Unusual wild animals of the world. Animals of the Red Book

According to the International Union for Nature Conservation, there are 2300 species of animals that are Endangered. And, unfortunately, the main culprit for this is man. Many species have already been lost forever, and if nothing is changed, the same will happen to thousands of others. The reality is that people have destroyed a lot of things on the planet, although protection is not required from them, only non-interference.

We invite you to look at the rarest species of animals, of which there are only a few hundred left on our planet:

California porpoise

This is a very rare species of porpoise, which numbers from 100 to 300 individuals. They were discovered in 1958 in the Gulf of California. They are found in shallow lagoons with dark water located along coastline. In nature, they are almost impossible to see, as they avoid any boats or watercraft.

Madagascar beaked turtle

This is the rarest and most “vulnerable” turtle in the world. They can only be seen in a small area around Bali Bay in the northwest of Madagascar. Now there are about 400-700 individuals.

Forest ibis

These birds so rare that people thought they were extinct until they were discovered in the Syrian desert near Palmyra in 2002. It is known that back in the 17th century, the forest ibis lived in territories from the Mediterranean to the Alps.

Oncilla

This beautiful little one wild cat recently was classified as Vulnerable by IUCN. Deforestation and poaching represents greatest threat to these creatures. People hunt them for their pelts, as they are very expensive on the black market.

Japanese or Southern whale

Japanese right whale is the rarest of all whales in the world. The animal has been spotted twice in British Columbia waters in the past 50 years, most recently in 2013, measuring approximately 17 meters, near Victoria, Canada, in a group of humpback whales. Now they number 100-300 individuals, n It is estimated that between 26,500 and 37,000 were killed between 1839 and 1909.

Philippine crocodile

The Philippine crocodile is endangered. Although hunting is strictly prohibited, numbers continue to decline due to habitat loss and poaching methods. fishing. Currently, the population of this species does not exceed 200 individuals.

Giant squid

The giant squid is a kind of mysterious creature since he lives deep in oceans around the world and researchers quite difficult to learn. Scientists suspect What giant squid is under threat, first of all, because of its main predator - the sperm whale.

Saw-saw rays

sawfish, certainly one of species that are under threat disappearance. And again human factor played an important role in this. Unfortunately, scientists say that number of species was reduced by 90 %.

Sumatran rhinoceros

Sumatran rhinoceros, the smallest a species of rhinoceros and, believed to be one of the oldest mammals on earth. They survived so many changes, but unfortunately It’s difficult for them to deal with a person. Before human intervention, Sumatran rhinoceroses were numerous throughout South-East Asia. The population currently numbers less than 275 individuals. The species is classified as endangered, primarily due to poaching. Over the past 15 years in captivity, only 2 females have been able to reproduce.

Part I . On the Brink or Beyond (Probably Disappeared)

Many nature lovers have probably already come across quite a few collections of photographs of the so-called “rarest animals in the world” on the Internet. Most of them turn out to be illiterate congregations beautiful photos truly endangered, but still quite numerous and all famous representatives world fauna. An excellent example appears upon request on the first page of the search engine: http://animalspace.net/asinteresting/147-samye-redkie-zhivotnye-mira.html. Not only are bison, which have not been endangered for a long time, included, and species are mixed with subspecies, but at least 5 out of 16 positions are represented by incorrect photographs (cassowary, Javan rhinoceros, macaw, toad and dolphin)!

Collections such as the above, without a doubt, are capable of attracting the attention of a wide audience to the problem of endangered animals, but they are as scientifically reliable as the Moon. “So where is the truth?” - you ask. “Which animals deserve to be called the most rare and endangered in the world?”
There are at least four possible answers to this question, and today we will present the first of them.

The International Red Book has a subcategory of the highest risk of extinction - Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). It includes species whose existence in wildlife has not been confirmed for many years, despite the fact that they are not reliably found in captivity. No one can say with complete certainty that these animals still live on our planet, but there should nevertheless be a real chance of this; otherwise, the species are considered extinct.

The chances of survival for animals with unclear alive/extinct status vary from case to case. Thus, of those presented in the selection below, the giant earwig and the Chinese paddlefish have a good chance due to their rather hidden lifestyle from human eyes. But the American Royal Woodpecker and the Crested Shelduck are most likely doomed, if not already extinct: they have not been seen for a very long time, and the regions of their habitat are well developed by humans.

There are, of course, much more than ten species with the CR (PE) category. With a list of many such unlucky people (on English language) can be found here - http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/lists/missing.htm.

