In Pictures: Some of the world's most critically endangered animals
The list of critically endangered animals grows everyday, but global animal welfare groups say more intervention is need to save these species.
The last surviving white rhino is 42-year-old Sudan. He lives in Kenya under strict security surveillance. Although his sperm is diminishing, his keepers believe artificial methods could still save the species.
Dinosaurs roamed the earth before they went extinct. Unfortunately, the science behind saving a species didn't exist then, so nothing could've been done.
Today, the modern methods exist, and there are thousands of animals which face extinction.
But serious intervention, like funding conservation areas, lobbying governments to do more about poaching etc, is still needed.
Currently, the list of critically endangered animal species is growing because of a lack of action, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Here's a list of species that might face extinction very soon:
Spix's Macaw
Spix's Macaw is critically endangered and possibly extinct in the wild, primarily as a result of trapping for trade and habitat loss. It's a rare blue parrot that is the last of its species. The bird was last spotted on June 19 at Barra Grande creek's riparian forest in Brazil.
Vaquita
There are fewer than 60 vaquita left in the Pacific Ocean. With a pale grey or white belly accompanying its grey body and dark patchy eyes, it's the smallest and rarest of marine mammals.
Javan Rhinoceros
The dusky grey coloured, one-horned rhinoceros is very rare as only 60 exist in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia.
Amur Leopard
With thick fur that can grow up to 7.5 cm long, the Amur leopard lives in the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and the Jilin Province of northeast China. Around 60 are left in the world.
Chinese Alligator
One of only two species of alligators, there's only about 50 left in the world. Its husky body is covered in hard scales on the back and softer scales on the sides and belly and is dark green or black in colour.
Greater Bamboo Lemur
Scientists thought the greater bamboo lemur was extinct until they discovered a remnant population in 1986 in Madagascar. Currently they are on the IUCN Red List as one of the world's most critically endangered primates. There are less than 60 in the wild and just about 150 in captivity.
Cross River Gorilla
Estimated with a population of just 280 individuals left in West Africa, the cross river gorilla are generally hunted for their meat while a loss of habitat is partially to blame for their population decrease.
The North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic Right Whale is another rare marine mammal species. Currently there are around 450 of its kind left in the oceans. It is one of the most endangered of all large whales, with a long history of human exploitation and no signs of recovery despite protection from whaling since the 1930s.
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is native to Indonesia's Sumatra Island. Due to hunting by human poachers and habitat loss, the species is now considered to be on the critically endangered species list. Its population is as low as 450.
For more information or to get involved, visit the WWF's website by clicking here, or the IUCN's website by clicking here.
Authors: Seyda Aci and Mazhar Ali.
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