Giant panda
We’ve all seen him gracing the front of World Wildlife Fund materials, or sneezing adorably in a YouTube video, but it’s true that the giant panda is struggling. There are less than 2,500 remaining in the wild, almost all of which live on reserves in Southeast China. Efforts have been made to boost the population through breeding in captivity, but due to the slow rate of bamboo growth (their only source of food), habitat destruction, and poaching, there is little hope of moving them out of the critically endangered category anytime soon.
Tiger
This fierce predator has seen its numbers dwindle down to less than 3,200 in the wild. Back in 1900, more than 100,000 tigers could be found across the Asian continent. Tigers can now only found in 13 Asian countries, and it is critical to ensure they are protected to save the population. After all, what are lions and bears without the tigers? Oh my!
Amur leopard (Far East leopard)
A subspecies of the snow leopard, this rare guy calls the snowy tundras of the Russian Far East his home. Thanks to a three-inch coat that keeps them warm in harsh winters, Amur leopards once thrived in their natural environment, but less than 40 remain today. Even the larger population of other species of snow leopards are endangered, with fewer than 6,500 in the wild.
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Tuna may not be as cute as some of the others on this list, but the Atlantic bluefin tuna is pretty important to the ecosystem and diets of many. More than twice the amount of tuna is being sold as is allowed by quotas set by protection agencies, and culprits are difficult to catch. One exception was Mitsubishi executives, who were caught planning a stockpile of Atlantic bluefin tuna to freeze and sell when the population dwindles even more. Classy, right?
Rhinoceros
All five species of rhinoceros are endangered to different degrees, mostly due to habitat destruction and rampant poaching for their horns – the problem has gotten so bad that animal protection agencies have even explored the possibility of pre-emptive de-horning. This would involve catching wild rhinos and removing their horns so poachers won’t kill them to do the same, saving the animal but at a high price. The Javan rhinoceros is particularly threatened, hovering on the brink of extinction with less than 40 left in the wild, mainly in Indonesia, and few females in the bunch.
Leatherback Turtle
Leatherback turtles were once a common sight in major oceans of the world, but while the Atlantic population is relatively stable with about 34,000 females remaining, only 2,300 can be found in the Pacific. Longline fishing operations killed thousands of leatherbacks before the practice was more strictly regulated, but the damage may be too severe to fix.
African and Asian elephants
They’re completely different species but both elephants, so they’re getting grouped. Commonly poached for their ivory tusks (although while both male and female African elephants have tusks, only some male Asian elephants do), they are similarly threatened by rapid habitat destruction and poaching for their meat (can we say “ew”?). Even more disheartening is a threat from landmines, particularly to Asian elephants – hundreds of landmines have been left around elephant territories in the wild, posing a fatal threat to any that happen by.
Mountain Gorilla
Mountain gorillas, once seen frequently around Central Africa, can now be found only in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Fewer than 1,000 remain in the wild. Largely threatened by armed conflicts and natural resource exploitation that has destroyed their habitats, mountain gorillas have also been affected by communicable diseases from humans who encroached into their territory. Thankfully, the populations have begun to grow again in recent years, but significant efforts are needed to continue the trend and protect the existing population.
Vaquita
Though you might not know the vaquita by name, you’ll know it by appearance – a small porpoise found in the Gulf of California, only around 245 remain in the wild. The biggest threat has come from the fishing industry, as they are often caught up by fishermen and sacrificed as bycatch. Significantly affected by the damming of the Colorado River, an estimated 40 to 80 continue to be caught in trawl nets and gill nets every year. Though protection agencies have made some strides, it is a race against time to try to save the few vaquita that remain.
Tree kangaroo
Tree kangaroos look somewhat like their bigger cousins, but have adapted differently for their habitat in Papua New Guinea and nearby areas. With longer arms, they are adept at climbing among the trees, but the small area in which they can be found has continually shrunk as more trees are cut down. They also continue to be hunted for their meat, so that only an estimated 1,400 remain in the wild.
