The world's 100 most threatened species

The world's 100 most threatened species was chosen by over 8,000 scientists from the IUCN Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC), and the Zoological Society of London. The report was published by the Zoological Society of London in 2012 as the book, Priceless or Worthless? 

The species are threatened with extinction, and they have no obvious benefit for humans. This was deliberate, to avoid "vested interests".Vested interest: a conflict of interest which might wrongly influence decisions. Iconic and charismatic species,Iconic: having the status of an icon; charismatic: attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. such as tigers and pandas, and economically important species, have many defenders. These apparently "worthless" species had none. The title of the report, "Priceless or Worthless?", is based on that shared quality of the species. The report's co-author, Ellen Butcher, stated one of the guiding principles of the list, "If we take immediate action we can give them a fighting chance for survival. But this requires society to support the moral and ethical position that all species have an inherent right to exist".Kew Magazine stated that, "A strong and consistent moral and ethical stance needs to be taken, they (the authors of The List) argue, that all species have a right to exist". 

Scientists are finding they have to justify funding for protection by showing what the human benefits would be. Jonathan Baillie, of the Zoological Society of London, said "The donor community and conservation movement are increasingly leaning towards a 'what can nature do for us?' approach, where species and wild habitats are valued and prioritised according to these services they provided for people. This has made it increasingly difficult for conservationists to protect the most threatened species on the planet".

Some of the threatened species are down to only a handful of surviving members. Santa Catarina’s guinea pig, native to a single island in Brazil, is down to its last 40–60 individuals, reduced by hunting and habitat disturbance. The Great Indian bustard is threatened by habitat loss resulting from agriculture and human development, and is down to the last 50–250 individuals. Elaeocarpus bojeri, a flowering plant found only on the island of Mauritius, has fewer than 10 surviving individuals, because of loss of habitat. The Baishan fir (Abies beshanzuensis), native to China, is down to five surviving mature individuals. Priceless or Worthless? describes the threats that each species is facing, and measures that would help their survival.

