Top 10 most endangered animal species in Africa
The following listing is based upon IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species!
1. Addax
Scientific Name: Addax nasomaculatus.
Status: Critically Endangered.
Threats: Uncontrolled hunting and harassment. Also drought and the extension of pastoralism.
Population: Less than 300 animals surviving in the wild.
Countries: Chad, Mauritania, Niger.
Also known as the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope, the addax lives in the Sahara desert.
2. Ethiopian Wolf
Scientific Name: Canis simensis.
Status: Endangered.
Threats: Loss of habitat (agriculture), disease epizootics and hybridization with domestic dogs.
Population: 400-550 individuals.
Countries: Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands.
A canid native to the Ethiopian Highlands. It is similar to the coyote in size and build, and is distinguished by its long and narrow skull, and its red and white fur.
3. Mountain Gorilla
Scientific Name: Gorilla beringei.
Status: Endangered.
Threats: Habitat loss, poaching, pet trade and illegal hunting (bushmeat).
Population: Closest estimate is 680 mountain gorillas.
Countries: The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
The Mountain Gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla. There are only two populations left on Earth.
4. Pygmy Hippopotamus
Scientific Name: Choeropsis liberiensis.
Status: Endangered.
Threats: Deforestation for farming and logging + bushmeat hunting.
Population: The latest estimate (1993 survey) is pretty much outdated (2000-3000 pygmy hippos). Since the population trend is on a decrease, fewer than 2000 individuals is probably more accurate (although this stat is clearly approximate).
Countries: Endemic to West Africa; Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia.
Reclusive and nocturnal, the pygmy hippo is semi-aquatic and relies on proximity to water to keep its skin moisturised and its body temperature cool.
5. African Wild Dog
Scientific Name: Lycaon pictus.
Status: Endangered.
Threats: Conflict with human activities and infectious disease (e.g. rabies).
Population: 3000-5500.
Countries: Native to Botswana; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Ethiopia; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Senegal; South Africa; Sudan; Tanzania; Zambia; Zimbabwe. The African wild dog is a highly social animal, living in packs with separate dominance hierarchies for males and females. Uniquely among social carnivores, it is the females rather than the males that scatter from the natal pack once sexually mature, and the young are allowed to feed first on carcasses.
6. Black Rhinoceros
Scientific Name: Diceros bicornis.
Status: Critically Endangered.
Threats: Mainly poaching for its horn and “medicinal” value (China).
Population: Has declined by over 90% over the last 60 odd years. Current estimation is at roughly 4180 black rhinos.
Countries: Kenya; Namibia; South Africa; Tanzania; Zimbabwe.
Although the rhinoceros is referred to as ‘black’, its colours vary from brown to grey.
7. Cheetah
Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus.
Status: Vulnerable.
Threats: Habitat loss, fragmentation and human conflict (mainly farmers).
Population: 10 000-15 000. Cheetahs are believed to have lost over 76% of their historic range on the continent.
Countries: Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Central African Republic; Chad; The Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Islamic Republic of Iran; Kenya; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Somalia; South Africa; Sudan; United Republic of Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe.
8. African Lion
Scientific Name: Panthera leo.
Status: Vulnerable.
Threats: Poisoning to protect local livestock (Refer to Furadan), prey base depletion, habitat loss and trophy hunting.
Population: Best estimate is 20 000-23 000. Such a pity, especially when you consider their number 50 years ago (450 000 lions; a loss of +/- 95%).
Countries: Most of sub-Saharan Africa.
9. African Penguin (Jackass Penguin)
Scientific Name: Spheniscus demersus.
Status: Vulnerable.
Threats: Commercial fisheries and oil spills.
Population: 72 000 birds.
Countries: Angola; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa.
10. African Elephant
Scientific Name: Loxodonta africana.
Status: Vulnerable.
Threats: Poaching for ivory and meat + loss of habitat.
Population: 470 000-690 000.
Countries: Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo; Congo; Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Africa; Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe.
Endangered Mammals of Africa
Earth's Endangered Creatures
Click on the species name to view its profile.
| Mammals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | Range *** | ||||
| North Africa | |||||
| Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan | |||||
| Sub-saharan Africa | |||||
| Malagasy Republic (Madagascar) | |||||
| Algeria | |||||
| Sub-saharan Africa | |||||
| Cameroon, Nigeria | |||||
| Africa to India | |||||
| Africa | |||||
| Ethiopia, Somalia | |||||
| Madagascar | |||||
| Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia | |||||
| Africa | |||||
| Algeria, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia | |||||
| East Africa to Southern Japan | |||||
| Ethiopia | |||||
| Madagascar | |||||
| Madagascar | |||||
| Africa, Asia, Middle East | |||||
| Madagascar | |||||
| Mediterranean Sea, Northwest African Coast and Black Sea | |||||
| Namibia, South Africa | |||||
| Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) | |||||
| Madagascar | |||||
| Cameroon, Fernando Po, Nigeria | |||||
| Indian Ocean (Rodrigues Island) | |||||
| Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East | |||||
| Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan | |||||
| Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Europe | |||||
| Senegal to Ivory Coast | |||||
| Central and Western Africa | |||||
| Western Nigeria | |||||
| Zanzibar (and nearby islands) | |||||
Worms | Clams | Crustaceans | Snails | Corals, Jellyfish, and Sea Anemones
See also
The god called “Earth”
Orthodoxy's Worship: The Sanctification of the Entire World
in Search of Orthodoxy (tag)
National parks of Africa
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