Critically Endangered
Encyclopedia
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List
for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations.
As the IUCN does not consider a species extinct until extensive, targeted surveys have been conducted, species which are possibly extinct are still listed as 'Critically Endangered.' A new ideal category for 'Possibly Extinct' has been suggested by BirdLife International
to categorize these taxa.
Examples of critically endangered plants:
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations.
As the IUCN does not consider a species extinct until extensive, targeted surveys have been conducted, species which are possibly extinct are still listed as 'Critically Endangered.' A new ideal category for 'Possibly Extinct' has been suggested by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
to categorize these taxa.
Species examples
Examples of critically endangered animals:- AddaxAddaxThe Addax , also known as the screwhorn antelope, is a critically endangered species of antelope that lives in the Sahara desert. As suggested by its alternative name, this pale antelope has long, twisted horns. It is closely related to the oryx, but differs from other antelopes by having large...
- Alabama CavefishAlabama cavefishThe Alabama cavefish, Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni, is a critically endangered type of cavefish which lives in underground pools in Key Cave, located in northwestern Alabama, United States in the Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge...
(less than 100 remaining) - Anderson's SalamanderAnderson's SalamanderAnderson's Salamander is a neotenic salamander from Laguna de Zacapú in the Mexican state of Michoacán.This salamander is a relatively recent discovery, first described by Brandon and Krebs in 1984...
- Amur LeopardAmur LeopardThe Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
(between 30 and 35) - Araripe ManakinAraripe ManakinThe Araripe Manakin is a critically endangered bird from the family of Manakins . It was discovered in 1996 and scientifically described in 1998. The species epithet commemorates Brazilian zoologist and wildlife filmmaker Werner Bokermann, who died in 1995...
(between 250 and 500) - Asiatic CheetahAsiatic CheetahThe Asiatic Cheetah is now also known as the Iranian Cheetah, as the world's last few are known to survive mostly in Iran. Although recently presumed to be extinct in India, it is also known as the Indian Cheetah...
(Less than 100 remaining) - AxolotlAxolotlThe axolotl , Ambystoma mexicanum, is a neotenic salamander, closely related to the Tiger Salamander. Larvae of this species fail to undergo metamorphosis, so the adults remain aquatic and gilled. It is also called ajolote...
- Blue-throated MacawBlue-throated MacawThe Blue-throated Macaw is a macaw endemic to a small area of north-central Bolivia known as Los Llanos de Moxos. Recent population and range estimates suggests that about 100-150 individuals remain in the wild. The main causes of their demise is capture for the pet trade and land clearance on...
- California CondorCalifornia CondorThe California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
- Cross River GorillaCross River GorillaThe Cross River gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, another subspecies of great ape...
(estimated 280 remaining individuals) - European EelEuropean eelThe European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½ m, but are normally much smaller, about 60–80 cm, and rarely more than 1 m....
- European Sturgeon (protected in Europe since 1982)
- Greater Bamboo LemurGreater Bamboo LemurThe Greater Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Broad-nosed Bamboo Lemur and the Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur, is the largest bamboo lemur, at over five pounds or nearly 2.5 kilograms. It has greyish brown fur and white ear tufts, and has a head-body length of around one and a half feet, or forty to...
- Golden Lancehead
- Hawaiian Monk SealHawaiian Monk SealThe Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, is an endangered species of earless seal in the Phocidae family that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands....
- Hawksbill sea turtle
- Iriomote catIriomote catThe Iriomote cat , is a wild cat about the size of a domestic cat that lives exclusively on the Japanese island of Iriomote. It is considered a "living fossil" by many biologists because it has not changed much from its primitive form...
- Iberian LynxIberian LynxThe Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus, is a critically endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. It is one of the most endangered cat species in the world. According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if this species died out, it would be one of the few feline extinctions...
(estimated 150 remaining) - Javan Rhino
- KakapoKakapoThe Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...
- Mediterranean Monk SealMediterranean Monk SealThe Mediterranean monk seal is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450-510 remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's second-rarest pinniped , and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic...
(at some 450-510 remaining individuals) - Mountain GorillaMountain GorillaThe Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...
(790 remaining individuals) - Northern bluefin tunaNorthern bluefin tunaThe Northern bluefin tuna is a species of tuna in the Scombridae family. It is variously known as the Atlantic bluefin tuna, giant bluefin tuna and formerly as the tunny. Atlantic bluefin are native to both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean Sea...
- Philippine EaglePhilippine EagleThe Philippine Eagle , also known as the Monkey-eating Eagle, is an eagle of the family Accipitridae that is endemic to forests in the Philippines. It has brown and white-coloured plumage, and a shaggy crest, and generally measures in length and weighs...
