Photo Gallery Endangered Species
There are only around 3,200 tigers still living in the wild. The South China tiger is one of the most endangered and in fact, may even have become extinct.
The insect, Chlorocypha centripunctata, also known as the "Giant Jewel" which lives in Nigeria and Cameroon. It is classified as 'vulnerable' in some areas because of increasing deforestation.
Polar bears are also categorized as 'vulnerable' to extinction. A loss of natural habitat, due to shrinking sea ice, pollutants in their food chain, environmental degradation and hunting are the causes.
The Javan rhinocerous, also known as the lesser one-horned rhinocerous, is critically endangered. It is thought to be the rarest, large mammal on the globe.
There used to be at least 17,000 Kihansi spray toads living at the Kihansi Falls in Tanzania. They are now extinct in the wild.
The lynx was listed as 'near threantened' in 2002 but has since climbed back up into the 'stable' category. Lynx have been released in several areas of Europe in an effort to reintroduce them, including in Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and France.
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The Elbe Beaver has been helped out by renaturation projects that seek to protect biodiversity and rejuvinate natural waterways. In 2002, it was considered 'near threatened'. In 2010 it is in the 'least concern' category.
The Amur or Manchurian leopard is one of the rarest felines on earth. There are only an estimated 30 to 35 creatures still in the wild.
The Panay monitor lizard is listed as 'endangered' because it's habitat, in forestland on Panay Island in the Phillipines, is declining and because it is hunted.
Rabbs fringe-limbed treefrog is listed as 'critically endangered'. Experts believe a rapid decline in population is due to the frogs catching an infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, which affects amphibians.
A tiny Mauritius fody. The birds have been making a comeback over the past few years due to relocation into a different, more protected habitat on an island off the Mauritian mainland.
A rare Brazilian Lear's macaw. The birds are endangered due to animal smuggling, which is a big business in Brazil and also due to encroachments on their natural forest habitat. This species is now steadily increasing in numbers owing to intensive conservation action.
The peacock-eye stingray lives in freshwater in South America and is a favorite in aquariums. Many stingrays are not endangered but several species are on the endangered or vulnerable list. Others, like this one, are not classified because there is insufficient data on numbers.
A rare Cat Ba leopard gecko. It is one of some 163 species discovered in the biologically rich Greater Mekong River region in 2008, which are now at risk of extinction due to climate change.
An exotic variety of banana plant, another one of the 163 species discovered in the Greater Mekong River region in 2008 and now at risk of extinction due to climate change.
The tiger-striped pitviper was discovered accidentally in the Greater Mekong River region in 2008 when a scientist put his hand on a rock and noticed the viper. It is thought to be endemic to Hon Son, a small island off the coast of Vietnam.
Corals on the Great Barrier Reef. In general, the major threat to corals is global climate change, in particular temperature extremes leading to bleaching and causing corals to have an increased susceptibility to disease. Storms, and ocean acidification are also problems.
