piece of forest. The peacock tarantula is so rare in the wild that when one was spotted in 2001, it was the first time in 102 years that it had been seen. Due to its unique appearance, the peacock tarantula is popular with spider enthusiasts and has been bred in captivity for at least a decade. While the current population is unknown, its restricted habitat and popularity in the illegal pet trade were enough to place it on the critically endangered list in 2008.

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