Red list of endangered species: they may soon be gone from the earth

2021-03-24T16:19:27.818Z

From mammals to rodents to reptiles - we will show you the animals that are on the “Red List” of threatened animal species worldwide

The "Red List of Endangered Species" is originally called "Red Data Book".

It provides information about which animal and plant species are currently threatened with extinction.

It is published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

The following animals are on the list - and are therefore currently endangered:

Indri: The largest lemur in Madagascar

The largest lemur in Madagascar suffers above all from the clearing of its tropical home forests.

The hunt for the animals, which can be up to 90 centimeters tall, is illegal, but some incorrigible people do not stop it.

The tree dwellers rarely step on the ground and live in monogamous pairs.

In the morning the Indris sing within their territory to mark and defend it.

Tarsier: Tiny monkeys in the Philippines

The tarsier is also losing ever larger parts of its habitat in the Southeast Asian island forests.

He is also threatened by the brutal hunt for his fur.

Although trading is prohibited, it continues to take place on the black market.

In some cases, attempts are also made to keep the animals as pets.

Most of them die within two years.

Mausmaki in Madagascar: The smallest primates

Mouse lemurs are among the smallest primates in the world and only grow up to 15 centimeters.

They are counted among the lemurs and therefore only occur in Madagascar.

The shrinking of their habitat represents the greatest risk for them, even if not much data has yet been collected about the animals.

Vervet monkey: At home in the rainforests and savannas of South Africa

Vervet monkeys live in sub-Saharan Africa and feed mainly on fruits.

As they sometimes devastate fields and plantations in search of food, they are unpopular in some regions.

The habitat of the vervet monkeys is increasingly being converted into arable land and pastures.

The Diana, red-bellied, western bearded and Nigerian blue-mouthed monkey species are particularly endangered.

Pygmy Sloth: Tiny habitat on a small island off Panama

The pygmy sloth lives up to its name and is just 50 centimeters long.

This makes it around 40 percent smaller than the brown-throated sloth.

The species occurs exclusively on the island of Escudo de Veraguas near Panama and is native there in the mangrove forests.

Because of its small distribution area, the pygmy sloth is threatened with extinction.

Increasing tourism, sport fishing and other human activities on the almost uninhabited island are troubling them.

The King of the Beasts: Endangered Lions in West Africa

The king of the beasts must fear for his kingdom and his prey.

In the west of Africa the population is declining, in some countries the lion has long since ceased to exist.

The destruction of the habitat and the competition with humans, who keep the lion prey in cattle breeding, ensure less and less space in nature.

Tiger: The big cats of Asia

The tigers also have a harder time.

The majestic big cats have been endangered for years and are on the red list - nevertheless the tiger population continues to decline, all six tiger species in Asia suffer from hunting, strictly illegal trade and the loss of their habitat.

There are only a few thousand left in the world.

Amur leopard: One of the rarest mammals in the world that lives in Russia

The Amur leopard is one of the rarest mammals in the world and was almost extinct in 2007.

In the wild - in the southwest of the Russian Primorye region - there were only 14–20 adults and five to six young animals.

The use of animal rights activists has given the population in Russia and China a bit of a boost; over 80 live animals are now estimated.

Iberian lynx: the Spanish hunters of wild rabbits

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The Iberian lynx or Iberian lynx is native to Spain and Portugal and is considered a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx.

Since the species is dependent on and only feeds on wild rabbits, the cats are very threatened.

The rabbits suffered from epidemics and the clearing of their habitat, which also affected the lynx.

The lynx population on the Iberian Peninsula was also able to recover somewhat through the establishment of rabbits.

African golden cat: shy and hidden in the rainforests of central Africa

Very little is known about the extremely shy African golden cat.

The predator, which is about twice the size of the common house cat, is rarely seen.

Accordingly, it is difficult to precisely estimate the current population in the rainforests of Central Africa.

What is known, however, is that the animals' living space is getting smaller and smaller and the cats are leaving less space.

Margay: The tree climber of Central and South America

The margay is at home in much of South America and was hunted for years for its fur.

The long-tailed cats were shot over a thousand times a year, and the species was only able to recover a little after the intervention of animal rights activists.