Commentary on photographs: dates outside brackets indicate the year of the last recorded encounter with the animal, and those in brackets indicate the year of the last unconfirmed encounter.

PART II . THE MOST NUMEROUS

More than 2,000 animal species are currently included in the IUCN Red Lists under the Critically Endangered category. We talked about those of them whose existence there are serious doubts. But nevertheless, the story about the rarest representatives of the world fauna is far from complete. It would seem, how can a living organism be closer to the brink of extinction than these “lost” inhabitants of planet Earth?

It turns out that maybe there are ways for this.

The fact is that our ideas about the number of “lost” species are approximate. There is a possibility of both an unfavorable outcome (population = 0) and the salvation of a rare species in a corner of its range that is still unknown to scientists. Why can’t we, for example, accept the possibility that in one of the unexplored tributaries of the Yangtze River, the juveniles of a new generation of Chinese paddlefish are growing up, and the secretive black-faced Hawaiian treefish (Melamprosops phaeosoma), discovered only in 1974 and not seen since 2004, is still alive in the mountain forests of the island of Maui?.. Moreover, there were precedents for discoveries of animals that were recently considered extinct. Thus, for many years thought to be lost, the Lord Howe Island giant stick insect (Dryococelus australis) was rediscovered in 2001, and thanks to a captive breeding program, its global population now numbers in the thousands.

With all this, there are many species of animals living on Earth, the existence of which we are sure of, but the size and dynamics of their numbers directly indicate that their future is in serious question. In some of the most severe cases, it turns out that the hypothetical (and therefore, probably real) population of the “lost” species exceeds the population of the species living next to us, and by orders of magnitude! Yes, gigantic soft shell turtle The pilefish (Rafetus swinhoei) is currently represented by only four known individuals... The selection below includes a dozen species of animals that are among the smallest in the world.

PART III . LOST THEIR HOME (EXTINCTION IN NATURE)

There are animals in the world that for some time now have been impossible to find in nature. And all because, apparently, they simply disappeared there. However, life has decreed that these species have a future, but to see their representatives, you need to go not to the jungle or to distant oceanic islands, but... to the zoo. The third answer to the question of which animals in the world can be considered the rarest is this: animals that, apparently, have disappeared in the wild. In the IUCN Red List they are all listed under the Extinct in the Wild (EW) category.

The reasons for the decline in the numbers of these species are usually well traced. Almost everywhere, humans have made their mark - either through direct extermination, or destruction of habitat, or the importation of alien species-competitors... The consequences were disastrous, however, unlike the vast majority of other animals that disappeared through our fault, these species were lucky. At the time of the disappearance of the last wild individuals, a small number of their representatives remained in zoos, nurseries and private farms, thanks to which it was possible to revive the global population of animals.

Species bred in captivity are not in danger of becoming extinct. As a rule, in the places where they are bred, all conditions are created for comfortable living and reproduction of such valuable representatives of the fauna. After the captive population reaches a certain number, they try to reintroduce the extinct animal into natural conditions. Typical examples of how this occurs are the cases of the Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) and the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). Both species have been successfully propagated and reintroduced to the places where they once disappeared. I would like to believe that other similar projects with animals extinct in captivity will be equally successful in the future.

In addition, I would like to note an important fact. Many endangered species that are well known and that everyone tries their best to protect in the wild are not actually in danger of becoming extinct. And precisely because their populations in captivity are not just large, but sometimes even exceed natural ones! Among them are the tiger, chimpanzee, orangutan, blue-throated macaw, gharial... This does not mean that efforts to save them do not make sense - they do, and some more, because along with wild animals, the ecosystems in which they live and the health of which are protected - the key to harmonious coexistence of man and nature. However, it is still necessary to soberly assess the situation with the possible future of protected animals.

The Amur (Ussuri) tiger is a rare subspecies of felines that has survived in Russia. It is known that on the coastal ridge of the Sikhote-Alin the population of these wild cats is still the smallest. Amur tigers can reach two meters in length.Their tail is also long - up to one meter.

• Florida cougar

Listed as Critically Endangered by the International Red List, this animal is the rarest subspecies of puma. In 2011, their number on Earth was only about 160 individuals (despite the fact that in the 1970s, this figure dropped to 20). The usual habitat of this puma is forests and swamps. South Florida(USA), mainly to occupy the reserve areaBig Cypress.The number of these animals began to fall mainly due to the draining of swamps, sport hunting and poisoning.

