10 Most Endangered Species in 2020

Most Endangered Species

Endangered Species: An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction.

Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species.

1. Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) Endangered Species in 2020

Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN as of 2018.

They have thicker fur, and more of it, compared to other great apes. The fur helps them to survive in a habitat where temperatures often drop below freezing.

Weight: up to 440 lbs | Height: 4 to 5 ½ feet when standing on two feet | Status: Endangered

2. North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena Glacialis)

north atlantic right whale eubalaena glacialis Endangered species
North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena Glacialis)

The North Atlantic right whale is a baleen whale, one of three right whale species belonging to the genus Eubalaena, all of which were formerly classified as a single species.

The North Atlantic right whale can easily be identified by the white calluses on its head, which are very noticeable against the whale’s dark grey body.

Weight: up to 70 tons | Length: 45–55 feet | Status: Endangered

3. Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)

Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)

The red panda is a mammal species native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.

The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes.

Weight: 2 feet | Population: less than 10,000 individuals | Status: Endangered

4. Sea Turtle (Cheloniidae & Dermochelyidae families)

Sea Turtle (Cheloniidae & Dermochelyidae families)
Sea Turtle (Cheloniidae & Dermochelyidae families) Endangered Species in 2020

Sea turtles, sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira.

Seven different species of sea (or marine) turtles grace our ocean waters, from the shallow seagrass beds of the Indian Ocean, to the colourful reefs of the Coral Triangle and the sandy beaches of the Eastern Pacific.

Weight: 2-6 ft | Habitats: Open water and coasts | Status: Endangered

5. Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus Maximus)

Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus Maximus)
Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus Maximus)

The Sri Lankan elephant is one of three recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to Sri Lanka. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years.

The Sri Lankan subspecies is the largest and also the darkest of the Asian elephants, with patches of depigmentation, areas with no skin colour, on its ears, face, trunk and belly.

Weight: 4,400 and 12,000 pounds | Height: 8-10 feet at shoulder | Status: Endangered

6. Tiger (Panthera tigris)

Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Tiger (Panthera tigris)

The tiger is the largest extant cat species and a member of the genus Panthera. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange-brown fur with a lighter underside.

The largest of all the Asian big cats, tigers rely primarily on sight and sound rather than smell for hunting. They typically hunt alone and stalk prey. A tiger can consume more than 80 pounds of meat at one time.

Weight: 220–660 pounds | Length: 6–10 feet | Status: Endangered

7. Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)

Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)
Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) Endangered Species in 2020

The Irrawaddy dolphin is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.

Irrawaddy dolphins are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia, and in three rivers: the Ayeyarwady (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Indonesian Borneo) and the Mekong.

Weight: 198-440 pounds | Length: 5.9-9 feet | Status: Endangered

8. Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)
Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

The humphead wrasse is a large species of wrasse mainly found on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.

The humphead wrasse is an enormous coral reef fish, growing over six feet long with a prominent bulge on its forehead. Some of them live to be over 30 years old. They roam through coral reefs in search of hard-shelled prey such as mollusks, starfish, or crustaceans.

Weight: over 400 pounds | Length: 6 feet | Status: Endangered

9. Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

The green sea turtle, also known as the green turtle, black turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia.

The green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. Green turtles are in fact named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells.

Weight: 150-400 pounds | Length: 31-47 inches | Status: Endangered

10. Bonobo (Pan paniscus)

bonobo pan paniscus 1 Endangered species
Bonobo (Pan paniscus)

The bonobo, also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee and less often, the dwarf or gracile chimpanzee, is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus Pan; the other being the common chimpanzee.

Bonobos and chimpanzees look very similar and both share 98.7% of their DNA with humans—making the two species our closest living relatives.

Weight: 68 to 86 pounds | Height: 28 to 35 inches | Status: Endangered

Find Out More Information About Vulnerable Species

Most Endangered Species
Most Endangered Species

Source: Find out more about Endangered Species with WWF (External Link)