Critically endangered animals we could lose
The top 3 according to 35 votes from people: Vaquita · Sumatran tiger · Yangtze finless porpoise. (Updated Jun 8, 2019.)
Some of the most threatened species on the planet, classed as critically endangered by the IUCN and highlighted by WWF and the World Economic Forum. Vote for the one you would most like to see saved.
Top 15
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1
Vaquita
The world's smallest porpoise, found only in the northern Gulf of California; drowning in illegal gillnets.
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2
Sumatran tiger
The last tigers of the Sunda Islands, threatened by palm-oil deforestation.
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3
Yangtze finless porpoise
The last cetacean of the Yangtze after the river dolphin baiji vanished.
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4
Bornean orangutan
Critically endangered by deforestation and hunting.
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5
Sumatran elephant
Lost about half its population in one generation.
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6
Javan rhino
The rarest rhino, surviving only in Ujung Kulon National Park, Java.
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7
Amur leopard
The rarest big cat, in the Russian Far East and north-east China.
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8
Sumatran rhino
The smallest and hairiest rhino, scattered in tiny populations in Indonesia.
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9
Western lowland gorilla
Threatened by poaching and the Ebola virus.
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10
Black rhino
Poached for its horn; still critically endangered despite its recovery.
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11
Saola
The "Asian unicorn" of Vietnam and Laos, discovered only in 1992 and almost never seen.
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12
Axolotl
The Mexican salamander that keeps its larval form, now nearly gone from the wild in Xochimilco.
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13
Sumatran orangutan
Lost most of its population in the last 75 years as its forests disappear.
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14
Kakapo
New Zealand's flightless, nocturnal parrot, saved by an intensive recovery plan.
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15
Cross River gorilla
The rarest gorilla, on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 15… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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16
Hawksbill turtle
Hunted for its beautiful shell, the source of tortoiseshell.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (6)
Orangutans losing their forest to palm oil, check your labels.
Important list, thanks for sharing.
Every time I read about the vaquita I get sad.
Javan rhinos only survive in Ujung Kulon now.
Amur leopards are recovering a bit thanks to Land of the Leopard park.
The vaquita breaks my heart, maybe ten left.