You Have to See These Endangered Animals
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Extinction is an inevitable part of nature, but humans sure are helping speed it up.
While we definitely hope that conservation efforts can save as many species as possible, there are species that are so amazingly majestic and unique, we don’t want to take our chances of never seeing them with our own eyes. Yes, we’re still sad we’ll never be able to see dodo birds (thanks, Victorian people).
If you love wildlife watching, these are the most fascinating endangered animals, ordered by the number of individuals left.
What Makes Helmeted Hornbills Special
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Helmeted hornbills never have to worry about getting scolded by their moms for not wearing helmets while out riding bicycles. Ok, they don’t ride bicycles, but if they did, they’d have a protective helmet built-in to their heads.
The ivory-like casque is coveted in traditional markets. That plus habitat destruction are driving this beautiful and rare bird to extinction. Called "one of the most elusive and endangered birds in the world" by the Atlantic, helmeted hornbills are also distinctive for having a laugh-like call and can measure up to six feet.
Very few lucky people get to see them in the wild, but you can try your luck in Southeast Asia.
14. Peacock Spider
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Type of animal: Arachnids
Status: Critically endangered
Peacock spiders left: Unknown
What Makes Peacock Spiders Special
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People usually don’t love spiders, despite them eating flies and other annoying insects that do their best to keep you awake at night. But even arachnophobic people have to admit that peacock spiders are pretty cool.
To begin with, they’re colorful and literally look like the peacock version of a spider. They can also jump more than 20 times their size and they’re too cool for webs, instead ambushing their prey and paralyzing it.
Find them in — of course — Australia, as well as China.
13. Sunda Pangolin
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Critically endangered
Sunda pangolins left: Unknown
What Makes Sunda Pangolins Special
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The adorable sunda pangolin lives all over Southeast Asia. Pangolins as a whole hold the terrible title of being the most trafficked mammal on the planet, mostly due to their innocence and lack of effective defense mechanisms.
When threatened, pangolins curl up in a ball, hoping that their tough scales can protect them from predators. But this just makes it easy for humans to simply pick them up and then traffic them for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine.
If you see one of these fellas in the wild, make sure to stand at a distance so you don’t frighten them. And definitely don’t touch them.
12. Okapi
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Endangered
Okapis left: 25,000
What Makes Okapis Special
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Just look at that face and tell us you don’t love it.
Okapis are the only cousins that giraffes have, which makes their endangerment seriously messed up. You don’t mess with families like that! Instead of trendy spots, okapis wear bold black and white stripes over their brown fur — we applaud the boldness and uniqueness of their look.
To see an okapi in the wild, you’d have to be a person truly favored by lady luck. These smart animals are suspicious of humans and don’t let themselves be seen often. Sadly, this hasn’t kept them from endangerment due to habitat loss. If you still want to see them with your own eyes in an ethical way, head to White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, Florida.
11. Slender-Snouted Crocodile
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Type of animal: Reptile
Status: Critically endangered
Slender-snouted crocodiles left: 1,000-20,000
What Makes Slender-Snouted Crocodiles Special
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Maybe crocodiles are not the species you want to run into in the wild, but these crocodiles are so unique, seeing them would be an incredible wildlife experience.
The slender-snouted crocodile has a long and, well, slender snout that differentiates it from all other crocodiles. You can find them in West and Central Africa, separated into two distinct species.
10. Black-Faced Spoonbill
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Type of animal: Bird
Status: Endangered
Black-faced spoonbills left: 2,250
What Makes Black-Faced Spoonbills
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Birders are enthusiastic about seeing these peculiar-looking birds, whose jet black flat beaks and ruffled white hairs somehow make them look like they’re an ‘80s metal revival band.
These adorable birds are found in eastern Asia, particularly in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Vietnam. They once roamed South Korea and Japan, but industrialization drove them away.
9. Bornean Pygmy Elephant
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Endangered
Bornean pygmy elephants left: 1,500
What Makes Bornean Pygmy Elephants Special
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Do we even need to explain why seeing a pygmy elephant would be worth all your life savings? Full-grown adults of this unique subspecies grow to be only 8 to 9.8 feet tall. Now imagine how absurdly and adorably small the babies are.
Why this species is not being protected like the precious gift to the world they are is beyond comprehension. If you want to see them in the wild, we suggest booking tickets ASAP, since the Indonesian government had the idea to ditch sinking Jakarta as the capital and move it to Borneo, meaning pygmy elephants and other species will be even more endangered.
