TEN MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS

We Left The Giant Panda Off Of Our Top Ten Most Endangered Species List. Nothing Personal. Photo:JCWF

The Most Endangered Species

We mentioned in another article that picking a Ten Most Endangered Animals list was a tough job. For every critically endangered creature you select, you must leave out hundreds of other animals that are in just as much jeopardy.

That’s why, despite the photo at the left, we chose not to include the giant panda on our roster of the world’s ten most endangered animals. The panda, as appealing and important as it is, has gotten plenty of attention from conservationists and the public alike. Time to make room for another critically endangered animal or two that hasn’t had as much time in the spotlight of looming extinction.

Scroll Down For Our 10 Most Endangered Animals List

Click links for more info and a short video on each species

1 Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

A North American bird so endangered it may actually be extinct

2 Amur Leopard

The world’s rarest cat: Only 40 left in Russia’s Far East

3 Javan Rhinoceros

No more than 60 of these swamp-dwelling Asian rhinos exist

4 Northern Sportive Lemur

Here’s the scarcest of Madagascar’s fast-dwindling lemur species

5 Western Lowland Gorilla

Disease and illegal hunting are wiping out this gentle giant

6 The Saola—An Asian Unicorn

So rare it is almost mythological, the saola hangs on by its hoof tips in a forest full of poachers’ snares

7 Leatherback Sea Turtle

The population of the world’s largest turtle is dropping at an alarming rate

8 The Tiger

The world’s biggest cat is almost gone

9 Chinese Giant Salamander

Humans are eating the world’s largest amphibian into extinction

10 The Little Dodo Bird

Samoa’s little dodo bird is in immanent danger of following the large dodo into extinction.

Plus . . . Six Critically Endangered Species From Our Previous Lists

Kakapo Parrot

These flightless New Zealand birds are so rare they all have names

Greater Bamboo Lemur

Fewer than 100 of these Critically Endangered animals remain

Mountain Gorilla

Their habitat is shrinking, and fewer than 700 remain

Hawaiian Monk Seal

Scientists don’t know why this seal’s population keeps declining

Northern Right Whale

Hunted to near extinction, 350 right whales still swim the Atlantic

Siberian (or Amur) Tiger

A member of the largest tiger subspecies can weigh up to 300 kilos (660 pounds)

So, how did we choose our ten most endangered animals list? First, we consulted the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Then, we reviewed the organization’s data on many of the most critically endangered animals around the world and made a preliminary list based on the size of each species’ population and the threats that it faces in the wild. Then, we divided that list into groups that included sea mammals, terrestrial mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians. We didn’t pick any insects even though plenty of them are endangered and we didn’t have a good reason not to. Then . . . well, we picked the 10 that most appealed to us and that seemed to be among the most in need of help.

If you wanted, you could visit the IUCN’s web site and make your own ten most endangered animals list. Unfortunately, there are thousands of creatures of all kinds that qualify.

