– (Diego Sanches/)
QUESTION Matheus Augusto Coelho de Barros, Ribeirão Pires, SP
– (Diego Sanches/)
10. NORTHERN ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE
Where north atlantic
how many are left 430
It can reach more than 70 tons and measure more than 18 m, but it did not resist the peak of whaling in the 19th century, in addition to ship accidents, entanglements in fishing gear and climate change. With a low birth rate and a tiny population, each death of this species pushes it toward extinction. extinction.
– (Diego Sanches/)
9. SAOLA
Where Vietnam and Laos
how many are left Up to 350
This animal was only discovered in 1992 and was already at risk of extinction. It has a dark brown color and white spots on the body, but what is most surprising are the two horns that are over 50 cm long. The reason for the threat of its existence is hunting: often hunters want to catch wild boars, but saola falls into the trap. Habitat loss in the conflict region where they live is also a fact.
– (Diego Sanches/)
8. SUMATRA RHINOCEROS
Where Islands of Sumatra and Borneo
how many are left Less than 100
This species is the smallest of rhinos and the only one in Asia that has two horns. It also has a sort of brownish-brown hair. The reason for the low population is hunting for their horns, and only two females, who are in captivity, have reproduced in the last 15 years.
– (Diego Sanches/)
7. KOUPREY
Where Indochina
how many are left 50
The kouprey is a species of wild ox that survives only in the wilds of northern Cambodia and has a tall, narrow body. The threat to its existence is due to hunting for the trade in horns and skull – which are sold at very high prices on the eastern black market – and habitat loss during wars and conflicts in Indochina. According to the NGO IUCN Red List, there are definitely less than 350 individuals of the species, and the chances of the number not exceeding 50 are great.
– (Diego Sanches/)
6. CROSS-RIVER GORILLA
Where Nigeria and Cameroon
how many are left Between 200 and 300
This subspecies of gorilla is easily confused with the western gorilla, the most populous in the world. But the difference is found in the size of the skull and teeth – in addition to the population on the brink of extinction. The less than 200 remaining are spread out in ten isolated groups in the same forest. The executioners of this species were the reduction of habitat with the growth of livestock and illegal hunting.
– (Diego Sanches/)
5. SOUTH CHINA TIGER
Where China
how many are left Between 30 and 80
In 1950, there were about 4,000 specimens of this tiger in the world. Currently, an optimistic projection puts that number at 80, and since 1970 none of them have been sighted in the wild. The massacre took place in 1959, when the Chinese government declared the animal a pest and encouraged hunting. It was only in 1977 that the government backtracked and began to protect the subspecies.
– (Diego Sanches/)
4. VAQUITA
Where Gulf of California, Mexico
how many are left 30
It is the rarest marine mammal in the world. The reason that can extinguish it is trawling, since vaquitas are the cetaceans with the most restricted marine territory in nature: they are only endemic to a marine area of 1,500 km2 in the Gulf of California. If conservation efforts fail, the vaquita could disappear by 2018.
– (Diego Sanches/)
3. JAVA RHINOCEROS
Where java, indonesia
how many are left 60
Originally found in various parts of Southeast Asia, China and India, the less than 60 remaining now only exist on the main island of Indonesia. The last example from Vietnam was hunted and killed in 2010, a time when its horn was worth more than gold on the black market. The animal is also on the verge of extinction for the destruction of their habitat during conflicts and wars in the region.
– (Diego Sanches/)
2. AMUR LEOPARD
Where Far East of Russia and North of China
how many are left 60
These big cats with solitary habits almost disappeared because of illegal hunting, motivated in large part by the sale of their fur. Today, there are just 60 Amur leopards left alive in the wild – and that’s because conservation efforts managed to double the population in eight years. That’s right, in 2007, there were 30 leopards.
– (Diego Sanches/)
1. NORTHERN WHITE RHINO
Where Kenya
how many are left two
With the death of Sudan, the last male of the subspecies, in March 2018, two females remained, which are in semi-captivity with 24-hour security. The last hope is that attempts at in vitro fertilization will succeed. Native to various parts of Africa, the northern white rhinos have almost disappeared from the map because of illegal hunting for their horns, which are worth fortunes on the eastern black market because they are supposed to cure diseases.
SOURCES WWF It is The Guardian