The world's 100 most threatened species facts for kids

Silky sifaka lemur (Propithecus candidus), fewer than 1,000 still alive

Imagine a special list of the world's most endangered animals and plants. This list, called The world's 100 most threatened species, was put together by over 8,000 scientists. These experts work with the IUCN and the Zoological Society of London. They published their findings in a 2012 book called Priceless or Worthless?.

The species on this list are in danger of disappearing forever. What makes them special is that they don't seem to offer any obvious benefits to humans. This was a purposeful choice! Famous animals like tigers or pandas, and species important for our economy, already have many people trying to protect them. But these "worthless" species often have no one fighting for them. The book's title, "Priceless or Worthless?", highlights this idea. Ellen Butcher, one of the report's authors, said something very important: "If we act now, we can give them a chance to survive. But society must agree that all species have a right to exist."

Scientists often find it hard to get money to protect these less-known species. People want to know what nature can do for them. Jonathan Baillie of the Zoological Society of London explained that many donors and conservation groups focus on how species help humans. This makes it tough for scientists to protect the most endangered species on Earth.

Some of these threatened species have very few members left. For example, Santa Catarina’s guinea pig lives on just one island in Brazil. Only about 40 to 60 of them are left because of hunting and changes to their home. The Great Indian bustard is also losing its home due to farming and human buildings. There are only about 50 to 250 left. Elaeocarpus bojeri, a flowering plant from Mauritius, has fewer than 10 individuals remaining. The Baishan fir tree from China has only five mature trees left. The Priceless or Worthless? report explains the dangers each species faces and what can be done to help them survive.

Why Some Species Are "Priceless"

This special list focuses on species that don't directly help humans with food, medicine, or other resources. The scientists wanted to show that every living thing has value, even if we don't use it. They believe it's our moral duty to protect all life on Earth.

Protecting Unique Life

Many of these species are found in only one small place. This makes them very vulnerable. If their habitat is destroyed, they have nowhere else to go. Protecting these unique species helps keep our planet's biodiversity rich and healthy.

Small Populations, Big Problems

When a species has very few individuals left, it faces many challenges. It's harder for them to find mates and reproduce. A single disaster, like a fire or a disease, could wipe them out completely. This is why immediate action is so important for these species.

Meet Some Endangered Species

Here are some of the amazing and unique species on the list, showing how few are left and what dangers they face.

