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Global Animal Guide

Most Endangered Animals

These are the most at-risk animals in our guide, ranked from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Each faces serious threats in the wild, and each guide ends with a way to help fund their protection.

By the editorial team Last reviewed Cite this page How we research & review

Rankings use stats and conservation status from our species database. For IUCN categories, verify current assessments on the IUCN Red List.

Most Endangered Animals compared

Most Endangered Animals: size, speed, lifespan, native range and conservation status
# Animal Weight Length Top speed Lifespan Native to Status
1 Pangolin Manis spp. 15 kg 1.2 m 5 km/h 20 yrs Africa, Asia Critically Endangered
2 Gorilla Gorilla gorilla 200 kg 1.7 m 40 km/h 40 yrs Africa Critically Endangered
3 Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata 80 kg 90 cm 24 km/h 50 yrs Oceans worldwide Critically Endangered
4 Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 1,100 kg 3.5 m 55 km/h 45 yrs Africa Critically Endangered
5 California Condor Gymnogyps californianus 10 kg 1.2 m 90 km/h 60 yrs North America Critically Endangered
6 Kakapo Strigops habroptilus 3 kg 60 cm 5 km/h 60 yrs Oceania Critically Endangered
7 Coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae 80 kg 1.8 m 10 km/h 60 yrs Africa Critically Endangered
8 Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis 800 kg 2.8 m 40 km/h 35 yrs Asia Critically Endangered
9 Javan Rhino Rhinoceros sondaicus 1,500 kg 3.2 m 30 km/h 40 yrs Asia Critically Endangered
10 Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum 250 g 28 cm 5 km/h 15 yrs North America Critically Endangered
11 Saiga Antelope Saiga tatarica 40 kg 1.2 m 70 km/h 8 yrs Asia, Europe Critically Endangered
12 Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus 25 kg 1.5 m 5 km/h 50 yrs Asia Critically Endangered
13 Largetooth Sawfish Pristis pristis 350 kg 5 m 20 km/h 30 yrs North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania Critically Endangered
14 Hammerhead Shark Sphyrnidae 230 kg 4 m 40 km/h 30 yrs Oceans Critically Endangered
15 Golden Mantella Mantella aurantiaca 2 g 3 cm 2 km/h 8 yrs Africa Critically Endangered
16 Oceanic Whitetip Shark Carcharhinus longimanus 130 kg 3 m 30 km/h 22 yrs North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania Critically Endangered
17 Common Guitarfish Rhinobatos rhinobatos 6 kg 1 m 15 km/h 10 yrs Europe, Africa, Asia Critically Endangered
18 Red Abalone Haliotis rufescens 1 kg 25 cm 5 km/h 35 yrs North America Critically Endangered
19 Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus 75 kg 1.4 m 5 km/h 40 yrs Asia Critically Endangered
20 European Eel Anguilla anguilla 2.5 kg 1 m 5 km/h 20 yrs Europe, Africa, Oceans Critically Endangered
21 Gharial Gavialis gangeticus 250 kg 5 m 25 km/h 55 yrs Asia Critically Endangered
22 Vaquita Phocoena sinus 50 kg 1.5 m 35 km/h 20 yrs North America, Oceans Critically Endangered
23 Tiger Panthera tigris 300 kg 3.1 m 65 km/h 15 yrs Asia Endangered
24 African Elephant Loxodonta africana 6,000 kg 7.5 m 40 km/h 65 yrs Africa Endangered
25 Asian Elephant Elephas maximus 4,000 kg 6.5 m 40 km/h 65 yrs Asia Endangered
26 Mountain Gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei 180 kg 1.7 m 32 km/h 40 yrs Africa Endangered
27 Pygmy Hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis 240 kg 1.6 m 30 km/h 35 yrs Africa Endangered
28 Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus 150,000 kg 30 m 50 km/h 85 yrs Oceans Endangered
29 Aye-aye Daubentonia madagascariensis 3 kg 90 cm 8 km/h 23 yrs Africa Endangered
30 Tasmanian Devil Sarcophilus harrisii 10 kg 65 cm 24 km/h 6 yrs Oceania Endangered
31 Red Panda Ailurus fulgens 6 kg 1.1 m 38 km/h 14 yrs Asia Endangered
32 Okapi Okapia johnstoni 250 kg 2.2 m 60 km/h 30 yrs Africa Endangered
33 Geoffroy's Spider Monkey Ateles geoffroyi 8 kg 1.3 m 16 km/h 25 yrs North America, South America Endangered
34 Przewalski's Horse Equus ferus przewalskii 300 kg 2.1 m 55 km/h 25 yrs Asia Endangered
35 White-handed Gibbon Hylobates lar 7 kg 90 cm 56 km/h 30 yrs Asia Endangered
36 Bonobo Pan paniscus 40 kg 1.1 m 25 km/h 45 yrs Africa Endangered
37 Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus goodfellowi 7.5 kg 1.3 m 16 km/h 14 yrs Oceania Endangered
38 Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes 60 kg 1.5 m 40 km/h 45 yrs Africa Endangered