8. Axolotl
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Type of animal: Amphibian
Status: Critically endangered
Axolotls left: 50-1,000
What Makes Axolotls Special
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Axolotls are the closest thing you’ll ever get to a Pokemon, which makes them one of the cutest and most unusual pets you can have. That’s great news for those who already have them, but if you don’t, this critically endangered species is protected now and only sold illegally, so it’s best to love them from afar.
This "walking fish" species has a welcoming smile, lidless eyes and tentacle-like gills. They can also regenerate internal organs. Are we sure they’re not actually Pokemons?
7. Grand Cayman Blue Iguana
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Type of animal: Reptile
Status: Endangered
Grand Cayman blue iguanas left: 443
Why Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas Are Special
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As you could probably deduce, these iguanas are blue and only exist in the Cayman Islands, one of the most amazing Caribbean islands. What makes them special is their color, being one of the two blue iguana species in the world. And how cool is it to see a tiny blue dragon in real life?
Though there are less than 450 individuals estimated to live in the wild, the Grand Cayman blue iguana story is one of success. Back in 2003, only around five to 15 of them were left.
6. Irrawaddy Dolphin
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Endangered
Irrawaddy dolphins left: 92
What Makes Irrawaddy Dolphins Special
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Most dolphin species have a distinct long beak that simultaneously makes them look cute and mischievous.
Irrawaddy dolphins, however, don’t have a beak at all, instead sporting a rounded forehead and snout that makes them look even cuter, something that we didn’t think possible. To see them, you’ll have to go to Asia. Your best bets are India’s Chilika Lake and Thailand’s Songkhla Lake.
Though if you’re already doing yourself the favor of going to Borneo to see baby pygmy elephants, you can keep an eye out for this dolphin subspecies as well.
5. Komodo Dragon
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Type of animal: Reptile
Status: Endangered
Komodo dragons left: 1,383
What Makes Komodo Dragons Special
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Seeing tiny blue dragons would be cool, but seeing live versions of Godzilla would be even cooler, especially because there’s an actual danger factor involved.
Komodo dragons exist only in Indonesia, on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motand and Flores. They’re notorious for a bite that has a powerful venom few victims survive through — but don’t worry! Human attacks are extremely uncommon.
The best way to see these real-life dragons is to visit Komodo National Park.
4. Delacour’s Langur
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Critically endangered
Delacour’s langurs left: 240-250
What Makes Delacour’s Langurs Special
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Seeing animals wear clothes is undeniably cute, but often unethical, especially when it comes to wild animals.
But Delacour’s langurs don’t need any of that because they naturally come dressed with a fashionable pair of white shorts. How and why evolution decided to give these cute primates shorts is anyone’s guess, but we love the result.
The black-and-white langurs are endemic to Vietnam, meaning you won’t find them anywhere else. They mostly sleep inside limestone caves and spend more time on the ground than up in trees.
3. Indian Purple Frog
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Type of animal: Amphibian
Status: Endangered
Indian purple frogs left: 135
What Makes Indian Purple Frogs Special
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Who could not love this purple blob? First discovered in 2003, the Indian purple frog lives underground for most of the year. Its short legs and long-ish snout make it incredibly rare and definitely an animal you have to see before you die.
Luckily, the species is evasive and doesn’t deal too much with humans. Unfortunately, its habitat is quickly disappearing.
2. Vaquita
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Critically endangered
Vaquitas left: 10
What Makes Vaquitas Special
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Like pygmy elephants, the allure of vaquitas comes partly from their shockingly small size and a cute name that translates to "little cow."
These porpoises grow to about five feet and are considered the rarest marine mammals that exist today. They were discovered in 1958 but illegal fishing in the Gulf of California in Mexico, where they reside, has reduced their numbers down to ten.
Hopefully awareness and conservation efforts will help these tiny cetaceans. Sightings are rare and photographs even more so.
1. Northern White Rhino
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Type of animal: Mammal
Status: Extinct in the Wild
Northern white rhinos left: 2
What Makes Northern White Rhinos Special
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Collectively, rhinos are some of the coolest animals you could ever encounter. Looking like modern triceratops, these large mammals face extinction due to habitat loss and being trafficked for their horns.
But no subspecies is at as much risk as the northern white rhino. Tragically, there are only two individuals left, a mother and daughter named Najin and Fatu. The two reside in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which you can visit with Unforgettable Travel Company.
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