5 Most Endangered Creatures in the World!

Creatures play a vital role in maintaining the stunning beauty of nature around us! It's impossible to imagine the world without these varieties of animal species sharing space with us on this planet. But unfortunately for the last few decades, we have been going through the harsh truth of extinction of various species.

However, there are many more species that are on the critical border of extinction. These species are declared critically endangered species. Here is a list of those 5 most endangered creatures who are urging us silently for their help:

1. AFRICAN FOREST ELEPHANT

African forest elephants reside in the rainforests of west and central Africa. As the cute creatures mainly feed on fruits, they are responsible for the dense population of different tree species in the rainforests. These trees can germinate only after passing through the elephant's digestive tract and hence the African forest elephants are also called 'mega gardeners of the forest'.

Poaching for ivory and bushmeat, habitat destruction due to increased human population are the major threats to the elephants. From the year 2002 to 2011, their is a declination of 62% in their population and in 2021 the IUCN has declared the African forest elephants, Critically Endangered. For all those elephant lovers out there, this is a serious matter of concern!

2. JAVAN RHINOCEROS

There are five different rhino species- Black rhinos, White rhinos, Javan rhinos, Indian rhinos and Sumatran rhinos. Javan rhinos are the most endangered species among the five rhinos. There are only 60 individuals left, which are found only in the Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia.

But it was not the case before, till the early 20th century the Javan rhinos were residing in northeast India, in mainland Southeast Asia and the island of Sunderbans. But slowly the population declined due to habitat destructions, natural disasters, diseases, reduced genetic diversity and poaching for horns.

The small population left at Ujung Kulon National Park is the only hope for the survival of the species. They need protection and serious concern otherwise, the species would become extinct and we would be left with only 4 rhino species.

3. AMUR LEOPARD

The Amur Leopards are native to northern China and Primorye region in southeastern Russia. The species can run at a speed of 37 miles per hour and their average life expectancy is about 20 years. They are popular with other names also, like the Korean Leopard, Far East Leopard or the Manchurian Leopard.

It is considered one of the rarest members of the cat family on the planet and is declared Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Poaching is a major threat and it's mainly done for their beautiful fur coats. In 1999, in the village of Barabash, Russia, an undercover investigation team found a sale of skins of both Amur leopard male and female for $1000 and $500 respectively!

Other reasons behind the population declination are deforestation or habitat destruction and inbreeding.

4. HAWKSBILL TURTLE

Hawksbill sea turtles are found in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. They are named Hawksbills because of their pointed, narrow beaks. Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They play a major role in maintaining the health of coral reefs. They make it easier for the reef fish to feed on the reef's surface by removing the prey (like sponges).

The sea turtles are culturally and economically important too. The unique patterned shells with striking colours are popular in the market and are sold as 'tortoiseshells' at high rates. The tourists also visit the Coral Triangle to have a view of them which in turn increases the source of income of the residents, tremendously!

The Hawksbill turtles have a major threat of 'fisheries bycatch' which means they are often accidentally caught in the fishnets and are sold in the market sales. It's illegal to sell their shells for the production of jewellery and ornaments but the trade is still practised in large amounts in the local markets.

5. SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN

The Sumatran orangutan is found in the Sumatra island, Indonesia. Their name means 'person of the forest' in the local language, Malay. The orangutans reside on tropical rainforest trees and rarely travel on lands.

The creatures are responsible for the dispersal of seeds of various trees and play a vital role in the existence of dense forests, as they only fruit in their diets. But in 2000, the Sumatran orangutans were listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and were in the list of '25 World's Most Endangered Primates' from 2000 to 2008.

The major threat to these poor creatures is habitat loss due to widespread forest fires or other natural disasters, hunting or other illegal trade practices. Dr Barney Long, the Asian Species Expert says that;

“The fate of Sumatran orangutans is inextricably linked to the islands fast-disappearing forests. If we want to save the Sumatran orangutan we have to save their forest home.”

How could we help?

To save their lives from extinction and for the survival of these endangered creatures, we 'humans' can play a vital role in our small deeds.

We can pledge to preserve nature's beauty for our future generations by stopping or not encouraging wildlife crimes.

By avoiding the purchase of illegal wildlife products, contributing to the wildlife conservation funds, making our friends, family and other acquaintances aware of the declined population of the species and adopting the creatures for their survival, we can show some efforts and help them in their existence on Earth.

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