The world has gone through a technological revolution which has helped expand our cities and improve our standard of living. However, it is not without its drawbacks. The number of endangered animals and endangered species continues to rise as we continue to ebb away at our natural resources and destroy natural habitats.
While endangered animals are nothing new, the rate at which they are joining the list of most endangered species is alarming. Despite the best efforts of the endangered species act, the number of animals which have become either critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable has nearly doubled since 2007.
Here are the top 15 endangered animals in the world today
- Amur Tiger
- Black Rhinos
- Bornean Orangutan
- Cross River Gorilla
- Hawksbill Turtle
- Saola
- Sumatran Elephants
- Sunda Tiger
- Vaquita
- Yangtze Finless Porpoise
- Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
- Lemur
- Northern Right Whale
- Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Giant Chinese Salamander
1. Amur Tiger
Found roaming around the Amur River in the Southeast corner of Russia in the Sikhote-Alin mountain range east of the Amur River, the Amur tiger is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Formerly, their range also included northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and as far west as Mongolia.
Despite some being held in captivity there are only around 350-450 left across the globe. Incredibly, the Amur tiger is among the largest of tiger subspecies and can grow more than 10 feet in length.
2. Black Rhinos
Thankfully the Black Rhino population has recovered from its historic lows two decades ago when nearly 98% of the population was wiped out. Despite there being around 5,000 of them today, they are considered a critically endangered species and are in constant danger from poachers.
What differentiates this fantastic animal from other rhinos is its hooker upper lip which helps them feed on bushes and trees.
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3. Bornean Orangutan
The beautiful Bornean orangutan is high up on the list of endangered species with only a mere 1,500 of them remaining.
Found on the island of Borneo, they have a broad face, a shorter beard and are slightly darker in colour than other subspecies. Logging and hunting are the leading causes of their dwindling numbers.
4. Cross River Gorilla
Found mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Cross River gorillas inhabit a territory surrounded by people and have slowly had their habitat taken away.
Deforestation has played a large part in the demise of the species, and with less than 300 of them left, they are unfortunately one of the top 10 endangered animals. The enormous creatures which can weigh up to 200kg are also incredibly wary of humans.
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5. Hawksbill Turtle
Found along the coasts of Africa and Southeast Asia, the Hawksbill turtle has a beautifully coloured and patterned shell which makes it a prime target for poachers. The subspecies is on the list of critically endangered animals but are an essential link between different marine ecosystems.
They are vital to maintaining coral reefs and are descendants of species that have existed in our oceans for 100 million years.
6. Saola
Found along the Greater Mekong, the Saola or Asia unicorn, as it has been nicknamed, was only discovered around twenty years ago. They are rarely seen in the wild and none can be found in captivity.
In fact, this endangered animal has only been spotted four times in total and has exquisite markings on its face.
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7. Sumatran Elephants
Sumatran elephants are a key part of their ecosystem as they help deposit seeds throughout the forests they inhabit. Weighing up to an incredible 5 tonnes and coming in at nearly 2.7 metres tall, these gentle giants are hard to miss.
There are under 3,000 left around the world which has seen a recent decline despite the endangered species act.
8. Sunda Tiger
Once upon a time, you could find the Sunda tiger scattered across several Indonesian islands. Today, they can only be found in Sumatra. Their thick orange coats with black stripes make them very distinguishable and a target for poaching.
Due to poaching and deforestation, there are less than 400 left, making them one of the most endangered species in the world.
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9. Vaquita
With only around ten remaining, the vaquita is the world’s rarest marine animal and arguably the most endangered animal on our list. They are distinct and have dark rings around their eyes and pale grey sides.
Vaquitas are typically found on the north coast of California, but illegal fishing has taken its toll on the population size.
10. Yangtze Finless Porpoise
Found along The Yangtze River, which is the longest in Asia, is the Yangtze finless porpoise. They are known to be incredibly intelligent, and on par with gorillas, and they also have a mischievous smile.
The river was home to a second species of dolphin, but this was wiped out in 2006 due to human activity.
11. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is the most endangered species on the planet. It is found in the southeastern United States and parts of Cuba. It is a massive woodpecker that was thought to be extinct until 2004. The World Wildlife Fund issued the statement in response to reports that the ivory-billed woodpecker had been discovered in Arkansas, 60 years after it was thought to be extinct.
Even now, there are only a few of the woodpeckers left. It is a very vulnerable creature. For years, the Nature Conservancy, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and local communities have worked tirelessly to preserve these magnificent landscapes and aid the bird’s survival.
12. Lemurs (all species)
Lemurs, which are only found on Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, are easily identified by their long, bushy tails and translucent eyes. This region is located on Africa’s southeast coast.
These one-of-a-kind creatures are the most endangered of all primates. There are over 100 different species of lemurs, all of which are endangered. There are almost no Lemurs left today, of any species. Although they are not listed as critically endangered, there are very few of these animals found anywhere.
13. Northern Right Whale
Northern right whales are the most endangered species of whale in the world. The North Atlantic right whale can be distinguished by the white calluses on its head, which stand out against the whale’s dark grey body. It has a broad back and no dorsal fin, as well as a long arching mouth that starts above the eye. A baleen whale feeds by swimming through a swarm of plankton, mouth open and head slightly above the surface.
It is still found along the Atlantic coasts of Canada and the United States, with approximately 300-350 different whales. This whale is required for both its oil and its simple production process. Right whales are more commonly found in coastal waters, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico.
14. Leatherback Sea Turtle
The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the world’s largest sea turtle species, named for its leather-like rather than hardshell, unlike other turtles. It can be found all over the world, but it is more common in tropical areas.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global status of leatherback turtles is Vulnerable, but many subpopulations (such as those in the Pacific and Southwest Atlantic) are Critically Endangered. There were once more than 120,000 adult female leatherback sea turtles, but that number has now dropped to around 20,000 and is continuing to decline.
Despite their widespread distribution, the number of leatherback turtles has declined significantly over the last century due to intensive egg collection and bycatch in fisheries. Human egg theft and illegal hunting are possibly the two most common reasons this turtle will become extinct.
15. Giant Chinese Salamander
The world’s largest amphibian is the Giant Chinese Salamander. It can grow to be 6 feet long and weigh more than 140 pounds. It is completely aquatic and is only found in rocky mountain streams and lakes in the Yangtze River basin in central China.
They can lay up to 500 eggs at once. They lay their eggs in underwater burrows. Because of habitat loss, pollution, and overcollection, it is considered critically endangered in the wild. People eat the Chinese Giant Salamander as a delicacy, and they are also used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Helping animals on the endangered species list
Endangered animals are in real danger from the threat of human activity. Raising awareness regarding the most endangered species helps bring them into the spotlight and create movements to save them.
Hopefully, in years to come, the endangered species list is significantly shorter as we manage to live in harmony with our surroundings.
Updated on 29 October 2022
