Scientists have issued a warning that without drastic conservation measures some of the planet’s most unique creatures could be extinct within the next five years.

• Reason: The combined forces of habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, and pollution have created a crisis resulting in mass extinction like scenarios.

Critically Endangered Species Facing the Most Imminent Threats

• Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri): They are the  largest subspecies of gorilla
  • Population Status: Declining rapidly with fewer than 7,000 individuals remaining.
  • Location: Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Threat: Habitat destruction in wake of deforestation, mining, and human encroachment. 
    • Poaching for the bushmeat trade.
• Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
  • Population: Rapid decline due to human activity
  • Location: Tropical oceans worldwide
  • Threat: A target for illegal trade for their shell. 
    • They are highly vulnerable to climate change affecting their nesting beaches.
    • Genetic Variation: Rising ocean temperatures lead to fewer male hatchlings, further threatening the species.
• Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
  • Population: Less than 80 in the wild
  • Location: Confined at the Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia
  • Threats: Habitat loss and poaching for their horns. The small population also is a limitation in the form of genetic diversity.
• Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis): Often called the world’s rarest big cat adapted to extreme cold.
  • Population: Around 100 in the wild
  • Location: Russia and China
  • Threat: Poaching and habitat loss due to human expansion.
• Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis): Unlike dolphins, they lack a dorsal fin, making them unique among cetaceans.
  • Population: Fewer than 1,000
  • Location: Yangtze River, China
  • Threats: Collapse of the Yangtze River ecosystem due to  Industrial pollution, overfishing, and habitat degradation 
    • Their numbers have declined by over 50% in the last 40 years
• Indian Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus): They have a long, narrow snout perfectly adapted for catching fish and does not attack on humans.
• Population: Less than 250 in the wild
  • Location: India, Nepal
  • Threat: Dam construction, pollution, and loss of river habitats have caused severe population decline.

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