Animals On The Verge Of Extinction

We Might Lose Them Forever

With decades of environmentalism and animal rights activism, it’s hard to imagine that there are still animals that are in danger of becoming extinct. But as human beings encroach further and further into natural habitats, vulnerable animals get closer to dying out and vanishing forever.

A Voice For The Voiceless

The World Wildlife Fund maintains a list of endangered animals and helps to raise funds and awareness about the plight of the most vulnerable. The status of vulnerable animals ranges from “Least Concern” to “Critically Endangered”, and in this article, we’ll be looking at the “Endangered” and “Critically Endangered” animals in the world around us.

Global Panorama, Flickr

African Forest Elephant

Status: Critically Endangered

The smallest of the African elephants, African forest elephants live in families of up to 20 individuals. Their diet is primarily fruit, and they are considered important rainforest gardeners because they distribute seeds through their dung. Found primarily in West Africa, the biggest populations live in Gabon and the Republic of Congo.

James St. John, Flickr

African Savanna Elephant

Status: Endangered

Despite being the largest land animal on Earth, the African Savanna Elephant still suffers from poaching and human encroachment damaging their populations. They live in vast savannas, deserts, and some forests, and families of 10 or so will often join others to form clans of hundreds of members.

Andrew Shiva, Wikipedia

Amur Leopard

Status: Critically Endangered

Known variously as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard, and the Korean leopard, the Amur is found in Russia’s far east. It hunts and lives in forests and, like other leopards, can run at great speeds. The male is thought to stay with a female after mating and helps in rearing young kittens.

Tambako The Jaguar, Flickr

African Wild Dog

Status: Endangered

Numbering only around 1,400 individuals, the African Wild Dog is one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. They live in groups of about 40 in Southern and Southeastern Africa, and prey on animals such as gazelles.

AfricanConservation, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Black Rhino

Status: Critically Endangered

These African creatures have been victims of illegal trade in rhino horns for over a century. They are herbivores, feeding on leaves from bushes and trees, and can weigh up to 3,080 pounds. By 1995, there were only 2,500 individual black rhinos left in the world, though their population has doubled since, thanks to conservation efforts.

Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Asian Elephant

Status: Endangered

These forest and grassland-dwelling creatures are the largest land mammals on the continent of Asia. Asian elephants have had a long relationship with human populations on the continent, and they factor into many spiritual beliefs and practices. Less than 50,000 of these massive herbivores are still at large in the wild.

Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bornean Orangutan

Status: Critically Endangered

Darker in color and wider-faced than their Sumatran relatives, the Bornean orangutan has suffered great losses due to the logging industry and hunting. The Northwest subspecies is thought to have only 1,500 individuals remaining in the wild, losing parts of their habitat daily to human encroachment.

Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Black-Footed Ferret

Status: Endangered

Once thought extinct, the Black-Footed Ferret was rediscovered in Wyoming in 1981. Numerous protections and efforts, including cloning, have helped these small mammals reestablish themselves in the wild, though scientists say that far greater numbers are needed to ensure the ferrets have a chance at survival.

USFWS Mountain Prairie, Wikimedia Commons

Cross River Gorilla

Status: Critically Endangered

These reclusive apes have been very difficult for scientists to study. It is estimated that just 200-300 individuals still live in the wild. Conservation efforts in Cameroon and Nigeria have established a protected area for the Cross River gorilla that reaches into the forests and rugged terrain of both countries.

Julielangford, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Blue Whale

Status: Endangered

The incredible blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing the equivalent of over 30 full-grown elephants. Their calls can be heard for hundreds of miles underwater and can be louder than a jet engine. Less than 25,000 of these majestic creatures are known to exist in the wild.

NOAA Fisheries, Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Lowland Gorilla

Status: Critically Endangered

The largest of the four gorilla subspecies, the eastern lowland gorilla is thought to have lost up to 50% of its population in the last 30 years. Proper estimates of the gorilla’s numbers have been difficult to ascertain, due to political unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the species is based.

