Despite animals being loved worldwide, humans are still their biggest threat to survival.
We’ll take a closer look at not only the ten rarest animals in the entire world but also the ten most endangered.
All animals on this list are endangered; if they aren’t conserved now, they may be lost forever.
The Purple Frog
Purple frogs are native to India. They spend most of their lives underground. They will only appear for a few days each spring to breed. These species have been evolving independently for almost 100 million years but have only been inducted into the science community recently, formally described in 2004.
These frogs are already faced with the threat of extinction due to deforestation. However, it‘s hard to determine their actual population because of their introverted lifestyle.
Black-footed Ferret – a success story for conservationists
Among those species that have been called a conservation success story because they’ve come back from extinction status two times thanks to conservationists.
These species are native primarily to the Great Plains of North America and are roughly the same size as a mink and similar looking to the European polecat. Their population has sharply declined throughout the 20th century, and they were declared to be extinct in 1979.
But a few years later, they were rediscovered in Wyoming. Since then, a breeding program has been launched and has been mostly successful. However, their population remains at just under 300, making them one of the rarest species in the world.
Spoon-billed sandpiper – one of the rarest birds in the world
Spoon-billed sandpiper populations are threatened by extinction. There are fewer than 100 spoon-billed sandpipers left in the entire world. These birds are known for their striking bills and breasts, with varying amounts of black spots extending towards their white bellies.
At least half of all spoon-billed sandpipers are in Myanmar’s Bay of Martaban, which is where subsistence hunting using nets takes place.
These nets end up catching and ki.lli.ng these vulnerable birds. Po.ac.hing, which is common in the country‘s poorest communities, is the biggest threat to these creatures.
Peruvian Spider Monkey – The rarest primate in the world
Compared to other monkey species, the Peruvian spider monkeys are relatively large. Their muscular tails can grow to a meter long, and their fur and face are black. They have four elongate fingers and have virtually no thumbs, which is typical for spider monkeys but unusual for other primates.
It is not known exactly how many Peruvian spider monkeys there are in the wild. However, they are considered endangered on the IUCN red list, and their population is rapidly decreasing.
Red Wolf – The comeback kids of the rarest animals list
The red wolf is one of the rarest animals worldwide and has been declared extinct in the wild since 1980. The US Government reintroduced it again in 1987 in Eastern North Carolina.
The reintroduction has been successful in that more than 150 wolves have eventually been established in the region. Because of their rapid growth, there were concerns over crossbreeding with Coyotes and conflicts among area landowners.
As a result of this, the US Federal Government reduced the programs to cover just those federal lands in the Eastern portion of North Carolina. Currently, red wolves are believed to be declining.
Amur leopard – AKA the Far East Leopard
There are only around 100 Amur leopards left in the wild, which makes them one of Earth‘s most endangered big cats With their unique patterned coats of black speckles and splotches, Amur leopards are easily distinguishable from other leopards.
These cats are also known as the Far Eastern leopard, which live in the temperate forests in China and Russia. However, it‘s scarce to see them these days. Habitat loss due to logging, poa.chi.ng, and the illegal wildlife trade are to be blamed for the decline of these gorgeous cats, making them one the rarest animals in the world.
Saola – the Asian Unicorn
Among all the animals on this shortlist of the rarest animals on Earth, the saola is the most mysterious. It is often dubbed the “Asian Unicorn”, and little is known about these rare breeds of mammals.
Native to Vietnam, they have long and parallel horns They look like an antelope, but are actually related to cattle. Estimates of the population of saola vary from 25 to 750. But researchers believe that their actual population is much lower and is likely less than 250.
Javan rhinoceros
The Javan Rhino is a critically endangered rhinoceros that exists solely within a protected nature reserve on the island of Java. There are no other herds anywhere else but in the Ujung Kulon National park where they appear to have been stabilized.
They’re probably being guarded around the clock because they are being protected by Rhino Protection Units. Due to this security, there has not been any poaching in the Ujung Kulon nature preserve for over 20 years.
Po.ach.ers often target Javan rhinos because their horns are used in traditional Asian medicines. Another unique threat facing the species are palm plants called langkap that k.i.ll certain types of vegetation, including the rhinos’ preferred diet. There are currently about 60 Javan rhinos left in the wild, with only around 18 being mature enough to breed.
South China Tiger
Unfortunately, the South Chinese tiger is one of the most endangered and rarest animals in the world. Scientists have declared these animals functionally extinct in the wild. There are now less than a hundred South China Tigers in the wild, but there are hundreds of them in captivity as a result of various breeding programs in China.
The first South China tiger born outside of China was born in 2007 at a private reserve in South Africa known as the Laohuzi Valley Reserve. Since then, several more South China Tigers have been found in the same place.
Vaquita
The Vaquita is an extremely rare porpoise that inhabits the northern part of the Gulf of California, Mexico. It is one of the rarest animals in the world, and perhaps even the most endangered. It is expected that it will become extinct within a decade.
Since 1997, the population has declined from 567 to just 10 individuals left in the world, and none in captivity. The species’ population has been low ever after they were discovered in 1958
The Vaquita is the smallest of all porpoises and also the longest-living, which is almost twice as long as the average. Among other things, the unregulated use of gillnets for illegal fishing operations contributes to their decline. Since there are none in captivity, and none currently taking part in any successful breeding programs, it is unlikely that their numbers will go back up.
