We have just celebrated World Wildlife Day on the 3rd March. Yet many animals are still gravely endangered in the world. And though we are aware of the dangers faced by lions, rhinos and elephants in the wild, here is a list of seven of the most endangered animals. Some are so rare, you have probably never even heard of them:
1. The Northern Right Whale – Hunted to near extinction, only 450 of these exist in the world, usually swimming in the North Atlantic.
2. The Vaquita – The worlds and smallest – and rarest – marine animal. This little porpoise wasn’t discovered until 1958 and only 60 years later we are on the brink of losing them forever. Only 30 might exist in the world.
3. The Amur Leopard – this is the world’s rarest cat. Only 40 are left in Russia’s far east.
4. The Javan Rhinoceros – a tiny population of 30 is still found in a remote corner of Indonesia. It’s the most endangered of all Rhino sub-species.
5. The Northern Sportive Lemur – the scariest looking of Madagascar’s fast dwindling lemur species. Only about 100 remain.
6. The Mountain Gorilla – disease and illegal hunting are wiping out this gentle giant from Rwanda, Congo and Uganda fast.
7. The Saola (pictured) – an animal only discovered 20 years ago and so rare it’s called the Asian “Unicorn” because it is almost mythical. None exist in captivity and incredibly, scientists have categorically documented saolas in the wild on only four occasions to date, and only in Vietnam and Laos.
By : Hannah and Danni