In the meantime, the animals are kept at the advance warning level by the World Conservation Union.

Symbol of global climate change: the polar bear

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The polar bear is one of the greatest victims of climate change.

The animals of the North Pole are among the largest land predators in the world and find less and less space to live.

This is literally melting away from under their feet due to global warming.

In addition, the extraction of oil and natural gas interferes with the lives of animals.

In the long term, the existence of the global climate is considered to be very uncertain.

Giant panda: the reproductive bamboo eater in China

The giant panda was already considered critically endangered, but fortunately appears to be recovering as China's bamboo forests have been reforested.

The problem: The panda hardly reproduces and eats ten to 40 kilos of bamboo a day.

In 2015, 1864 animals were counted in China.

Black rhinoceros: The rhinoceros with the double horn

The example of the rhinos shows that humans are nature's greatest enemy.

Although the animals have almost no natural enemies, they are seriously threatened with extinction.

Poachers tamper with the horns of the animals and sell them on the black market at exorbitant prices.

All five rhino species are threatened.

The black rhinoceros, which has two horns on its head, was around 5,000 in 2020.

Southern white rhinoceros: At home in the protected areas of South and Central Africa

The white rhinoceros is native to protected areas in South and Central Africa and also has two horns.

There are still around 10.00 copies, the condition is classified as "low risk".

Northern white rhinoceros: the rarest large mammal in the world

The northern white rhinoceros is actually already extinct in a natural way, there are only two specimens left in a Kenyan reserve - the cows Najin and Fatu.

The last bull was euthanized in 2018, only sperm could be removed from him for artificial insemination.

Sumatran rhinoceros: Only in Sumatra, Borneo and Malaysia

The smallest rhinoceros species is the Sumatran rhinoceros, which, like its comrades, is also critically endangered.

Around 30 animals still live in the wild in Sumatra, Borneo and Malaysia, making the species one of the most threatened large mammals in the world.

Wisent: Bison species and Europe's largest land mammal

The bison species has been around in Germany again since 2013.

In the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, some specimens were released, which have now reached a herd size of at least 25.

Before it was extinct in Europe for years, even today there are only a few herds of Europe's largest land mammals.

Elephants: Threat from the Ivory Trade

Like the rhinos, the elephants also suffer greatly from the illegal and socially despised ivory trade.

The tender giants, which a few centuries ago roamed through Asia and Africa in almost innumerable numbers, were hunted to the point of species threat because of their tusks.

Today the African elephant is considered "endangered" and the Asian elephant as "threatened".

Weißbartpekari: The umbilical pigs are heavily hunted

The white bearded peccaries can also tell a song about the severe suffering caused by the hunt.

In South and Central America the population continues to decline, in Mexico and Costa Rica there is even talk of an 80 percent decline.

Competition with livestock farming, epidemics and the loss of habitats are other reasons.

Eastern lowland gorilla: Dangerous survival in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The lowland gorilla, which lives almost exclusively in the Republic of the Congo, is not only threatened with extinction, but currently hardly anyone can help it.

The region is marked by political unrest and war, protection programs are hardly feasible.

In this way poachers and landscape destroyers can wreak havoc and further decimate the species that has 75 percent disappeared.

Orangutan: The endangered species with a long generation cycle

All kinds of orangutans are also threatened with extinction.

Due to the long generation cycle, a female only has offspring every four to eight years.

This means that, once threatened, the population can only recover with great difficulty and slowly.

Chimpanzee: Endangered great ape south of the Sahara

Our relatives the great apes are threatened by dwindling habitats south of the Sahara.

By 2050, their population is expected to have halved since 1975, and a change in trend is not yet in sight.

Diseases and poachers also cause problems for the animals.

Bonobo: the endangered ape with the pink lips

The biologically closest relative of humans is like the chimpanzee.

The animals live in the Congo, but estimates of the population are hardly feasible.

In 2009, the WWF assumed a maximum of 50,000 bonobos.

Caqueta spring monkey: As a small group in the rainforest of Colombia

The caqueta spring monkeys are only found in Colombia and live there in the rainforest.

The habitat is increasingly being cut down and separated from each other.

