Top 15 Rare Mammals Facing Extinction in 2025

There is a concern about the loss of mammals, the effects of habitat loss, climate change, poaching and human encroachment of the world. There is even a warning by scientists that unless drastic activities on conservation are not taken presently certain species may become extinct as early as in the year 2025. This paper will outline 15 endangered mammals that are on the verge of becoming extinct, their risks and what can be done to rescue them.

1. Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: under 80 people

The smallest species of rhinos, the Sumatran Rhino, is critically endangered because of poaching and deforestation. They occur in Indonesia and Malaysia and only conservation breeding programs can save them.

Threats:

• Horn hunting Illegally
• Palm oil plantations caused by deforestation

2. Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Status: Endangered (Low population)

Approximately: ~300 in the wild

Believed to be extinct, in 1981 the Black-Footed Ferret was rediscovered. It is in trouble today because of losing its habitat and the loss of prairie dog, its main source of eating.

Threats:

Illness (sylvatic plague)

Agricultural expansion

3. Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: 100(Around)

This small sloth occurs in only one place in the world Isla Escudo de Veraguas (Panama). It is threatened by land clearing and tourism.

Threats:

• Coconut farming in deforestation
• Unschooled pet trade

4. Hirola (Beatragus hunteri)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: ~500

The Hirola or otherwise known as the Hunter con Antelope is the rarest antelope in the world located in Kenya and Somalia. The two problems of drought and poaching have reduced the population considerably.

Threats:

• Predation with animal life
• Droughts brought about by climate change

5. Addax (Addax nasomaculatus)

Rank: Critically Endangered

Population population: Less than 100 in the wild

This is a Sahara native desert antelope, which is almost extinct because of illegal hunting and exploration of oil along the desert.

Threats:

• Drilling on oil and gas
• Unregulated hunting

6. Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

Threats: Critically Endangered

Population: ~800

The Tapanuli Orangutan is the most endangered great ape discovered in 2017 and distributed only in Sumatra. Its habitat can be swept up by a planned hydroelectric dam.

Threats:

• Mining and Energy-related deforestation
• Fragmented habitat

7. Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: Fast depreciating

Chinese Pangolin is the most trafficked mammal in the world being hunted due to its scales which according to traditional medicine, has the ability to treat various diseases.

Threats:

• Black market in wildlife
• Habitat destruction

8. Bornean Bay Cat (Catopuma badia)

Status: Endangered

Population: Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals

The Bornean Bay Cat is a member of the rare few wild cats in the world and is only present in Borneo forests. It is under threat of deforestation and palm oil extension.

Threats:

• Logging destruction of habitats
• Poaching (infrequent, but is in danger of snares)

9. Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: Fewer than 200 mature individuals

The pig is a rare suid native to the Philippines and one of very few forest pigs. It has a magnificent crest of hair and a unique face filled with warts and it also plays the major role in its ecosystem as seed disperser.

Threats:

• Deforestation (4 percent remains of an initial forest)
• Hunting pressure
• Domestic pig hybridization

10. Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: ~35 people

Hainan Gibbon is the rarest primate in the world having just one forest in China. Reforestation is very vital towards its existence.

Threats:

• Habitat loss
• Genetic impoverishment

11. Bornean Pygmy Elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis)

Status: Endangered

Population: ~1,500

The smallest elephant subspecies, the Bornean Pygmy Elephant, faces threats from logging and human-wildlife conflict.

Threats:

• Deforestation
• Poaching

12. Red Wolf (Canis rufus)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: ~20 in the wild

The Red Wolf that is native to the southeastern U.S is almost extinct because of hunting and hybrids with coyotes.

Threats:

• Human persecution
• Habitat loss

13. African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)

Status: Critically Endangered

Population: Plunging fast

Smaller than Savanna elephant, the African Forest Elephant is threatened by ivory hunters.

Threats:

• Ivory trade
• Deforestation

14. Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis)

Status: Critically Endangered

Size: ~1,000

The Yangtze Finless Porpoise is a threatened species that is affected by pollution and overfishing of its natural habitat, China river.

Threats:

• Water pollution
• Boat strikes

15. Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Status: Endangered

Population: ~ 1,000

Previously under critical endangered, Iberian Lynx has recovered a bit since conservation efforts are being managed in Spain and Portugal.

Threats:

• The reduction of rabbits (primary preys)
• Road accidents
  
  

Facts on Why We Need to Save These Endangered Mammals: Let Us Do Something About It

The phenomenon of a swift decrease in the number of mammals species all over the world is not only the ecological disaster: it is a danger to the fragile harmony of nature, human existence, and even our cultural traditions. This is why it is both a matter of urgency and not negotiable to save these 15 critically endangered mammals:

1. Biodiversity Ensures Stability of an Ecosystem

Even the smallest, strangest, most difficult to find species has a single important role in its ecosystem. For example:

• The rhinos (sumatran) and elephants are ecosystem engineers which create forests by spreading the seeds and clearing woodlands.
• Pangolins also regulate available insect population, thus, deterring pests.
• The apex predator such as Iberian Lynx helps control the abundance of preys and overgrazing.

With just a single loss of species, the domino effect can occur, food webs are shaken to the point of collapse and ecosystems become more susceptible to fall.

2. Economic and Scientific Worth

Quite a lot of the endangered mammal species are directly related to human well-being:

• Medical Research: The Black-Footed Ferret has also assisted scientists to research on diseases such as the sylvatic plague which injures not only livestock but also wildlife.
• Ecotourism: Other species such as the Bornean Pygmy Elephant bring in tourists to pay to conserve or boost local economies.
• Agrarian Gains: crops are pollinated by bats and small mammals and monitored to control pollination insects; this helps farmers save billions of dollars per year.

Extinction = Wasted chances of medical innovations and scientific inventions in the fields of ecology, sustainable development.

3. Ethical Responsibility

Human beings have pushed these species to extinction by:

• Clearance (palm oil, logging and mining).
• Poaching (ivory, horns, bush meat).
• Weather (Global warming, droughts, habitat migration).

This is our moral obligation to keep them, not only in the future generations, but these animals are humans and they have rights to live.

4. Cultural and Spiritual Value

Numerous extinctible mammals are closely related to the culture of indigenous people:

• Kenyan people regard Hirola as sacred.
• The Visayan Warty Pig is in the Philippines folklore.
• In the Asian culture, elephants and tigers portray power.

This destruction of species means loss of priceless cultural heritage.

5. Mitigation of Climate Change

The presence of healthy population of mammals can also fight global warming:

• By spreading the seed, forest elephants help spread the carbon sequestrating tree species.
• Species such as the Yangtze Porpoise are also marine mammals that sustain underwater ecosystems which take up CO 2.

Saving the planet = Saving wildlife.

6. Time is Running Short

• Along with populations being in the thousands oftentimes, time is not on their side. Hainan Gibbon, Sumatran Rhino and Vaquita may disappear in a few years unless something is done.
• It is Possible: Success Stories:
• Through conservation, Iberian Lynx recovered to go as high as 1,000+.

Captive breeding saved black-Footed Ferrets that were on the verge of extinction.

Final Thoughts:

Both mammals and birds are subjected to the extinction crisis. This action will ensure that more species will not go into extinction. Help to raise awareness by sharing this article!