Species list

+ The world's 100 most threatened species Species Common name Type Image Location(s) Estimated population Threats Abies beshanzuensis Baishan Fir Plant (tree)  Baishanzu Mountain, Zhejiang, China Five mature individuals 
 agriculture
 fire Actinote zikani  Insect (butterfly)  Near São Paulo, Atlantic forest, Brazil Unknown 
 habitat loss from human expansion Aipysurus foliosquama Leaf scaled sea-snake Reptile  Ashmore Reef and Hibernia Reef, Timor Sea Unknown 
 unknown—probably degradation of coral reef habitat Amanipodagrion gilliesi Amani flatwing Insect (damselfly)  Amani-Sigi Forest, Usamabara Mountains, Tanzania < 500 individuals 
 population pressure and water pollution Antilophia bokermanni Araripe manakin Bird 100px Chapado do Araripe, South Ceará, Brazil 779 individuals 
 growth of agriculture
 recreational facilities
 water diversion Antisolabis seychellensis (earwig) Insect  Morne Blanc, Mahé island, Seychelles Unknown 
 invasive species
 climate change Aphanius transgrediens Aci Göl toothcarp Fish  south-eastern shore of former Lake Aci, Turkey few hundred pairs 
 competition and predation by Gambusia
 road construction Aproteles bulmerae Bulmer’s fruit bat Mammal (bat)  Luplupwintern Cave, Western Province, Papua New Guinea approx. 150 
 hunting
 cave disturbance Ardea insignis White bellied heron Bird 100px Bhutan, North East India and Myanmar 70–400 individuals 
 hydropower development Ardeotis nigriceps Great Indian bustard Bird 100px Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashta, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya, India 50–249 mature individuals 
 agricultural development Astrochelys yniphora Ploughshare tortoise  Angonoka Reptile (tortoise) 100px Baly Bay region, northwestern Madagascar 440–770 
 illegal collection for international pet trade Atelopus balios Rio Pescado stubfoot toad Amphibian (toad)  Azuay, Cañar and Guyas provinces, south-western Ecuador Unknown 
 Chytridiomycosis
 logging
 agricultural expansion Aythya innotata Madagascar pochard Bird 100px volcanic lakes north of Bealanana, Madagascar approx. 80 mature individuals 
 agriculture
 hunting and fishing
 introduced fish Azurina eupalama Galapagos damsel fish Fish 100px Unknown Unknown 
 climate Change
 oceanographic changes related to the 1982/1983 El Nino Bahaba taipingensis Giant yellow croaker Fish  Chinese coast from Yangtze River, China to Hong Kong Unknown 
 over-fishing due to value of swim-bladder in traditional medicine Batagur baska Common batagur  Four-toed terrapin Reptile (turtle) 100px Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Malaysia Unknown 
 illegal export China Bazzania bhutanica (liverwort) Plant  Budini and Lafeti Khola, Bhutan two populations 
 forest clearance
 overgrazing
 development Beatragus hunteri Hirola (antelope) Mammal 100px South-east Kenya and possibly south-west Somalia < 1,000 individuals 
 habitat loss
 competition with livestock
 poaching Bombus franklini Franklin’s bumblebee Insect (bee)  Oregon and California Unknown 
 disease from commercial bumblebees
 habitat destruction and degradation Brachyteles hypoxanthus Northern muriqui  woolly spider monkey Mammal (primate) 100px Atlantic forest, south-eastern Brazil < 1,000 
 large-scale deforestation and logging Bradypus pygmaeus Pygmy three-toed sloth Mammal  Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama < 500 
 illegal logging of mangrove forests for firewood and construction
 hunting Callitriche pulchra (water-starwort) Plant (freshwater)  pool on Gavdos, Greece Unknown 
 habitat exploitation by livestock
 modification of the pool by locals Calumma tarzan Tarzan’s chameleon Reptile  Anosibe An’Ala region, eastern Madagascar < 100 
 agriculture Cavia intermedia Santa Catarina’s guinea pig Mammal (rodent)  Moleques do Sul Island, Santa Catarina, Brazil 40–60 
 habitat disturbance
 possible hunting
 result of having such a small population Cercopithecus roloway Roloway guenon (monkey) Mammal (primate) 100px Côte d'Ivoire Unknown 
 hunting
 habitat loss Coleura seychellensis Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Mammal (bat)  Two small caves on Silhouette and Mahé, Seychelles < 100 
 habitat degradation
 predation by invasive species Cryptomyces maximus Willow blister Fungi  Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom Unknown 
 limited habitat Cryptotis nelsoni Nelson’s small-eared shrew Mammal (shrew)  Volcán San Martín Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico Unknown 
 logging
 cattle grazing
 fire
 agriculture Cyclura collei Jamaican iguana  Jamaican rock iguana Reptile 100px Hellshire Hills, Jamaica Unknown 
 habitat destruction
 predation by introduced species Dendrophylax fawcettii Cayman Islands ghost orchid Plant (orchid)  Ironwood Forest, George Town, Grand Cayman Unknown 
 infrastructure development Dicerorhinus sumatrensis Sumatran rhino Mammal (rhino) 100px Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan and Sumatra, Indonesia < 250 
 hunting (horn is used in traditional medicine) Diomedea amsterdamensis Amsterdam albatross Bird 100px Breeds on Plateuau des Tourbières, Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean. 100 mature individuals 
 disease
 incidental by-catch in long-line fishing Dioscorea strydomiana Wild yam Plant  Oshoek area, Mpumalanga, South Africa 200 
 collection for medicinal use Diospyros katendei  Plant (tree)  Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Uganda 20 individuals in a single population 
 agricultural activity
 illegal tree felling
 alluvial gold digging
 small population Dipterocarpus lamellatus  Plant (tree)  Siangau Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia 12 individuals 
 logging of lowland forest