The population of the species that was first described in 2010 is only estimated at 250.

Okapi: Central Africa's forest giraffe

The okapi is also mostly at home in the Congo and can hardly be protected due to the conditions there.

Instead, the so-called forest giraffes are hunted for their fur and meat and are considered endangered as the population declines.

Sturgeon: Endangered by overfishing, asked about its caviar

All sturgeon species in the world are either endangered, endangered or already threatened with extinction.

Also the sterlet, which is native to Germany.

The animals have been massively overfished in the past few decades, and they are particularly popular because of their caviar.

Their habitats are also becoming more and more difficult due to the deteriorating water quality.

Japanese eel: Japan's most expensive fish

The Japanese eel is also falling victim to overfishing.

In Japan it is the most expensive fish in the country and is considered a delicacy there.

In addition, pollution and various obstacles during migration are reasons for the endangerment of the animal species.

Seahorses: collateral damage from fishing

Although seahorses have no natural enemies and even humans do not want to hunt seahorses, they end up in the nets of fishing boats as bycatch and are therefore threatened.

The destruction of the seagrass meadows also means that more and more species can be found on the red lists.

Israeli disc beater: Rare sightings in the wetlands of the Israeli Chula valley

The Israeli disc beater is extremely rare and has so far only been spotted in Israeli Chulatals.

In the 1950s, the animals were already considered to be extinct due to the drained swamps, but were rediscovered in swamp remains.

The common disc flippers are still sporadically present in the Chula Valley nature reserve, but have to fight with many migratory birds there.

Yellow-bellied toad: Your specific habitat is shrinking more and more

The yellow-bellied toads naturally do not have it easy due to their special habitat.

The animals need tiny bodies of water to lay their eggs - puddles, for example.

They are also at home in quarries and gravel pits.

As these spaces are becoming increasingly rare, stocks are shrinking worldwide.

Midwife toad: acute extinction in Bavaria

In Bavaria in particular, the midwife toad is threatened with extinction, so there are sometimes only small occurrences of around five animals.

The species has the same problem as the yellow-bellied toad, whose specific habitat is becoming increasingly rare.

Fire salamander: only endangered in Bavaria

The fire salamander is also considered to be very endangered, especially in Bavaria.

The animals live in mixed forests with streams and are increasingly losing their habitat.

The salamander is not in danger anywhere in Germany.

Harlequin Frogs: Poisonous and colorful in Latin America

The harlequin frogs are indirectly affected by climate change.

It is assumed that global warming increases the spread of a special fungus in South America to such an extent that it increases more and more in coniferous forests.

There it attacks almost all 90 species of the colorful and poisonous harlequin frogs, which are now threatened with extinction due to emerging diseases.

Dark Tiger Python: Trading on the black market in China

The trade in the meat and the beautiful skin of the dark tiger python is strictly forbidden, but it is still operated on the black market.

Any products are particularly popular on the Chinese market.

Tarzan chameleon: At home in the wet forests of Eastern Madagascar

The Tarzan chameleon was first described in 2010, but is already considered threatened.

The animals live in the forests of Madagascar, which are increasingly being felled.

So the species could soon no longer exist.

Giant manta ray: long body, long sexual maturity

Giant manta rays have a problem similar to that of the orangutan.

Since it takes five years for them to reach sexual maturity, it is very difficult for the species to recover when first threatened.

Fishing in particular is a major threat.

Giant Sepia: Overfishing in Australia

There is no larger species of cuttlefish in the world.

On the coast of Australia, the giant sepia falls victim to overfishing and has been set to the warning level by the IOCN.

White-backed vulture: Carcass poisoning

In Africa and Asia, the vulture population has declined by 95 percent in the past few decades.

Apparently the biggest problem is that the animals eat the carcasses of poisoned animals and consequently perish as well.

Since 2020 the species is a "critically endangered species".

Three-banded armadillo: mascot of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

The mascot of the soccer World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and thus a lucky charm for the German national team was already considered extinct in the 1980s.

The stocks continue to decline.

Although the animals have no natural predators, they are hunted by humans.

Their protective posture - curling up in balls - is effective against other animals, but makes life easier for the human hunter.

