Number 10 Tiger The tiger is the animal that perhaps best
encompasses the notion of charismatic megafauna. These are large animals that have gained widespread
popular appeal. They’ve become symbolic within certain cultures and are often used
as flagship species in conservation programs. The tiger’s range once stretched from Eastern
Anatolia to the Amur River basin and from the foothills of the Himalayas to the island
of Bali. In the past centuries, it’s lost 93% of its historic range and has been completely
extirpated in many regions, with subspecies like the Caspian, Bali and Java tiger having
become extinct. The animal was massively hunted and particularly prized as a trophy because
of its beautiful striped skin. Some tiger body parts are still used as aphrodisiacs
or in traditional medicine, despite no scientific evidence of their effectiveness. In Asia,
the trading of tiger parts is a major black market industry, with China acting as the
principal hub. It was only as recently as 2014 that a representative admitted the government
was aware of the illegal tiger trade. Black market operations are booming even though
there are less than 4,000 tigers left in the wild. By some estimates, there are more of
these animals living in captivity in Texas and Florida than there are in the wild.
Number 9 Bornean Orangutan When it comes to the impact that we can have
on the animal kingdom, one of the most dramatic videos in recent memory involves a Bornean
orangutan. The animal, perched on a tree that’s been cut down, charges a bulldozer which had
just torn through its forest habitat. The footage was captured in 2013 and it reemphasized
the ongoing plight of the Bornean orangutan. These great apes are incredibly intelligent,
have been noted for tool use and develop cultural patterns in the wild. Its island habitat is
gradually being destroyed due to illegal logging and the development of palm oil plantations.
More heartbreaking still, young orangutans are often sold as pets, which typically entails
the killing of their mothers. Number 8 Elephant
Elephants are another prime example of charismatic megafauna and of the wildlife wonders found
in Africa and Asia. Whether it’s their enormous bodies, long trunks or massive tusks, these
creatures are beloved around the world. Even though they’re the largest and most powerful
land animals on Earth, elephants have suffered greatly from human activity. African populations
were severely poached for their meat, hide and, above all, the ivory of their tusks.
Ornaments and various works of art made from the material were found in cultures around
the world. In recent decades, anti-poaching measures and international bans on ivory trade
have allowed their numbers to recover but these awesome animals are still in danger.
Ivory, worth as much as gold in some cases, is still very active on the black market.
As recently as 2012, raiders from Chad were responsible for the concentrated killing of
over 650 elephants in Cameroon’s Bouba Njida National Park. In Asia, the habitats of elephants
often overlap with areas highly-populated by humans. It sometimes leads to them trampling
and eating crops. This generates conflicts with human populations that often end with
the beasts being killed. One proposed solution was the creation of “urban corridors”
which would allow the beasts to reach relevant areas, such as watering holes or food sources.
Number 7 Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox This megabat species is the world’s largest
flying mammal. When it stretches its wings, the giant golden-crowned flying fox can reach
5ft 6ins meaning it can be as wide as Napoleon was tall. It also owns the longest forearm
of any bat species. The animal’s name is derived from its fur coloration, which is
golden from the eyes to the base of the neck. Being the largest member of its natural kind
hasn’t made matters more difficult for the giant golden-crowned flying fox. It simply
means that it’s easier to shoot for bushmeat. Most of the roosts in Philippines, its native
habitat, are in protected areas but illegal hunting’s still rampant. Since 1900, the
total forest coverage of the Philippines has gone from 70% to 20% and deforestation has
completely removed the bat from many of the regions islands.
Number 6 Rhino The battle for saving the rhinoceros registered
a major blow in 2018. That’s when Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino,
died in Kenya. He was put to sleep in light of worsening health issues related to his
age. Rhinoceroses are stunning examples of the planet’s megafauna with two species
native to Africa and three found in Southern Asia. They own bodies armored with thick skin,
and one or two horns atop their massive skulls. Sudan’s health problems may have been natural
but what made him the last of his kind was a consequence of human activity. Rhinos have
been heavily poached for their horn. It’s used in traditional Asian medicine and, in
some countries of the Arabian Peninsula, for making the handles of traditional daggers.