• White Lion

• Irbis, or snow leopard

• Madagascar beaked turtle

This species of land turtle, also known as the angonoka, is critically endangered. Endemic to Madagascar, the IUCN Rare Species Commission has declared it one of the most “vulnerable” animal species on our planet. Today, Angonoku can be found in a small area in the north-west of the island of Madagascar. The density of these animals in nature does not exceed 5 individuals per square kilometer. In total there are 250-300 individuals per 100 square meters. km. In captivity you can find 50 representatives of this species.

• Peters's proboscis blenny

This rare animal species is listed in the International Red Book as “at risk of becoming extinct.” Also known as the red-shouldered blenny, this mammal, a member of the jumping family, lives in Africa. The species received its name in honor of the German zoologist Wilhelm Peters. Peters's proboscis blenny can be found in the forests of southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania.

• Northern long-haired wombat

Being on the verge of extinction, this wombat is considered one of the rarest animals on our planet. There are fewer of them on Earth than Sumatran tigers. There is only one extremely small population left in national park Epping Forest, which is located in the center of Queensland, Australia. Scientists believe that the reason for the decrease in the population of these animals is changes in their habitat. Add to this the fact that wombats are the favorite prey of dingoes. Wombats usually live in eucalyptus forests, meadows with lush grass and loose soil.

• Spotted-tailed marsupial marten

This species is listed in the Red Book as “Nearly Vulnerable”. The tiger cat (as it is also called) is the second largest marsupial predator, with the Tasmanian devil taking first place. It is also worth noting that the tiger cat is the largest marsupial predator on mainland Australia. Currently, the Spotted-tailed marsupial marten can be seen in two isolated populations - one located in northern Queensland, Australia, and the other in east coast, in an area that stretches from southern Queensland to Tasmania. It usually lives in humid rain forests and among coastal thickets.

• Visayas warty pig

This animal was included in the World Red Book in 1988. In just 60 years (3 generations of the Visayas warty pig), the number of this representative of the fauna has decreased by 80%. The reasons for the catastrophic decline in the population are uncontrolled hunting, transformation of the natural habitat and inbreeding. Today, this animal can only be found on 2 islands - Negro and Panay.

• Angelfish

Listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the International Red List, the sea angelfish (also known as the European squatfish) can be found in the seas of the northeast Atlantic, namely in the hot and temperate zones. Representatives of this species of shark from the order Squatinidae are similar to stingrays due to their enlarged pectoral and ventral fins. They are most often found on the ocean floor and feed mainly on flounder fish.

• Smalltooth sawfly

Also listed in the Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species”, the sawnose ray is a fish from the family of saw-nosed rays. The habitat of these representatives of the animal world is the waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Sometimes these stingrays can enter rivers.

• Hunter's Bubal

Also known as hirola, this species from the genus hirola is listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the Red List. The hirola lives in the northeastern regions of Kenya and the southwestern regions of Somalia. Before this species became rare, its representatives inhabited an area of ​​17,900 - 20,500 square meters. km. Today, their distribution area is about 8,000 square meters. km.

• Philippine sika deer

The fur of this rare animal has a reddish-golden color. Small white spots are “scattered” against this background. Habitat - rainforests islands of the Philippine archipelago. We managed to capture this deer on film quite recently. It is worth noting that the main enemy of this animal is the wolf. Most deer die in March-April - the season when animals are weakened by wintering.

• Tarantula spider

In addition to being incredibly rare, this member of the animal kingdom is also one of the most beautiful tarantulas. This spider lives in the tropical forests of southwestern India, building houses high in the treetops. Younger representatives of this species live at the roots of the tree, where they can dig holes and weave thick webs around them. In case of danger, they hide in their holes.

• Tonkinese rhinopithecus

This species of mammal of the monkey family is also on the verge of extinction. Already at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, the range was quite limited. Representatives of this species were found only in the forest near the Song Coy River in Vietnam. Tonkinese rhinopithecuswas discovered in Tien Kwang and Vac Tai provinces. At this time, monkeys can also be found in several other provinces of Vietnam.

• Sumatran rhinoceros

This mammal from the genus of Sumatran rhinoceroses is listed in the International Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species”. Moreover, it is the only surviving member of its genus and the smallest member of the rhinoceros family. The animal's habitat is lowland and mountain secondary forests, tropical rainforests and swamps, located at an altitude of up to 2,500 meters above sea level.

