The list of endangered animal species is nearly endless. However, in this list we’re focusing on the very rare species on the verge of extinction. When I say rare, I mean less-than-100-left-in-the-world rare. Stick with me to see if you recognize any of these species.
1. Northern White Rhinoceros
Rhino poaching is a serious problem, and it isn’t going anywhere soon. Thanks to this, we may just as well bid farewell to one of the White Rhino subspecies. It honestly doesn’t get any worse than the future outlook of the Northern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). When the last male died back in 2018, all hope of growing the population died with him. He left behind no more than two Northern White Rhino females. Unless scientists can perform a miracle, the extinction of the species is a mere waiting game.
2. Red Wolf
The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is the most endangered wolf in the world. As a matter of fact, people regarded them as extinct in the wild in 1980. Today, after scientists reintroduced them to the wild back in 1987, there are no more than 16 individuals living in eastern North Carolina. Your luck is out if you were hoping to spot one soon.
Note: You may be wondering why the red wolf is endangered. You can blame it on the colonial war on wolves, killings by farmers, and government predator control programs!
3. Albany Adder
With only 17 of them still alive, the Albany Adder (Bitis cornuta albanica) is one of the rarest snake species on the planet. The species was potentially extinct until four live specimens made their appearance in 2016. You can find these semi-cute dwarf adders only in the eastern and southern Cape Province in South Africa.
4. Vaquita
You may have heard that the Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the rarest animal in the world, but clearly that isn’t the case. This doesn’t change the fact that they’re one of the most endangered marine species and not far from extinction.
The exact number of Vaquita porpoises that are still alive is unknown. Some believe there are fewer than 20 left, while others speculate that it could be as low as 10. If the numbers don’t increase soon, it won’t be long until we have to say goodbye to the last of these cuties.
5. Saint Lucia Racer
The Saint Lucia Racer (Erythrolamprus ornatus) is the other ultra-rare snake species in our list. It could be the rarest in the world, but we don’t have an exact figure of how many are still in the wild. The only thing I can say for certain is that there are less than 20 in the eastern Caribbean.
6. Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the smallest of the 5 extant species of rhino and yes, it’s nearing extinction. It’s also the rarest of the rhino species. That’s because the rarest rhino, the Northern White Rhino, is only a subspecies of the White Rhino, which still has a relatively stable population. Today, only about 30 Sumatran Rhinos are alive in the wild.
7. South China Tiger
The South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) population is down to its last 20 to 30 tigers and you can thank illegal wildlife trade. Needless to say, your chances of spotting one of these gorgeous big cats are next to nothing. Furthermore, if you don’t live in Southern China, your chances of spotting one is nonexistent.
8. Hainan Black Crested Gibbon
Hainan Gibbons (Nomascus hainanus) are so critically endangered that Hainan Island in the Pacific Ocean houses the last 37. That’s right, the numbers have decreased all the way down to under 40, which means they’re slowly heading towards extinction.
9. Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth
The 9th animal on our list has a population of no more than 50 individuals. You may have heard of the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus) before as it’s also called the dwarf or monk sloth. The species is endemic to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, which is a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama. I don’t know about you but I’m willing to travel to see one of these teeny tiny creatures in person.
The only certainty we have about the smallest sloths in the world is that they’re beyond cute because their entire future is in jeopardy. The sad truth is that they’re dying out much faster than they move.
10. Morona-Santiago Stubfoot Toad
The Morona-Santiago Stubfoot Toad (Atelopus halihelos) is so rare that we don’t know how many of them are still alive in Ecuador. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that the number can be anywhere between 0 and 49. Scientists thought the species was extinct for many years, but they appeared again in the 2000s.
11. Yunnan Box Turtle
The Yunnan box turtle (Cuora yunnanensis) is endemic to Yunnan, China. They reported the last alive turtle in 1940, and scientists closed the book on the species. Then, in 2004, a female Yunnan box turtle appeared via pet trade in Kunming. Then, over the course of four years, they discovered two more (one male; one female) and a small wild population. We don’t know how big the population is (likely less than 50) and the species is now in high demand.
12. Javan Rhinoceros
Once again, a Rhinoceros species makes the list. The Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) used to live all over northeast India and Southeast Asia. Today the last 76 Javan Rhinos live in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia. If we can protect them from poachers, there is a slight chance the population could start growing again. Maybe they won’t be so rare in a couple of years.
13. Northern River Terrapin
I wouldn’t blame you if you made a face when you scrolled past the picture of the Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska). They look rather… weird, right? There are less than 100 of these unique riverine turtles left and all of them live in the Sunderbans, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia. Fancy a trip to see one?
14. Amur Leopard
Oh, don’t worry – I also got lost in those eyes for a moment. You can find the Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) in the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and northern China. I know I said we’ll be looking at animals with a population lower than 100, but I wanted to end this list on a positive note.
In 2007, the IUCN listed the species as critically endangered. There were only 19-26 living in the wild and their future seemed uncertain. In 2015, things started looking up and they found nearly 60. That’s not even the best part. Get this: the numbers increased to 92 individuals between 2014 and 2015 and in 2023, there were 128–130 surviving adult Amur Leopards.