There’s a scientifically-unsupported belief in Asian medicine that rhino horn powder can
cure a number of ailments, including cancer. There’s also the belief it can be used as
an aphrodisiac. It’s made from keratin, the same material as human finger nails, so
it basically doesn’t do more than nail clippings would. Vietnam is the largest market for rhino
horn, with a growing demand that drives most of the poaching. A single horn can be worth
as much as $250,000 in the country. On a global scale, there have even been reports of rhino
horns being stolen from natural museums. One measure towards combating poaching has been
injecting the horns of live rhinos with a mixture of pink dye and pesticide. It’s
completely harmless to the animal but toxic to humans who ingest it, causing nausea, diarrhea
and stomach aches. Another proposed method was to undercut the market by synthetizing
an artificial rhino horn substitute. Number 5 Mountain Gorilla
The gorilla is the planet’s largest living primate and is considered to be critically
endangered. Conservation efforts have stabilized some subspecies but the mountain gorilla is
at greatest risk. There are slightly more than a 1,000 of them left in the wild and
virtually none in zoos. Even though these creatures are incredibly powerful and own
one of the strongest mammalian bites, they are surprisingly shy and gentle. Poaching
and habitat fragmentation are among the mountain gorilla’s greatest threats. Infants are
trapped and sold to zoos while the hands and heads of adults are taken as trophies. Even
if they aren’t deliberately targeted, these creatures might get maimed or killed by traps
poachers set for other animals. Furthermore, reoccurring armed conflicts displace human
populations who become refugees and hunt the gorilla for bushmeat. The expansion of human
settlements as well as agriculture, pastures and logging have fragmented the gorilla’s
habitat. Groups formed by the animals thus become isolated and genetic diversity diminishes.
Signs of inbreeding, such as webbed hands and feet, are already evident in younger gorillas.
Number 4 Vultures of India The white-rumped vulture, the Indian vulture
and the slender-billed vulture are critically endangered. Since the 1990s, their numbers
on the Indian subcontinent and neighboring countries have dropped by 99%. The violent
decline of all three species can be traced back to the same root issue. Farmers give
a drug called diclofenac to their working animals. It reduces joint pain and keeps them
alive longer. Dead cattle, after their discarded, still have diclofenac built up in their flesh.
Vultures feed on the carrion and the drug causes them to suffer kidney failure. The
situation is particularly dramatic for the white-rumped vulture which, as recently as
the 1980s, was believed to be the most abundant large bird of prey in the world.
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Number 3 Vaquita The vaquita is the smallest of all living
cetacean species and the rarest marine mammal on the planet. The porpoise species is nearly
extinct and there may be as few as 10 vaquitas alive today. It was only described in 1980s,
so its abundance throughout history isn’t known. However, in 1997, a comprehensive survey
within their range, mainly the Gulf of California, discovered several hundred individuals. The
greatest threat to the critically endangered vaquita has been illegal fishing. They get
caught in gillnets, often illegally set up, for a fish called totoboa. There are ongoing
efforts to save the porpoise. A project from the Mexican government urged legal fishermen
to use vaquita-safe gear and even provided economic support for those choosing to pursue
alternative livelihoods. Nevertheless, widespread poaching was still reported.
Number 2 Amur Leopard The Amur leopard is currently only found in
northeastern China and southeastern Russia. As of 2019, there are less than 100 Amur leopards
still roaming a vast and cold territory. They are the rarest felines in the world. Unlike
other leopard subspecies, these creatures have thick fur and are well-adapted for surviving
low temperatures. Their natural habitat is threatened by deforestation, through frequent
fires, and the construction of roads. Additionally, being so rare makes their skin a coveted trophy
for collectors so poaching is still a major concern. More than a dozen skins were confiscated
in the early 2000s. People living in small villages, in or around the leopard’s habitat,
hunt them entirely illegally. Fortunately, Russian and Chinese authorities have been
working with international organizations towards saving the Amur leopard. Conservation measures
include dispatching anti-poaching teams, remote monitoring and trying to increase the number
of breeding populations. One major victory of the conservationists’ campaign in Russia
was the rerouting of an oil pipeline that was initially planned to be built through
the leopard’s habitat.
Number 1 Pangolin The pangolin, found in Asia and sub-Saharan
Africa, is a fascinating creature particularly since most of its body is covered in armor.
It bears some resemblance to a pine cone and consists of overlapping plate-like scales
made from keratin. When threatened, the animal curls up with the sharp edges of its scales
sticking out. While even effective against lions or tigers, the defense mechanism has
a major drawback. Capturing a pangolin can be as easy for humans as picking up a bowling
ball. These creatures are in high demand for their meat, considered a delicacy, and scales,
which are used in traditional Asian remedies. In April, 2013, a Chinese vessel ran aground
in the Philippines and the police discovered it was transporting 11 tons of pangolin meat.
In 2016, the police raided the home of an Indonesian man and found more than 650 pangolins
in freezers on his property. Over 100,000 creatures are taken to Vietnam and China each
year, making the pangolin the most trafficked animal on the planet. Worse still, initial
speculation connected the pangolin to the COVID-19 pandemic. One theory was that the
coronavirus had circulated in pangolins before jumping to bats and then humans. Chinese researchers
suspected the animals were a vector of transmission, but human coronaviruses and those found in
pangolins share only 92% of their genome. Concerns are that, much like it happened to
civets in the previous SARS outbreak, the initial reports might have led to mass slaughters
of pangolins. Thanks for watching! Would you let an Amur
leopard bite you if it meant saving the species? Let us know in the comments section below!