Graueri Gorilla, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bluefin Tuna

Status: Endangered

A species that is endangered due to human appetites, the bluefin tuna is actually a remarkable predator in its own right. The bluefin is long-lived, sometimes reaching 40 years of age, and they can dive to incredible depths in their search for herring, mackerel, or eels to eat.

aes256, CC BY 2.1, Wikimedia Commons

Hawksbill Turtle

Status: Critically Endangered

These gentle ocean-goers suffer from hunting due to their spectacular shells. Hawksbill turtles graze sponges, anemones, and jellyfish on coral reefs throughout the world’s tropical oceans. The species has links to reptiles that have existed on Earth for 100 million years.

Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bonobo

Status: Endangered

These small chimpanzee relatives were the last great apes to be scientifically categorized, early in the 20th century. Like chimps, they share over 98% of their DNA with human beings, making them our closest relatives in the animal world. Bonobos, like many great apes, suffer from poaching and human encroachment that damages their populations.

Pierre Fidenci, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

Javan Rhino

Status: Critically Endangered

Java, Indonesia, is home to this extremely rare and endangered rhino. Only 76 individuals are known to exist in the wild, all within Ujung Kulon National Park. Its skin folds give the rhino the appearance of having armor plates, and it used to roam far across Northern India and Southeast Asia.

Som Moulick, Shutterstock

Bornean Elephant

Status: Endangered

Thought to have come from a herd given to the Sultan of Sulu in the 17th century, the Bornean elephant is a smaller distinct species of elephant that exists only on the island of Borneo. It is estimated that fewer than 1,500 of these creatures roam the forests of the island.

Andrea Schieber, Flickr

Chimpanzee

Status: Endangered

Like the bonobo, chimpanzees are humanity’s closest cousin in the animal world. These incredible apes not only live for quite a long time—up to 50 years—but have also been observed using tools to get food and water. Like humans, they spend a lot of time caring for their offspring and live in stable family groups.

Chi King, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Saola

Status: Critically Endangered

Incredibly, we’ve only known of the Saola’s existence for about 30 years. Called the “Asian unicorn”, these antelope-like animals are already extremely rare in the wild. Little is known about them as they are very timid creatures. They live in the forests and Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos.

CreativeBilall, Shutterstock

Fin Whale

Status: Endangered

The fin whale is second only to the blue whale in size, making it the second-largest animal on the planet. They have a distinctive lower jaw, white on the right and black on the left, and strain their food through baleen plates in their mouths. The ridge on their back behind their fin has earned them the nickname “razorback”.

Aqqa Rosing-Asvid, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sumatran Elephant

Status: Critically Endangered

Weighing up to five tons, these gentle forest dwellers feed on plants and, like their smaller cousins the African forest elephant, deposit seeds throughout their territories. As such, they’re an integral part of their ecosystem. Human encroachment and poaching have had a severe impact on the Sumatran elephant population.

kusuma wijaya, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Galapagos Penguin

Status: Endangered

Fewer than 2,000 of these ocean-going birds exist in the wild, all on the island of Galapagos. Due to its isolation, Galapagos is known for the unique animals that call it home. The Galapagos penguin is the only penguin species that is found north of the equator.

derekkeats, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sumatran Orangutan

Status: Critically Endangered

The tree-dwelling Sumatran orangutan, like its elephant neighbors, has been severely impacted by the spread of human beings into their territories. There are nine distinct populations of these apes ranging across North Sumatra and Aceh, and none of them are known to be made up of more than 1,000 individuals.

Aiwok, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sumatran Rhino

Status: Critically Endangered

Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of the remaining rhinoceros species. They are covered with fur and are the closest living relatives to the extinct wooly rhino. They are thought to be one of the most endangered rhino species. The groups that do remain are considered “non-viable”, meaning that they do not have large enough numbers to maintain their population.

26Isabella, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Green Turtle

Status: Endangered

The only herbivore among sea turtles, green turtles are hatched on beaches and make a mad dash for the ocean, hoping to avoid lurking predators. The green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and is given its name from the greenish color of its cartilage and fat.

Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sunda Tiger

Status: Critically Endangered

Devastated by a market for tiger parts and products, the Sunda tiger lives only on the island of Sumatra, having gone extinct on neighboring islands of Java and Bali. Conservation efforts focus on steep fines and jail time for anyone caught poaching these animals, but loss of habitat and food is also threatening these large cats.

Nyonyofoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Hector’s Dolphin

Status: Endangered

Found in the coastal waters of New Zealand, the Hector’s dolphin is both the smallest and the rarest marine dolphin in the world. Due to their small size, they often become trapped in fishing nets. As dolphins need to breathe air, those who are trapped in these nets often drown before they can be freed.

Gregory Smith, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Vaquita

Status: Critically Endangered

Found primarily in Mexico’s Gulf of California, the Vaquita is the rarest marine mammal. These cetaceans number a shocking 10 known individuals in the wild, making them one of the most endangered creatures on the planet. Illegal fishing in protected areas has contributed to the vast decline in Vaquita populations since their discovery in 1958.

Malikbros, Shutterstock

Humphead Wrasse

Status: Endangered

These tropical fish are on the endangered list because they are considered to be a delicacy at seafood restaurants. The humphead wrasse is a vital part of the health of coral reefs. It ensures that other creatures that might damage the reefs don’t get out of control.

Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Western Lowland Gorilla

Status: Critically Endangered

The most populous of the gorilla subspecies, the western lowland is still critically endangered, which says a lot about the state of other kinds of gorillas. These apes inhabit some of the densest forests on the African continent, making them somewhat difficult to track properly.

Mira Meijer Burgers' Zoo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Indian Elephant

Status: Endangered

The Indian elephant can spend up to 19 hours a day feeding and subsequently spreading large amounts of dung over their feeding grounds. Like other elephants, they help to spread seeds from their food plants, ensuring a healthy and vibrant environment. Less than 25,000 of these giant gardeners are thought to exist in the wild.

Sundar, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Yangtze Finless Porpoise

Status: Critically Endangered

These highly intelligent aquatic mammals are far too close to the fate of the now-extinct Baijin dolphin, who used to share their home in the Yangtze River. Corruption of the porpoise’s habitat has led to a significant decline in their population.

foooomio, Flickr

Indus River Dolphin

Status: Endangered

The tiny population of the Indus River dolphin is relegated to a 750-mile stretch of the Indus and Beas rivers in Pakistan. Numbering at just over 1,800, these blind cetaceans navigate through echolocation in the muddy rivers. The construction of irrigation systems for farms near the river led to a great decline in their numbers.

NABA CHOUDHURY, Shutterstock

Irrawaddy Dolphin

Status: Endangered

Native to South and Southeast Asia, the Irrawaddy dolphin is extremely rare. Only 92 individuals are known to exist in the wild. They are considered sacred to the Khmer and Lao people of the region. Irrawaddy dolphins are threatened by accidental tangling in commercial fishing nets.

Na-Me, Shutterstock

Monarch Butterfly

Status: Endangered

One of the few insects on the WWF endangered animal list, the monarch butterfly population is declining due to the agricultural expansion of human beings. Monarchs only lay eggs on Milkweed plants, and these same plants provide food for their young. Conservation efforts focus on replanting Milkweed to help these colorful creatures.

Derek Ramsey, Wikimedia Commons

North Atlantic Right Whale

Status: Endangered

The North Atlantic Right Whale was a victim of the historical whaling industry and has struggled to keep its population numbers up ever since. They are also threatened by climate change which affects the plankton on which they feed. Less food means lower populations for an already small number of whales.

National Marine Sanctuaries, Flickr

Red Panda

Status: Endangered

Less than 10,000 of these cute little critters exist in the wild. Their Eastern Himalayan habitat is shrinking due to logging in the bamboo forests, and their distinctive fur even makes them desirable for clothing! These small animals are also often caught in traps intended for larger game animals in the area.

Mathias Appel, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Whale Shark

Status: Endangered

The largest fish in the world’s oceans, the whale shark feeds on plankton, some of the smallest animals in the ocean. Climate change has negatively affected the amount of plankton available to these giants, which has in turn affected population size and reproduction. Whale sharks are also hunted for their meat, fins, and oil in unregulated fisheries.

Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ganges River Dolphin

Status: Endangered

These freshwater animals used to roam river systems in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, but are now confined mostly to the Ganges River. They are functionally blind, to the point that they barely even form eyes, and locate their food through ultrasonic location. They are generally solitary, though mothers and calves will travel together until the young dolphin can fend for itself.

Kukil Gogoi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons