List of animals that are extinct in the wild facts for kids

Imagine a world where some animals only exist in zoos or special safe places, but not in their natural homes. That's what 'extinct in the wild' means! As of 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed about 40 different kinds of animals as extinct in the wild. This means they are gone from their natural habitats. There are also five animal subspecies (which are like different types within a species) that are in the same situation.

Some of these animals, like the Aylacostoma guaraniticum snail, the Aylacostoma stigmaticum snail, and the Partula faba snail, have sadly become completely extinct since they were first listed. This list shows all the wild animal species and subspecies that the IUCN says are extinct in the wild.

Animals Extinct in the Wild

Molluscs: Snails and Slugs

Molluscs are soft-bodied animals, like snails and slugs. Many of these species are small snails from islands, and they faced big problems that led to them disappearing from the wild.

Species of Molluscs

Subspecies of Molluscs

Arthropods: Insects and More

Arthropods are animals with exoskeletons and jointed legs, like insects, spiders, and crabs. Here are some arthropods that are no longer found in the wild:

• Oahu deceptor bush cricket (Leptogryllus deceptor)
• Simandoa cave roach (Simandoa conserfariam)
• Socorro isopod (Thermosphaeroma thermophilum)

Chordates: Animals with Backbones

There are 21 different species of chordates that are considered extinct in the wild. Chordates are a large group of animals that include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Amphibians

Amphibians are animals like frogs and toads that can live both on land and in water.

• Wyoming toad (Anaxyrus baxteri) (This toad now only lives in captivity and in a special protected area in Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming.)
• Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis)

Mammals

Mammals are warm-blooded animals with fur or hair, like humans, deer, and bats.

• Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus)

Reptiles

Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with scales, like lizards, snakes, and turtles.

• Christmas Island blue-tailed skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae)
• Christmas Island chained gecko (Lepidodactylus listeri)

Fish

Fish are aquatic animals that breathe with gills. Many fish species have become extinct in the wild due to changes in their water habitats.

Birds

Birds are feathered, winged animals that lay eggs.

See also

• List of plants that are extinct in the wild