39 Proboscis Monkey Nasalis larvatus 20 kg 75 cm 24 km/h 20 yrs Asia Endangered
40 African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 25 kg 1.1 m 60 km/h 11 yrs Africa Endangered
41 Malayan Tapir Tapirus indicus 250 kg 2.5 m 48 km/h 30 yrs Asia Endangered
42 Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus 4,000 kg 8 m 20 km/h 50 yrs North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania Endangered
43 Whooping Crane Grus americana 7 kg 1.5 m 70 km/h 25 yrs North America Endangered
44 Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius 4 kg 1.3 m 30 km/h 15 yrs Africa Endangered
45 Sea Otter Enhydra lutris 45 kg 1.4 m 9 km/h 20 yrs North America, Asia Endangered
46 Chinchilla Chinchilla lanigera 500 g 30 cm 15 km/h 15 yrs South America Endangered
47 Kea Nestor notabilis 900 g 48 cm 50 km/h 30 yrs Oceania Endangered
48 Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis 700 kg 3 m 48 km/h 25 yrs Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America Endangered
49 South Island Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri 3 kg 50 cm 10 km/h 20 yrs Oceania Endangered
50 Ring-Tailed Lemur Lemur catta 2.2 kg 95 cm 20 km/h 16 yrs Africa Endangered
51 Numbat Myrmecobius fasciatus 500 g 35 cm 20 km/h 5 yrs Oceania Endangered
52 Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis 90 kg 3 m 20 km/h 30 yrs Asia Endangered
53 Whale Shark Rhincodon typus 19,000 kg 12 m 5 km/h 80 yrs Oceans Endangered
54 Shortfin Mako Shark Isurus oxyrinchus 570 kg 3.2 m 74 km/h 30 yrs Oceans Endangered
55 African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus 400 g 33 cm 50 km/h 55 yrs Africa Endangered
56 Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus 1.1 kg 30 cm 35 km/h 20 yrs Asia, Oceania Endangered
57 Verreaux's Sifaka Propithecus verreauxi 3.5 kg 45 cm 25 km/h 20 yrs Africa Endangered
58 Eastern Quoll Dasyurus viverrinus 1.3 kg 35 cm 30 km/h 4 yrs Oceania Endangered
59 Australian Lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri 30 kg 1.5 m 10 km/h 90 yrs Oceania Endangered
60 Bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo 10 kg 1.5 m 30 km/h 18 yrs North America, South America Endangered
61 Manta Ray Mobula birostris 1,400 kg 7 m 35 km/h 40 yrs Oceans Endangered
62 Goliath Frog Conraua goliath 3.3 kg 32 cm 12 km/h 15 yrs Africa Endangered
63 Vulture Gyps fulvus 8 kg 1 m 55 km/h 25 yrs Africa, Asia, Europe Endangered
64 Lion Panthera leo 250 kg 2.5 m 80 km/h 14 yrs Africa, Asia Vulnerable
65 Great White Shark Carcharodon carcharias 1,100 kg 4.6 m 56 km/h 70 yrs Oceans Vulnerable
66 Giant Panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca 120 kg 1.8 m 32 km/h 20 yrs Asia Vulnerable
67 Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 1,200 kg 5.5 m 60 km/h 25 yrs Africa Vulnerable
68 Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans 10 kg 1.3 m 80 km/h 50 yrs Antarctica, Oceania, Oceans, South America Vulnerable
69 Leatherback Sea Turtle Dermochelys coriacea 400 kg 1.8 m 35 km/h 45 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
70 Leopard Panthera pardus 60 kg 1.9 m 58 km/h 15 yrs Africa, Asia Vulnerable
71 Polar Bear Ursus maritimus 700 kg 3 m 40 km/h 25 yrs North America, Europe, Asia Vulnerable
72 Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa 18 kg 1 m 40 km/h 15 yrs Asia Vulnerable
73 Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus 40,000 kg 16 m 35 km/h 65 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
74 Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii 80 kg 80 cm 4 km/h 70 yrs North America Vulnerable
75 Indian Rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis 2,200 kg 3.7 m 55 km/h 40 yrs Asia Vulnerable
76 Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 1,000 kg 3 m 5 km/h 10 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
77 Mandrill Mandrillus sphinx 35 kg 1 m 40 km/h 25 yrs Africa Vulnerable
78 Reindeer Rangifer tarandus 120 kg 2 m 80 km/h 15 yrs Asia, Europe, North America Vulnerable
79 Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 65 kg 2.2 m 110 km/h 12 yrs Africa, Asia Vulnerable
80 Thresher Shark Alopias vulpinus 200 kg 5 m 48 km/h 25 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
81 Walrus Odobenus rosmarus 1,200 kg 3.2 m 35 km/h 40 yrs North America, Europe, Asia, Oceans Vulnerable
82 Betta Betta splendens 3 g 7 cm 5 km/h 3 yrs Asia Vulnerable
83 Giant Anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla 40 kg 2.1 m 30 km/h 16 yrs North America, South America Vulnerable