• Kulan

A subspecies of wild Asian ass, on this moment practically never found in nature. Some individuals were recorded in Central Asia and in the Middle East. To restore the population of the species, one of the reserves in Turkmenistan was forced to take up artificial breeding of these animals.

• Manul (Pallas cat)

A wild cat with very fluffy and long hair - there are up to 9,000 hairs per square centimeter of the body! Found in Tyva, the Altai Republic and Transbaikalia.

• Komodo dragon

A species of lizard from the monitor lizard family, the largest lizard of the world fauna. According to one hypothesis, it was the monitor lizards of the Indonesian island of Komodo that served as the prototype for the Chinese dragon: an adultmonitor lizardcan exceed three meters in length and weigh more than one and a half centners. This largest lizard on Earth, which can kill a deer with one blow of its tail, is found only in Indonesia and is one of the endangered species of animals.

• Loggerhead

Species of sea turtles, the only representative of the genus Loggerheads, or loggerhead sea turtles. This species is widespread in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, in the Mediterranean Sea, loggerhead can be found in the Far East (Peter the Great Bay) and in the Barents Sea (near Murmansk). The meat of this turtle was considered far from the most delicious; only local tribes consumed it, but its eggs were a delicacy. Their unlimited collection has led to a very serious decline in the number of this turtle species over the past 50-100 years. This species of turtle is listed under the Convention on international trade species of wild flora and fauna and included in the Red Book, protected by the laws of Cyprus, Greece, USA, Italy.

• Sea otter or sea otter

a predatory marine mammal of the mustelid family, a species close to otters. The sea otter has a number of unique features of adaptation to the marine environment, and is also one of the few non-primate animals that use tools. Sea otters live on the northern shores of the Pacific Ocean in Russia, Japan, the USA and Canada. In the 18th-19th centuries, sea otters were subjected to predatory extermination because of their valuable fur, as a result of which the species was on the verge of extinction. In the twentieth century, sea otters were listed in the Red Book of the USSR, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2009, hunting sea otters is virtually prohibited in all regions of the world. Only the indigenous population of Alaska - the Aleuts and Eskimos - are allowed to hunt sea otters, and exclusively to support the folk crafts and food diet that have historically developed in this region.

• Bison

• African wild dog

• California condor

• Orangutans

• Przewalski's horses

Last wild ones Przewalski's horsesdisappeared from nature in the 1960s, by which time they survived only in the desert regions of Dzungaria - on the border of China and Mongolia. But a thousand or more years ago, these animals were widespread in the steppe zone of Eurasia. Currently in mi there are I am only about two thousand individuals kept in zoos. About 300-400 more horses live in the steppes of Mongolia and China, also descending from animals from zoos.

• Gray whale

• Burmese snub-nosed monkey

Previously, this species of monkey did not have law enforcement status, since it was discovered quite recently - in 2010. The monkey got its name because of the unusual structure of its nose, the nostrils of which are turned upward. Sometimes the animal is called a sneezing monkey: when it rains, water gets into the nostrils, and the monkey constantly sneezes. In 2012, the Burmese snub-nosed monkey was included in the list of endangered mammals in the Red Book. The updated version of the publication immediately classified it as a species with the greatest threat of extinction, because the number of monkeys is only about 300 individuals. This small population is at risk of extinction - people are actively destroying their habitat. Hunters also contribute - monkey meat is quite tasty, and macaques can also be sold for the needs of Chinese medicine. The following fact is encouraging: in those rare moments when scientists were able to see snub-nosed monkeys, the latter were accompanied by 9 of their numerous cubs. Thus, there is a possibility of population reproduction.

• Caspian seal

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Caspian seal population was large and numbered one million individuals. A little over a hundred years have passed, and the number marine mammal decreased by 10 times - to 100 thousand. Scientists predict a further decline in the population due to a number of factors: pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and disease. The most acute problem is the mortality of young animals as a result of hunting. Since hunting a grown-up animal is not an easy task, poachers prefer to hunt a defenseless baby seal (baby seal). According to some reports, shooting reaches 6 - 7 thousand individuals per year. This figure is comparable to the permitted shooting volume. Thus, a population decline is guaranteed even with a low level of hunting. Scientists believe that seal fishing should be banned for several years.

In tenth place in the ranking of the most rare species animals we put Bushman's hare. The Bushman's hare (Bunolagus monticularis) is a rare species of lagomorph, its habitat is the Karoo Desert of the Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. The Bushman hare is about 40 cm long, so it is practically the same as an ordinary hare. The number of this animal is 500 individuals.