(between 180 and 500) - Przewalski's HorsePrzewalski's HorsePrzewalski's Horse or Dzungarian Horse, is a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of central Asia, specifically China and Mongolia.At one time extinct in the wild, it has been reintroduced to its native habitat in Mongolia at the Khustain Nuruu...
- Puerto Rican ParrotPuerto Rican ParrotThe Puerto Rican Amazon , also known as the Puerto Rican Parrot or Iguaca, is the only bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico belonging to the Neotropical genus Amazona. Measuring , the bird is a predominantly green parrot with a red forehead and white rings around the eyes...
- Red WolfRed WolfThe red wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch...
- SaolaSaolaThe Saola, Vu Quang ox or Asian unicorn, also, infrequently, Vu Quang bovid , one of the world's rarest mammals, is a forest-dwelling bovine found only in the Annamite Range of Vietnam and Laos...
- Southern bluefin tunaSouthern bluefin tunaThe southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, is a tuna of the family Scombridae found in open southern hemisphere waters of all the world's oceans mainly between 30°S and 50°S, to nearly 60°S...
- Spix's MacawSpix's MacawSpix's Macaw is the only member of the parrot genus Cyanopsitta. They are critically endangered, possibly extinct in the wild The species is conserved through several breeding programs. It was found in Brazil, in parts of the Brazilian state of Bahia...
Examples of critically endangered plants:
- Baishan firAbies beshanzuensisAbies beshanzuensis is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae. It is endemic to Baishanzu Shan in southern Zhejiang province in eastern China, where it grows at 1,850 m altitude and is threatened by collection and climate change...
- KoʻoloaʻulaAbutilon menziesiiAbutilon menziesii, known as Kooloaula in Hawaiian, is an endangered species of flowering shrub in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii.It inhabits dry forests on the islands of Lānai, Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii...
- Bastard quiver treeAloe pillansiiAloe pillansii is a synonym of Aloe dichotoma subsp. pillansii, also called Giant Quiver Tree or Bastard Quiver Tree. It is regarded as critically endangered....
- TurtlefatAuerodendron pauciflorumAuerodendron pauciflorum is a rare species of flowering plant in the Rhamnaceae family. One English language common name is turtlefat. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known from only one population in Isabela. At the time the plant was federally listed as an endangered species by the...
- Vahl's boxwoodBuxus vahliiBuxus vahlii is a rare species of plant in the boxwood family. It is native to Puerto Rico and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where it is known from no more than four populations total. It has probably never been very common, but its distribution has been reduced by deforestation and other...
- Capa roseCallicarpa amplaCallicarpa ampla, also called the capa rose, is a species of plant in the Verbenaceae family. It is found in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean region. It is threatened by habitat loss and is a critically endangered plant species.-History:...
- Puerto Rico manjackCordia rupicolaCordia rupicola, commonly known as the Puerto Rico Manjack, is a critically endangered species of flowering shrub in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to the islands of Puerto Rico and Anegada.-Taxonomy:...
- Mother-in-law's cushionEchinocactus grusoniiEchinocactus grusonii is a well known species of cactus native to central Mexico from San Luis Potosi to Hidalgo. Described by Heinrich Hildmann in 1891, it is popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or, amusingly, Mother-in-Law's Cushion...
- NānūGardenia brighamiiGardenia brighamii, commonly known as Nānū, Nau, or Forest Gardenia, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii.-Description:...
- Bermuda cedarJuniperus bermudianaJuniperus bermudiana is a species of juniper endemic to Bermuda. This species is most commonly known as Bermuda cedar although, like most "cedars" it is not a true cedar ; a more botanically accurate name would be Bermuda juniper, but this term is extremely rare.It is an evergreen tree growing up...
- Mandrinette
- Shield-leaved pitcher plantNepenthes clipeataNepenthes clipeata , or the Shield-Leaved Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the near-vertical granite cliff faces of Mount Kelam in Kalimantan, Borneo...
- Bois de chèvreSenecio lamarckianusSenecio lamarckianus, the Bois De Chèvre , is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family and a member of the genus Senecio. It is endemic to the island Mauritius and is threatened by habitat loss.S...
See also
- Lists of IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species for lists ordered by taxonomic rank
- :Category:IUCN Red List critically endangered species for an alphabetical list
- The World's 25 Most Endangered PrimatesThe World's 25 Most Endangered PrimatesThe World's 25 Most Endangered Primates is a list of highly endangered primate species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group , the International Primatological Society , and Conservation International...
External links
- List of Critically Endangered species as identified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species