84 Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta caretta 150 kg 1 m 24 km/h 50 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
85 Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 50,000 kg 22 m 40 km/h 85 yrs Oceans worldwide Vulnerable
86 Sand Tiger Shark Carcharias taurus 150 kg 3 m 35 km/h 15 yrs Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America Vulnerable
87 Dingo Canis familiaris dingo 17 kg 1.1 m 60 km/h 10 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
88 Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus 45 kg 1.4 m 30 km/h 25 yrs Asia Vulnerable
89 Koala Phascolarctos cinereus 14 kg 80 cm 30 km/h 16 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
90 Manatee Trichechus manatus 500 kg 3 m 24 km/h 40 yrs North America, South America, Oceans Vulnerable
91 Nurse Shark Ginglymostoma cirratum 100 kg 3 m 40 km/h 25 yrs Africa, North America, South America Vulnerable
92 Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus 90 kg 1.7 m 40 km/h 25 yrs Asia Vulnerable
93 Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros 2.5 kg 1.2 m 35 km/h 35 yrs Asia Vulnerable
94 Andean Condor Vultur gryphus 12 kg 1.3 m 80 km/h 50 yrs South America Vulnerable
95 Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus 1.5 kg 1 m 50 km/h 50 yrs South America Vulnerable
96 Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus 100 kg 1.8 m 35 km/h 25 yrs South America Vulnerable
97 Snow Leopard Panthera uncia 55 kg 1.3 m 65 km/h 12 yrs Asia Vulnerable
98 Shoebill Balaeniceps rex 5.5 kg 1.2 m 40 km/h 35 yrs Africa Vulnerable
99 Crested Gecko Correlophus ciliatus 40 g 20 cm 3 km/h 15 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
100 Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius 1,500 kg 4 m 30 km/h 45 yrs Africa Vulnerable
101 Dugong Dugong dugon 300 kg 2.8 m 10 km/h 70 yrs Africa, Asia, Oceania Vulnerable
102 Fossa Cryptoprocta ferox 8 kg 1.5 m 50 km/h 15 yrs Africa Vulnerable
103 Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina 500 g 15 cm 1 km/h 50 yrs North America Vulnerable
104 Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua 5 kg 80 cm 15 km/h 20 yrs Europe, North America, Oceans Vulnerable
105 Greater Bilby Macrotis lagotis 2 kg 55 cm 25 km/h 7 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
106 King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah 9 kg 5.5 m 18 km/h 20 yrs Asia Vulnerable
107 Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 1 g 10 cm 12 km/h 1 yrs North America Vulnerable
108 Seahorse Hippocampus 10 g 20 cm 2 km/h 4 yrs Oceans Vulnerable
109 Olm Proteus anguinus 20 g 30 cm 1 km/h 70 yrs Europe Vulnerable
110 Kiwi Apteryx australis 2.5 kg 45 cm 20 km/h 25 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
111 Betta Fish Betta splendens 2 g 7 cm 4 km/h 4 yrs Asia Vulnerable
112 Galápagos Tortoise Chelonoidis niger 250 kg 1.2 m 0 km/h 130 yrs South America Vulnerable
113 Coconut Crab Birgus latro 4 kg 40 cm 4 km/h 40 yrs Asia, Oceans Vulnerable
114 Quokka Setonix brachyurus 4 kg 50 cm 30 km/h 10 yrs Oceania Vulnerable
115 Lemon Shark Negaprion brevirostris 150 kg 3 m 35 km/h 27 yrs North America, South America, Africa Vulnerable
116 Porbeagle Lamna nasus 100 kg 2.5 m 40 km/h 30 yrs North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Oceania Vulnerable
117 Common Torpedo Torpedo torpedo 7 kg 60 cm 10 km/h 12 yrs Europe, Africa Vulnerable
118 Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus 2 kg 66 cm 80 km/h 10 yrs North America, Europe, Asia Vulnerable
119 Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas 130 kg 3.5 m 40 km/h 20 yrs Oceans Vulnerable
120 Atlantic Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus 2 kg 60 cm 1 km/h 20 yrs Oceans, North America Vulnerable
121 Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica 400 g 28 cm 88 km/h 20 yrs North America, Europe, Oceans Vulnerable
122 Yak Bos grunniens 600 kg 3.3 m 40 km/h 22 yrs Asia Vulnerable
123 Giant Clam Tridacna gigas 200 kg 1.2 m — 100 yrs Oceans, Oceania, Asia Vulnerable
124 Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis 1.5 kg 60 cm 3 km/h 28 yrs North America Vulnerable
125 Uakari Cacajao calvus 3.5 kg 50 cm 25 km/h 20 yrs South America Vulnerable
126 Urial Ovis vignei 90 kg 1.5 m 60 km/h 12 yrs Asia Vulnerable

Figures are typical adult maxima from each profile; follow a profile for ranges, sources and context.

Profiles