The world's 100 most threatened species

Species	Common name	Type	Image	Location(s)	Estimated population	Threats
Abies beshanzuensis	Baishan Fir	Plant (tree)		Baishanzu Mountain, Zhejiang, China	Five mature individuals	agriculture fire
Antilophia bokermanni	Araripe manakin	Bird		Chapado do Araripe, South Ceará, Brazil	779 individuals	growth of agriculture recreational facilities water diversion
Ardea insignis	White bellied heron	Bird		Bhutan, North East India and Myanmar	70–400 individuals	hydropower development
Ardeotis nigriceps	Great Indian bustard	Bird		Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashta, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya, India	50–249 mature individuals	agricultural development
Astrochelys yniphora	Ploughshare tortoise Angonoka	Reptile (tortoise)		Baly Bay region, northwestern Madagascar	440–770	illegal collection for international pet trade
Aythya innotata	Madagascar pochard	Bird		volcanic lakes north of Bealanana, Madagascar	approx. 80 mature individuals	agriculture hunting and fishing introduced fish
Batagur baska	Common batagur Four-toed terrapin	Reptile (turtle)		Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Malaysia	Unknown	illegal export China
Beatragus hunteri	Hirola (antelope)	Mammal		South-east Kenya and possibly south-west Somalia	< 1,000 individuals	habitat loss competition with livestock poaching
Brachyteles hypoxanthus	Northern muriqui woolly spider monkey	Mammal (primate)		Atlantic forest, south-eastern Brazil	< 1,000	large-scale deforestation and logging
Bradypus pygmaeus	Pygmy three-toed sloth	Mammal		Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama	< 500	illegal logging of mangrove forests for firewood and construction hunting
Cercopithecus roloway	Roloway guenon (monkey)	Mammal (primate)		Côte d'Ivoire	Unknown	hunting habitat loss
Cyclura collei	Jamaican iguana Jamaican rock iguana	Reptile		Hellshire Hills, Jamaica	Unknown	habitat destruction predation by introduced species
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis	Sumatran rhino	Mammal (rhino)		Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan and Sumatra, Indonesia	< 250	hunting (horn is used in traditional medicine)
Diomedea amsterdamensis	Amsterdam albatross	Bird		Breeds on Plateuau des Tourbières, Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean.	100 mature individuals	disease incidental by-catch in long-line fishing
Discoglossus nigriventer	Hula painted frog	Amphibian (frog)		Hula Valley, Israel	Unknown	predation by birds range restriction due to habitat destruction
Eurynorhyncus pygmeus	Spoon-billed sandpiper	Bird		Breeds in Russia, migrates along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to wintering grounds in Bangladesh and Myanmar	100 breeding pairs	trapping land reclamation
Geronticus eremita	Northern bald ibis	Bird		Breeds in Morocco, Turkey and Syria. Syrian population winters in central Ethiopia.	200–249 mature individuals	habitat degradation and destruction hunting
Hucho perryi	Sakhalin taimen	Fish		Russian and Japanese rivers, Pacific Ocean between Russia and Japan	Unknown	overfishing (sport fishing and commercial bycatch) damming agriculture other land use
Leiopelma archeyi	Archey’s frog	Amphibian (frog)		Coromandel peninsula and Whareorino Forest, New Zealand	Unknown	Chytridiomycosis predation by invasive species
Lophura edwardsi	Edwards’s pheasant	Bird		Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, Viet Nam	Unknown	habitat loss hunting
Nepenthes attenboroughii	Attenborough’s pitcher plant	Plant		Mount Victoria, Palawan, Philippines	Unknown	poaching
Nomascus hainanus	Hainan gibbon	Mammal (primate)		Hainan Island, China	< 20	hunting
Pangasius sanitwongsei	Pangasid catfish	Fish		Chao Phraya and Mekong basins in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam	Unknown	overfishing collection for aquarium trade
Phocoena sinus	Vaquita (porpoise)	Mammal (cetacean)		Northern Gulf of California, Mexico	< 200	capture in fishermen's gillnets
Poecilotheria metallica	Gooty tarantula, metallic tarantula, peacock parachute spider, peacock tarantula, Salepurgu	Spider		Nandyal and Giddalur, Andhra Pradesh, India	Unknown	deforestation firewood collection civil unrest
Pristis pristis	Common sawfish	Fish		Coastal tropical and subtropical waters of Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Currently largely restricted to northern Australia	Unknown	exploitation has removed the species from 95 per cent of its historical range
Prolemur simus	Greater bamboo lemur	Mammal (primate)		Southeastern and southcentral rainforests of Madagascar	100–160	agriculture mining illegal logging
Propithecus candidus	Silky sifaka	Mammal (primate)		Maroantsetra to Andapa basin, and Marojeju Massif, Madagascar	100–1,000	hunting habitat disturbance
Pseudoryx nghetinhensis	Saola	Mammal		Annamite mountains, on the Viet Nam - PDR Laos border	Unknown	habitat destruction hunting
Rafetus swinhoei	Red River giant softshell turtle	Reptile (turtle)		Hoan Kiem Lake and Dong Mo Lake, Viet Nam, and Suzhou Zoo, China	3	hunting for consumption wetland destruction pollution
Rhinoceros sondaicus	Javan rhino	Mammal (rhino)		Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia	< 100	hunting for traditional medicine small population size
Rhizanthella gardneri	West Australian underground orchid	Plant (orchid)		Western Australia, Australia	< 100	land clearance for agriculture climate change salinisation
Rhynchocyon sp.	Boni giant sengi	Mammal (shrew)		Boni-Dodori Forest, Lamu area, Kenya	Unknown	development causing habitat loss
Salanoia durrelli	Durrell’s vontsira (type of mongoose)	Mammal		Marshes of Lake Alaotra, Madagascar	Unknown	loss of habitat
Squatina squatina	Angel shark	Fish (shark)		Canary Islands	Unknown	benthic trawling
Tahina spectabilis	Dimaka	Plant		Analalava district, north-western Madagascar	90	fires logging agricultural developments
Telmatobufo bullocki	Bullock’s false toad	Amphibian (frog)		Nahuelbuta, Arauco Province, Chile	Unknown	construction of hydro-electricity
Trigonostigma somphongsi	Somphongs’s rasbora	Fish		Mae Khlong basin, Thailand	Unknown	farmland conversion and urbanization
Zaglossus attenboroughi	Attenborough’s echidna	Mammal		Cyclops Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia	Unknown	habitat modification and degradation logging agricultural encroachment shifting cultivation and hunting by local people

How You Can Help

Even though these species might seem far away, everyone can help protect them. Learning about endangered species is the first step. You can also support organizations that work to save habitats and stop illegal hunting. Every small action helps make a difference for these priceless creatures and plants.