There are around 9 million animal species in the world. Some of these species like dogs, cats, and sheep are significantly abundant. The sheep has a population of over a billion. On the other hand, there are some rare animals in the world whose population is less than 100.
Today, let’s talk about such rare animals in the world, how they went extinct, and where you can find them today.
Let’s delve in.
Table of Contents
Kakapo
Kakapo is a species of large, flightless parrot coming out from New Zealand. These birds are nocturnal and ground-dwelling and people often call them owl parrots. They have a lifespan of 60 years, and they are mesmerizing to watch.
A few decades earlier, the number of Kakapos in New Zealand was high; however, they have declined significantly due to increased colonization. The species is so rare that there are about 100 Kakapos remaining in New Zealand.
Gorilla: Rare Animals in World
Gorilla is a large species of apes and quite a popular one too. Thanks to movies like King Kong and The Jungle Book, the entire world knows gorillas. However, gorillas are one of the rarest species in the world right now. About 300,000 western gorillas and 5,000 eastern gorillas exist worldwide, and the IUCN classified them as critically endangered.
Both Western and Eastern gorillas come out of Africa. You can see western gorillas in the national parks of countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon, whereas eastern gorillas are native to Uganda, Rwanda, and nearby areas.
Amur Leopard
One of the most mesmerizing animals on the list, the Amur leopard, belongs to the Amur region in China and Russia. Its beautiful fur has attracted many hunters, and there were only 14 Amur leopard adults in 2005. Since then, their population has grown to 84, but they remain to be one of the rarest animals on the planet.
Nowadays, you can spot Amur leopards only in the far east of Russia and Northeast of China. Almost all of these animals are present in a small area of 2,500 sq. km.
Vaquita
Vaquita is one of the most endangered aquatic animals in the world. They belong to the porpoise family and have the shortest range among any porpoise, dolphin, or whale. Their population was 567 in 1997 and has declined to only 18 today. It’s projected that vaquitas will soon be extinct.
If you want to see the vaquita, you’ll need to head to the extreme northwest corner of the Gulf of Mexico, where the remaining vaquitas reside.
Hainan Gibbon: Rare Animals in World
The Hainan black-crested gibbon, also known as the Hainan gibbon, is a species of gibbons found on Hainan island in China. Like most animals on this list, the Hainan gibbon is also a victim of habitat loss and hunting. As of today, only 25 Hainan gibbons exist, making them the rarest apes on the planet.
Today, you can only see the gorgeous Hainan gibbon in the Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan.
Javan Rhino
The Rhinoceros has a lot of species, including the white rhino, Indian rhino, Javan rhino, Sumatran rhino, and black rhino. Rhinos in themselves are extinct, as only 27,000 rhinos remain in the world. Of them, the Javan rhino is one of the rarest types of rhinos in the world. Only 18 of them are there in the world.
Along with the Javan rhino, the Sumatran rhino is also a rare species. Less than 100 Sumatran rhinos are alive. One of the major reasons for their extinction is their large-scale hunting for their horns, which are used for resale and in traditional Asian medicine.
Philippine Crocodile
Like rhinos, crocodiles come in various species, like the saltwater crocodile, gharial, Nile crocodile, marsh crocodile, American crocodile, and more. The Philippine crocodile is a rare species of crocodile that have short stature. They are around nine feet long and feed on pigs, dogs, fish, and waterfowl.
Of these, the Philippine crocodile is the rarest, with around 100 animals remaining in the world. As the name suggests, the Philippine crocodile is native to the Philippines.
Addax: Rare Animals in World
The addax is a gorgeous white antelope native to the Sahara desert. It’s the only member of the genus addax, and it first came into existence in 1816. Since then, their population has only decreased. A few years earlier, you could find them across Africa. But today, you can see them only in Termit Tin Toumma, Niger.
As of today, less than 100 mature Addax are there in the world, with some estimates being as low as 30. Their good looks backfired as they became a target of unregulated hunting. Increased oil drilling in Africa also caused habitat loss for the addax.
Red Wolf
The wolf is also available in a plethora of species, including the Tundra wolf, Arabian wolf, Steppe wolf, Himalayan world, Eurasian wolf, and many more. Of these, the red wolf is one of the rarest. The red wolf is native to North America. The species was almost extinct in 1987 but was reintroduced by the government, and over 150 red wolves inhabited themselves in the region.
However, due to area conflicts and cross-breeding, the government had to stop the initiative. Today, the number of red wolves in the world is less than 30.
Gobi Bear
Gobi bear is a subspecies of the brown bear characterized by its long snout. It is native to the Gobi desert in Mongolia, hence the name. The Mongolian Redbook of Endangered Species lists the Gobi bear as a critically endangered species, with only 40 mature adults remaining in the world.
If you are lucky, you’ll spot them in some areas of the Gobi desert. However, since their number is so low, the chances of seeing a Gobi bear nowadays are quite low.
Wrap Up: Rare Animals in World
The number of animals is drastically decreasing, especially certain species. Unregulated hunting and loss of habitat are the two main reasons for the extinction of these species. While governments worldwide have made efforts to revive endangered species, it’s only a matter of time before they go extinct.
Which of the rare animals mentioned above are your favorite and why?
