13 Animals on the Brink of Extinction

The Sumatran tiger is a critically endangered species. They are found only on the island of Sumatra off the Malaysian peninsula. Only 500 to 600 tigers are in the wild, but some speculate that the numbers could be fewer than 400. They are rapidly losing their habitat to the expansion of plantations, as well as poachers hunting them down for their pelts, whiskers, and bones.

Forest elephants, a subspecies of African elephants, are closer to extinction than savanna elephants. They used to number in the millions, and there are now believed to be fewer than 400,000. Elephants have been hunted almost to extinction by poachers for the illegal ivory trade. Despite a global ban on ivory trading since 1990, thousands of elephants have been killed for the ivory demand in Asia.

The Amur leopards are dangerously close to extinction. Their numbers are now less than 100. Over the last few decades, they have lost 80% of their territory to logging, forest fires, and land conversion. They are also hunted by poachers for their beautiful spotted coats.

Two specific species of rhinos are close to extinction. Javan and Sumatran rhinos are found in Asia, and they number less than 60. They have been poached almost to extinction for their horns, which are sold illegally on the black market.

Climate change and the loss of their habitat have played a major role in the number of polar bears still roaming the Earth. There are now between 22,000 and 31,000 living in the wild. Polar bears use sea ice as platforms to hunt, rest, and breed. Those ice platforms have been steadily melting and decreasing in size for the last 20 years.

Monk seals are one of the rarest mammals in the world. There are three different subspecies: Mediterranean, Hawaiian, and Caribbean. The Caribbean monk seal is extinct. Both Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seals are endangered. The Mediterranean monk seal has been an endangered species since the 1950s, when its population numbers fell by 60%. The current population of Hawaiian monk seals is estimated to be about 1,400 in total.

The Eastern gorilla is the world’s largest living primate and is critically endangered. There are believed to be about 5,000 left in the wild after being hunted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Four of the six ape species are endangered, including chimpanzees and bonobos.

Hawksbill turtles are threatened by the loss of nesting grounds and feeding habitats. However, their larger threat is from hunting for illegal trade. Their shells are prized for the pattern, deemed “tortoiseshell,” that winds up on the black market. The Hawksbill turtle population has declined more than 80% in the last 100 years.

The Iberian lynx is the world’s most endangered feline species. Found in Spain and Portugal, the lynx’s population numbers fell dangerously low. In 2002, there were less than 100 Iberian lynx in the world. However, conservation efforts to protect their rapidly shrinking habitats have helped those numbers to go up to about 400.

Galapagos penguins are the only penguins found north of the equator. The population of these tiny penguins is fewer than 2,000. They have been losing their numbers mainly to pollution and climate change. These penguins do not adapt well to changes in their environment, which has been ongoing for the last several years.

The addax, or white antelope, is critically endangered. Found mainly in northern parts of Africa, this animal has been hunted almost to extinction. There are believed to be fewer than 100 total, according to the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth, and they are endangered. There are believed to be fewer than 25,000 left in the ocean waters. They were almost hunted into extinction until the International Whaling Commission declared them protected in 1966. Since then, the threats have changed for the continued existence of these marine mammals. Climate change is a major factor, affecting the presence of krill in sea waters, which are the blue whales’ main food source.

The vaquita is the world’s rarest marine mammal. The dolphin-like creature is only found in the northern Gulf waters of Mexico’s Baja California. Vaquita are often caught in gill nets (part of illegal fishing operations) and drown. There is believed to be only 10 vaquita left in the entire world.

Pictured: Omar Vidal, Mexico’s general director of World Wildlife Fund for Nature, speaks about a vaquita sighting in May 2016.