1. JAVAN RHINOS
Once found throughout south-east Asia, Javan rhinos have suffered a staggering decline in their numbers due to hunting and habitat loss. The lone wild population of Javan rhinos is one of the rarest of the rhino species—around 75 individuals—which can only be found on the island of Java, Indonesia.
The Ujung Kulon National Park, a World Heritage Site, is the last remaining refuge of Javan rhinos. But the area also suffers from the invading Arenga palm, leaving the rhinos with less food to eat and less habitat to roam. Besides, the small Javan rhino population is also extremely vulnerable to extinction due to natural catastrophes, disease, poaching and potential inbreeding.
2. AMUR LEOPARD
The Amur leopard is one of the rarest big cats in the world, with only around 100 individuals left in the wild. Although their wild population seems to be stable and increasing, these leopard subspecies are still critically endangered since 1996. And there is a good reason that: Amur leopards can only be found in a relatively small region of the far east of Russia and north-eastern China at present.
The remaining Amur leopards face multiple threats to their survival, including habitat loss and fragmentation, prey scarcity and transportation infrastructure such as roads. However, there is hope for this rare big cat. Around 75% of their home range lies in protected areas in Russia and China, and they are also moving into suitable habitats outside of these protected areas.
3. SUNDA ISLAND TIGER
The Sunda Island tiger, or the Sumatran tiger, is the smallest tiger subspecies in the world, weighing up to 140kg. For reference, the tigers that live in the Amur region are the biggest of all the big cats where males can weigh up to twice as much as Sunda Island tigers. They are also very rare - there are estimated to be around 600 in the wild, and are only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Since the 1980s, the human population of south-east Asia has nearly doubled from 357 million to around 668 million in 2020. And this has had an impact on tiger numbers, which have been shrinking along with their habitats.
As human settlements expand in the region, Sunda Island tigers are increasingly likely to encounter people, which could lead to a further rise in human-tiger conflict. Tiger poaching and illegal trading of tiger parts and products are also of serious concern to their survival.
4. MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
The Mountain gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla, which lives in two isolated populations in the high-altitude forests up in the volcanic, mountainous regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, and in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda.
The Virunga Landscape has a history of political instability along with high levels of poverty in the region. This poses a substantial threat to mountain gorilla numbers as people have moved into areas closer to these great apes for food, shelter and space—over 500,000 people live near mountain gorilla habitat at present. Despite this, mountain gorillas are making a promising recovery with conservation efforts and interventions from local and international partners and the WWF through the International Gorilla Conservation Programme.
At present, mountain gorillas are currently listed as endangered species, with just over 1,000 individuals in the wild. However, multiple threats remain that can hinder recovery progress for this species.
5. TAPANULI ORANGUTAN
The Tapanuli orangutan is the newly described species of orangutan, listed as a distinct species in 2017. Only a single, isolated population of Tapanuli orangutans exist in the wild, which is restricted to the tropical forests of the Batang Toru ecosystem on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Today, these tree-dwelling primates are critically endangered with fewer than 800 individuals in the wild, making them the most endangered great ape species in the world. The loss of habitat is one of the main threats to its survival as tropical forests are being replaced by agriculture, mining, and hydroelectric and geothermal development. Between 1985 and 2007, over 40% of the forests in the province of North Sumatra, where the Tapanali orangutan is found, were lost.