The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is a mammal that is one of the smallest representatives of rhinoceroses. The number of this animal species is difficult to determine due to its solitary lifestyle; according to some data, there are about 275 individuals left. The conservation of the Sumatran rhinoceros is complicated by the fact that they do not take root well in captivity, since their habits are poorly studied and scientists cannot fully create the necessary conditions.

Cuban slittooth (Solenodoncubanus) - this animal lives on the island of Cuba. It is a venomous mammal that is active at night. In appearance, the Cuban slittooth is similar to a shrew. It has an elongated muzzle and a long hairless tail, reminiscent of a rat. The coloring on different parts of the body is different. The animal weighs about a kilogram. It has a body length from 28 to 39 centimeters. This animal has a remarkably developed sense of smell; they are able to find food in the most inaccessible places. The animal feeds on insects, worms, fallen fruits, seeds and plant leaves. Since the females of this animal give birth to 1-2 cubs per year, and they live on average 5-7 years, their number is rapidly decreasing.

Haitian slittooth (Solenodonparadoxus) - this animal belongs to the slittooth family. The Haitian slittooth differs from the Cuban in size and color; it is much smaller in size and lighter in color. The body length of adult individuals reaches 28-35 centimeters. The home of this animal is a system of tunnels, but during construction they cause irreparable damage to the roots of trees. The Haitian slittooth, like the Cuban one, is on the verge of extinction; there is no exact figure, but the Red Book says that it is an endangered species.

Mountain couscous or possum

The mountain cuscus or possum (Burramysparvus) is a marsupial that resembles a mouse in appearance. Its habitat is the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales. Mountain couscous leads a terrestrial lifestyle and finds shelter from bad weather in cracks, under stones and snow. The animal feeds on fruits, insects, and worms. There are about 2,500 thousand of these small animals. This is not so much if you take into account the fact that the female brings only one cub per year. In the Red Book they have the status of “endangered species”.

Chinese river dolphin(Lipotesvexillifer) is a light bluish-gray dolphin with a white belly and a flag-shaped fin on its back. Its habitat is the Yangtze River and downstream the Qiantang River, and can also be found in the Dongting and Poyang lakes. Their lifestyle is diurnal; at night they rest in areas with slow currents. It feeds mainly on small fish, eels and mollusks. The Chinese river dolphin is one of the rarest mammals on Earth. It is assumed that this species will become extinct within a few years, since its number, according to recent forecasts, is 5-13 individuals.

New Zealand bat(Mystacinarobusta) are mammals belonging to the family of the order Chiroptera. These are the only mice that lead a terrestrial lifestyle. The body length is from 6 to 8 centimeters, and they weigh up to 35 grams. This species inhabits New Zealand and Stewart Island. Using their teeth, they dig holes in the ground or trees. The mouse is active at dusk and at night. It feeds mainly on insects, nectar and pollen. Once upon a time there were a lot of these mice, but due to the fact that Europeans began to move to New Zealand, and with them the worst enemies of these mice were brought, namely cats, martens, rats and other animals. All this led to the fact that the population of New Zealand mice decreased by 98%.

The western echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii) ranks third in our ranking of the rarest animal species. This species lives in New Guinea. The length of the echidna is about 80 centimeters, and its weight is from 5 to 10 kilograms. The echidna's body is covered with fur, and there are spines on the back and sides. The animal is oviparous and is listed in the Red Book with the status of “endangered species.”

Eastern echidna (Zaglossusbartoni) or Barton's echidna - belongs to the genus of oviparous mammals that inhabit New Guinea. They have an excellent sense of smell. They feed on worms and beetles. Difference from other echidnas large size cranium. The eastern echidna, like the western one, is in the Red Book with the status of “endangered species”.

Attenborough's echidna (Zaglossusattenboroughi) - This the rarest animal in the world and the smallest species of oviparous echidna. This species lives in New Guinea. During the day the animal spends time in a hole, and at night it comes out in search of food. The species was named after director and TV presenter David Attenborough. This species is known only from a single specimen, which was discovered in 1961. Since then, Attenborough's echidna has not been found. According to some studies, it is believed that this species became completely extinct around 2005. Of course, there is no photograph of the Attenborough echidna, since after 1961 no one found them, so we put a photo of another echidna.