The pangolin: meat delicacy in West Africa and Asia

The pangolin is also heavily overlaid and is one of the most heavily hunted and illegally traded animal species in the world due to its meat, which is considered a delicacy.

All four African species are classified as endangered.

Flattail gecko: nocturnal lizard in Madagascar

All 14 species of the flat-tailed gecko are native to the "eighth continent" of Madagascar.

There, the nocturnal species are threatened by fires and coal mining.

All species are on the red list.

New Zealand Sea Lion: Seal Sanctuary in the Auckland Islands

The hunt for sea lions was banned as early as 1881, but the population is only recovering with great difficulty.

The seals are at home in only three colonies on the Auckand Islands.

These are deserted protected areas, but the number of 3,000 animals continues to shrink.

One of the reasons for this is fishing.

Every year around 100 seals die as bycatch.

Guadalupe fur seal: Rescue through stricter protective laws

Aggressive seal hunting has also significantly decimated the population of the Guadalupe fur seals.

While there were fewer than 500 seals in the 1950s, the tightening of the protective laws turned out to be a great success.

The population is now over 20,000.

Yellow-nosed albatrosses: On the red list because of deep-sea fishing boats

It's not just fish caught in the huge fishing nets.

Yellow-nosed albatrosses also get caught in the bait and suspension lines and are thus reduced in their population.

Some albatross species are therefore on the red list.

Blue whale: The largest living thing on earth

Even the largest living being on earth does not have it easy on our planet.

The animals, up to 35 meters long, with hearts the size of a small car, were hunted so intensively that they almost became extinct.

The populations in the north are gradually recovering, but they are still at risk.

The Antarctic blue whale is even threatened with extinction.

Atlantic right whale: Right whale in the North Atlantic

In 2020 the World Conservation Union announced that the whale species "Atlantic northern right whale" is now officially endangered.

In 2017, around 400 living individuals were known.

Since then, 41 more animals, i.e. ten percent of them, have died.

Maui Dolphin: The world's most endangered marine dolphin

Maui dolphins are only found in waters around New Zealand.

In the 1970s, so-called "nylon gill nets" were introduced into the fishing industry.

These are to blame for the fact that the population of the species is falling so sharply.

There are only about 50 animals left.

Commercial gill fishing causes more individuals to die than new ones are born.

Various protective measures have already been introduced, such as fishing prohibition zones and controls.

But these could not improve the situation.

Mayottedrongo: songbird between Madagascar and Mozambique

The Mayotte drongo is a species of bird that is native to the island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean.

The animal is widespread on mountains with humid tropical and subtropical forests and mangrove forests, bush areas and plantations.

There are now only a few individuals left.

The stock is considered endangered - due to habitat loss.

The main reason for habitat decline is human activity, such as deforestation.

Leatherback turtle: suffocation in fishing nets

At the beginning of its life it is small and hatches from an egg - but the leatherback turtle can weigh more than 700 kilograms and its shell can be up to 2.5 meters long.

This makes it the largest marine reptile in the world.

The species as a whole is endangered.

But there are still some subpopulations that are even threatened with extinction.

In the Pacific in particular, stocks are falling.

Because the turtle is hunted.

While their meat is actually considered inedible, there are some countries where it is consumed, such as Indonesia.

The animal's eggs are also popular as food.

Zagros Newt: A small tailed amphibian in the south of the Iranian Zagros Mountains

The Zagros newt is only about 10 to 15 cm long.

It is mostly brown-black, but has different color accents on the limbs and body.

The populations of the species are steadily decreasing.

After extensive field research to verify this, the species was rated as endangered.

A survey from 2014 assumes more than 9,000 adult individuals.

International trade was therefore restricted in 2020.

European mink: only residual populations in Spain, France, Romania and Russia

The European mink is considered critically endangered.

In all of Europe there are only between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals.

On the one hand, the animals were hunted en masse at the beginning of the 20th century for their fur, on the other hand, the natural habitat of the European mink was destroyed.

The mink, a related species from America, continues to displace the small population.

However, biologists try to breed the species in human hands and then reintroduce it back into the wild.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-03-24