As humanity expands we see nature shrink, being conserved in precious small places where even that existence has caused irreparable damage. Scientists estimate that percentage wise the majority of animal species to ever live have already gone extinct yet in recent decades that extinction rate has begun to climb faster and faster. Soon enough many of the species on the list you are about to read will be completely gone. Listed below is a sobering reminder of our effect on nature. Listed below are 12 of the most endangered species on the planet.
California Condor
Considered the largest land bird in all of North America, the California Condor has found its way to the critically endangered list. This bird lives in the New World Vulture category and is the only remaining member of its entire genus. Though this is a terrifying and large bird their population has rapidly declined since entering the 20th century. There are multiple causes for the decline of this animal in the wild but mostly it has been attributed to poaching and habitat destruction. Right now there are under 400 of these condors alive both in the wild and in captivity. The California Condor is also well renowned for its connection to Native American folklore. The California Condor would make mince meat of any small animal, so make sure to keep your cat health care in check if you have an outdoor cat around these animals.
California Condor
Mexican Wolf
In North America the wolf has a strange relationship in pop culture. Some people look at the creatures as majestic and noble wild animals while others look at them as pests. The Mexican Wolf, located in Mexico, has seen itself become the rarest of wolf subspecies currently on the planet. Right now there are around 300 left alive with the primary reason for their decline in population due to a limited amount of food. The Mexican Wolf primary feeds on deer and elk and when those large forms of prey are no longer available the whole population struggles. The Mexican Wolf, though a canine, would never be able to be domesticated in dog training schools or the like — it is a true individual creature.
Mexican Wolf
Baiji Dolphin
The Baiji Dolphin is officially the most endangered species on the planet and can only be found inside of the Yangtze River inside of China. The reason for this freshwater creatures addition to the brink of extinction is due entirely to the growth of Chinese industry: hydroelectric plants, transportation vessels, and a barely restricted fishing scene have caused these creatures to head toward extinction faster than a cheap flight to a neighboring town. The Baiji Dolphin reportedly is down to just 20 living at the time of this writing and this is despite the best efforts of local preservation groups do all that they can with their elementary education of how extinction occurs.
Baiji Dolphin
Northern White Rhinoceros
If you need a living reminder as to the true damages that illegal poaching can elicit then look no further than the Northern White Rhinoceros. This beautiful animal is past the point of being endangered and now is listed as extinct in the wild. Only three of these creatures are still alive and they are under complete protection in Kenya after failed attempts to fertilize the remaining female rhino. These animals are in such great risk of being killed off that armed guards are standing by them every day and every night due to the fear of potential poachers coming in. If ever there was a need for animal charity to try and turn something around then this would be it. There have been no wild sightings of this species of rhino since 2011 despite extensive efforts by local African governments.
Northern White Rhinoceros
Hawaiian Crow
We’ll stick to birds instead of big dogs or wild cats by following up with the Hawaiian Crow. The Hawaiian Crow is now considered completely extinct out in the wild and only 100 or so remain in captivity at this point. The Hawaiian Crow comes from Hawaii and is also known by the name, Aumaka. These birds only grow up to 20 inches in terms of length and they are a dark, jet black. They are smart birds that have strong wings and scientists still aren’t sure why they have begun to die off so completely. Right now the leading theory is that some sort of disease has been behind their failing population with the most likely disease being Avian Malaria. Right now any attempts to reintroduce the birds into the wild have been stalled out by the prevalence of predator birds like the Hawaiian Hawk. A history of inbreeding has also stalled efforts to breed them in captivity.
Hawaiian Crow
Javan Rhinoceros
The Javan Rhinoceros has already reached essentially the point of no return. These gigantic but precious animals are poached illegally for the sake of taking their horn. Javan Rhinos are located exclusively in the Ujung Kulon peninsula and our best estimates claim that there are only 70 or so left in the world. The reason for the extensive poaching for their horn lay in the value: each horn can be sold for upwards of $30,000 on the black market. Their horns have also historically been used in Chinese medicine which has made them almost impossible to protect throughout Asia.
Javan Rhinoceros
Axolotl
The Axolotl looks like something pulled straight from a game of Pokemon but they are very real. Though this creature is called a ‘walking fish’ it is in fact an amphibian. They can be found in lakes near Mexico City but not for much longer. Considered critically endangered, the Axolotl has suffered severely from poor environmental regulations and a proliferated form of public disruption. They used to be a key part of the Aztec diet and now no longer exist in the wild.
Axolotl
The Saola
This large bovine is considered one of the rarest big mammals in the world. They have a direct relation to goats and antelopes and they were first discovered in 1992. Since then they’ve been on a downward trend thanks to humans interfering and destroying their natural habitat. They are a skittish animal that try to avoid humans as much as possible and this has created a real lack of valuable data. The Saola Working Group was formed in 2006 and they now oversee the conservation of the rare and elusive bovine.
The Saola
Iberian Lynx
The Iberian Lynx is a gorgeous feline that can be found in Spain and Portugal. This feline is currently considered endangered though there are massive reservation attempts under way to keep the critter wild and breeding. The Iberian Lynx, if it ever went instinct, would be the first feline in the world to become extinct since the prehistoric ages. This makes the work of conservation groups like SOS Lynx so important. Right now reintroduction techniques have been tentatively successful but there are still only 400 wild lynx out in the world. In captivity there continues to be a focused effort on research, reservation, and breeding.
Iberian Lynx
Siamese Crocodile
This freshwater crocodile used to be found throughout the majority of Asia but now finds itself on this rather unhappy list. Right now the Siamese Crocodile is critically endangered and suffering the very real and very direct threat of human disturbance via habitat destruction. There are sizable populations still around of the crocodile, mostly in Indonesia, but they are losing footing more and more in the wild. The Siamese Crocodile can lay up to 50 eggs at a time and they mostly ignore humans in the wild. They are the rarest form of crocodile in the wild despite hard work keeping their captive numbers up.
Siamese-Crocodile
Brown Spider Monkey
This little animal is considered critically endangered and there is legitimate fear that extinction could be right around the corner. The Brown Spider Monkey is a tiny animal at birth that grows to a full size of 20 inches while weighing around 20 pounds. The Brown Spider Monkey is well known for its long limbs and long tail which it utilizes like a fifth gripping limb. These monkeys also have a giant white splotch on their belly and forehead with eyes that are typically light to blue. This animal has been viciously poached and hunted to the brink of extinction. Conservative estimates place around 80 of these animals as still alive in captivity. The wild population has been almost completely decimated.
Brown Spider Monkey
Amur Leopard
The Amur Leopard is native to Russia as well as northeast China. This beautiful, giant cat has been on the critically endangered list since 1996 and the best efforts of the World Wild Life Fund have mostly been fruitless, with small successes here in there. In 2007 there were an estimated 19 of these cats alive in the wild and today there are an estimated 70. Still, there is a ton of work left to do to bring this cat back into the big leagues and the safety that it deserves. Right now their biggest threats are poachers, for their skin, and the development of human traffic that has destroyed their natural habitat.
Amur Leopard