Top 15 very rare animals Video

Our planet is inhabited by several thousand animals. Among them there are those that are either very rare or are on the verge of extinction. The reasons that provoked this were environmental pollution, hunting, and the crossing of species of closely related species. This article is devoted to an overview of the rarest modern animals. Most of them are already listed in the Red Book, but their populations still have a chance to recover or reduce the speed of approaching the moment of their extinction. But there are also species whose numbers cannot be reduced, since they completely lack either females or males.

10th place. Hunter's Bubal

This animal is also called Hirola, as it belongs to the Hirola genus. In the Red Book, this species is listed in the “Endangered Species” section. While you can still meet
Bubal Hunter in the northern regions of Kenya and southwestern Somalia. Relatively recently, Hunter’s ancestors inhabited territories reaching an area of ​​20,500 km2. Now their habitat has been reduced to eight thousand square kilometers. This happened due to the uncontrolled extermination of mammals big amount poachers, which is explained by the fact that the cost of Hirola horns and skins on the Black Market is very high. Therefore, there is a steady tendency towards the rapid disappearance of these animals. Today they are among the rarest animals in the world.

9th place. Smalltooth sawfly

Saw-nosed rays belong to the saw-nosed ray family. It is listed in the Red Book as endangered. Habitat is the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, however, it is not uncommon for it to be found in rivers. The annual decline in the number of individuals of this animal species is due to their massive extermination by poachers.

8th place. Tonkinese rhinopithecus

The animal, a member of the monkey family, faces complete extinction. Tonkin rhinopithecus is listed in the Red Book. The population size of these animals was already very limited in the middle of the previous year. For now there is, albeit a small, chance to meet representatives of this species in the forests growing around the Song Koi River, which carries its waters through the territory of Vietnam. There are known cases when individual specimens of Tonkin rhinopithecus were found in such provinces as Vac Tai and Tien Kwang.

7th place. Sumatran rhinoceros

An animal from the Sumatran rhinoceros family. In the red book it is listed in the “Endangered Species” section. This species of rhinoceros is the smallest in its family. A likely encounter with the Sumatran rhinoceros is possible in wooded and swampy areas located at an altitude exceeding two kilometers above sea level in the tropical zone.

6th place. Spotted-tailed marsupial marten

To place the marsupial marten in the Red Book, the section “Nearly Vulnerable Species” was selected. This animal is also sometimes called the Tiger cat. This is the second largest (in first place is the Tasmanian devil) marsupial predator living in Australia. The habitat of the mammal, ranked sixth in the ranking, is the northern part of Queensland. However, we should not exclude the possibility of meeting him on the Australian east coast, which stretches from Tasmania to Queensland. To live in these territories, the spotted-tailed marsupial marten chooses forests and coastal thickets.

5th place. Philippine sika deer

The Philippine spotted deer has a reddish-golden body color with small white spots along it. The deer's habitat is the Philippine Islands. Few people manage to see this mammal. It was only recently possible to film it. The natural enemy of the Philippine sika deer, which is in the middle of the list of the world's rarest animals, is considered to be the wolf. The greatest number of deaths among individuals of this species occurs at the end of winter in the period from March to April. This is explained by the extreme weakness of the deer caused by a long winter.

4th place. Visayas warty pig

This animal was listed on the pages of the Red Book relatively recently: only twenty-six years ago. The rapid decline in the population of this type of pig amounted to 80% over a period of time equal to just over half a century. This was due to the presence of uncontrolled hunting, poaching, inbreeding, as well as changes in the habitat of this mammal. The Visayas warty pig is found exclusively in Panay and Negro Islands.

3rd place. Florida cougar

This rare subspecies of puma belongs to the third position in the ranking. The wording with which this animal was registered on the pages of the Red Book looks like this: “A species on the verge of extinction.” When counting in 1970, only twenty individuals of the Florida cougar were recorded. Thanks to the efforts of scientists and the public, by 2011 this figure was increased to one hundred and sixty. The puma lives in swampy and forest areas South Florida, which are located on the territory owned by the Big National reserve. The reasons that triggered the extinction are said to be deterioration of the ecological environment, work to drain swamps, and hunting.

The habitat of the largest predator, not counting the bear, in Eurasia is the mountainous regions of Central Asia. The snow leopard, which ranks first in the ranking of the world's rarest animals, is an animal with a thin, flexible, long body. His llamas are not very long, but strong. The head is relatively small and the tail is long and bushy. The snow leopard is not only included in the Red Book of Russia, it is also present in the world Red Book. It is protected by law in many Asian countries. But even the presence of extremely strict laws designed to protect the beast cannot help stop its extermination. The number of Snow Leopard individuals is becoming less and less every year.