Read More About The World’s Ten Most Endangered Species

The polar bear is on many international Top 10 Endangered Species lists

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THE GHOST STORY.com
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Hairy Frogfish Hunts. Watch!
The hairy frogfish lives in tropical and subtropical waters of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It hunts shallow, sandy areas by disguising itself as a weed-covered rock. As you will see from the video, the hairy frogfish is a voracious predator capable of swallowing prey as large as itself.
Baby Gorilla Gets Tough
Adult male mountain gorillas drum their chests with their open hands in order to make a popping noise that resounds through the forest. This drumroll warns other male gorillas to stay off their territory and away from their families. Young gorillas also drum in an attempt to show how tough they are. In this video, a baby mountain gorilla in Rwanda fails hilariously when he tries to prove himself to a group of tourists. There are fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the wild.
World's Weirdest Creature?
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Honeybees: Bugs That Give Directions
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Shape-Shifting Octopus
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Baby Kangaroos: Born Twice
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Deadly Aim With A Stream Of Water
The archer fish, which is native to southern Asia, Polynesia, and Australia, employs one of the world's most unique methods of hunting. The fish knocks bugs off of overhanging vegetation by blasting them with a powerful stream of water from its mouth. Once the insect falls into the water it's helpless, and the archer fish can eat it at its leisure. These amazing fish can spit water up to two meters (six feet), and they almost always hit their mark.
Ants That Make Slaves Of Other Ants
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Deep Sea Anglerfish: DON'T Go Into The Light!
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Blood Lust And The Vampire Bat
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The Interior Decorator Of The Bird World
Some animals go to great lengths to attract a mate. But no creature puts more effort or artistry into courtship than the male bowerbird of New Guinea. Not only does this amazing avian acquire hundreds of objects of art in order to impress the female of his species, but he builds an entire structure in which to house his collection.
The Father That Gives Birth
In most animal species, it is the female that carries and gives birth to the young. Seahorses, however, are different. The male seahorse sports a pouch like a kangaroo's, and during mating the female deposits her eggs in it. The male carries the eggs until they hatch, after which he gives "birth" to a brood of young seashores.
A Spider That Fishes
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Gibbons: The Apes That Swing
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Almost Unbelievable: The Bird of Paradise
Like the bower bird, most of the 42 bird-of-paradise species are found on the Island of New Guinea. Compared to male bower birds, male birds of paradise employ an equally elaborate, though completely different, strategy for attracting mates. They rely not only on their spectacular plumage, but also on their dancing ability in their attempts to convince females to mate with them. In fact, you wouldn't be wrong to call birds of paradise the exotic dancers of the animal world.

TEN MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS

The Most Endangered Species

Scroll Down For Our 10 Most Endangered Animals List

Click links for more info and a short video on each species

1 Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

A North American bird so endangered it may actually be extinct

2 Amur Leopard

The world’s rarest cat: Only 40 left in Russia’s Far East

3 Javan Rhinoceros

No more than 60 of these swamp-dwelling Asian rhinos exist

4 Northern Sportive Lemur

Here’s the scarcest of Madagascar’s fast-dwindling lemur species

5 Western Lowland Gorilla

Disease and illegal hunting are wiping out this gentle giant

6 The Saola—An Asian Unicorn

So rare it is almost mythological, the saola hangs on by its hoof tips in a forest full of poachers’ snares

7 Leatherback Sea Turtle

The population of the world’s largest turtle is dropping at an alarming rate

8 The Tiger

The world’s biggest cat is almost gone

9 Chinese Giant Salamander

Humans are eating the world’s largest amphibian into extinction

10 The Little Dodo Bird

Samoa’s little dodo bird is in immanent danger of following the large dodo into extinction.

Plus . . . Six Critically Endangered Species From Our Previous Lists

These flightless New Zealand birds are so rare they all have names

Fewer than 100 of these Critically Endangered animals remain

Their habitat is shrinking, and fewer than 700 remain

Scientists don’t know why this seal’s population keeps declining

Hunted to near extinction, 350 right whales still swim the Atlantic

A member of the largest tiger subspecies can weigh up to 300 kilos (660 pounds)

Read More About The World’s Ten Most Endangered Species

Top 10

225,000

Top 10

FROM STUDENTS & READERS: TOP 10 ENDANGERED SPECIES QUESTIONS

Are you a fan of

GHOST STORIES

as well as wildlife? To have a look at our spooky new sister publication, click here on

The Weirdness of Wildlife

Hairy Frogfish Hunts. Watch!

Baby Gorilla Gets Tough

World's Weirdest Creature?

Honeybees: Bugs That Give Directions

Shape-Shifting Octopus

Baby Kangaroos: Born Twice

Deadly Aim With A Stream Of Water

Ants That Make Slaves Of Other Ants

Deep Sea Anglerfish: DON'T Go Into The Light!

Blood Lust And The Vampire Bat

The Interior Decorator Of The Bird World

The Father That Gives Birth

A Spider That Fishes

Gibbons: The Apes That Swing

Almost Unbelievable: The Bird of Paradise