 creation of industrial plantations Discoglossus nigriventer Hula painted frog Amphibian (frog) 100px Hula Valley, Israel Unknown 
 predation by birds
 range restriction due to habitat destruction Dombeya mauritania  Plant  Mauritius Unknown 
 encroachment by invasive plant species
 habitat loss due to cannabis cultivation Elaeocarpus bojeri  Plant (tree)  Grand Bassin, Mauritius < 10 individuals 
 habitat degradation Eleutherodactylus glandulifer La Hotte glanded frog Amphibian (frog)  Massif de la Hotte, Haiti Unknown 
 charcoal production
 slash-and-burn agriculture Eleutherodactylus thorcetes Macaya breast-spot frog Amphibian (frog)  Formon and Macaya peaks, Masif de la Hotte, Haiti Unknown 
 charcoal production
 slash-and-burn agriculture Eriosyce chilensis Chilenito (cactus) Plant  Pta Molles and Pichidungui, Chile < 500 individuals 
 collection of flowering plants Erythrina schliebenii Coral tree Plant (tree)  Namatimbili-Ngarama Forest, Tanzania < 50 individuals 
 limited habitat and small population size increase vulnerability Euphorbia tanaensis  Plant (tree)  Witu Forest Reserve, Kenya 4 mature individuals 
 illegal logging
 agricultural expansion
 infrastructure development Eurynorhyncus pygmeus Spoon-billed sandpiper Bird 100px Breeds in Russia, migrates along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to wintering grounds in Bangladesh and Myanmar 100 breeding pairs 
 trapping
 land reclamation Ficus katendei  Plant  Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Ishasha River, Uganda < 50 mature individuals 
 agriculture
 illegal tree felling
 alluvial gold digging Geronticus eremita Northern bald ibis Bird 100px Breeds in Morocco, Turkey and Syria. Syrian population winters in
central Ethiopia. 200–249 mature individuals 
 habitat degradation and destruction
 hunting Gigasiphon macrosiphon (flowering plant in legume family) Plant  Kaya Muhaka, Gongoni and Mrima Forest Reserves, Kenya, Amani Nature Reserve, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, and Kihansi Gorge, Tanzania 33 
 timber extraction
 agriculture encroachment and development
 predation by wild pigs Gocea ohridana (type of gastropod) Mollusc  Lake Ohrid, Macedonia Unknown 
 increasing pollution levels
 off-take of water
 sedimentation events Heleophryne rosei Table mountain ghost frog Amphibian (frog)  Table Mountain, Western Cape Province, South Africa Unknown 
 invasive plants
 water abstraction Hemicycla paeteliana (type of land snail) Mollusc  Jandia peninsula, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands Unknown 
 overgrazing
 trampling by goats and tourists Heteromirafa sidamoensis Liben lark Bird  Liben Plains, southern Ethiopia 90–256 
 agricultural expansion
 overgrazing
 fire suppression Hibiscadelphus woodii  Plant (small tree)  Kalalau Valley, Hawaii Unknown 
 habitat degradation due to feral ungulates
 competition with invasive plant species Hucho perryi Sakhalin taimen  Fish 100px Russian and Japanese rivers, Pacific Ocean between Russia and Japan Unknown 
 overfishing (sport fishing and commercial bycatch)
 damming
 agriculture
 other land use Johora singaporensis Singapore freshwater crab Crustacean  Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and streamlet near Bukit Batok, Singapore Unknown 
 habitat degradation due to reduction in water quality and quantity Lathyrus belinensis Belin vetchling (flowering plant related to Lathyrus odoratus - sweet pea)  Plant  Outskirts of Belin village, Antalya, Turkey < 1,000 
 urbanisation
 over-grazing
 conifer planting
 road widening Leiopelma archeyi Archey’s frog Amphibian (frog) 100px Coromandel peninsula and Whareorino Forest, New Zealand Unknown 
 Chytridiomycosis
 predation by invasive species Lithobates sevosus Dusky gopher frog Amphibian (frog)  Harrison County, Mississippi, USA 60–100 
 fungal disease
 climate change
 land-use changes Lophura edwardsi Edwards’s pheasant Bird 100px Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, Viet Nam Unknown 
 habitat loss
 hunting Magnolia wolfii (type of Magnolia tree) Plant  Risaralda, Colombia < 5 
 isolation of species
 low regeneration rates Margaritifera marocana (type of freshwater mussel) Mollusc  Oued Denna, Oued Abid and Oued Beth, Morocco < 250 
 pollution
 development Moominia willii (snail) Mollusc  Silhouette Island, Seychelles < 500 
 invasive species
 climate change Natalus primus Cuban greater funnel eared bat Mammal (bat)  Cueva La Barca, Isle of Pines, Cuba < 100 
 habitat loss
 human disturbance Nepenthes attenboroughii Attenborough’s pitcher plant Plant 100px Mount Victoria, Palawan, Philippines Unknown 
 poaching Nomascus hainanus Hainan gibbon Mammal (primate) 100px Hainan Island, China < 20 
 hunting Neurergus kaiseri Luristan newt Amphibian  Zagros Mountains, Lorestan, Iran < 1,000 
 illegal collection for pet trade Oreocnemis phoenix Mulanje red damsel (damselfly) Insect (damselfly)  Mulanje Plateau, Malawi Unknown 
 habitat destruction and degradation due to drainage
 agricultural expansion
 exploitation of forest Pangasius sanitwongsei Pangasid catfish Fish 100px Chao Phraya and Mekong basins in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam Unknown 
 overfishing
 collection for aquarium trade Parides burchellanus (butterfly) Insect (butterfly)  Cerrado, Brazil < 100 
 human expansion
 limited range Phocoena sinus Vaquita (porpoise) Mammal (cetacean)  Northern Gulf of California, Mexico < 200 
 capture in fishermen's gillnets Picea neoveitchii Type of spruce tree Plant (tree)  Qinling Range, China Unknown 
 destruction of forest Pinus squamata Qiaojia pine Plant (tree)  Qiaojia, Yunnan, China < 25 
 limited distribution
 small population size Poecilotheria metallica Gooty tarantula, metallic tarantula, peacock parachute spider, peacock tarantula, Salepurgu Spider 100px Nandyal and Giddalur, Andhra Pradesh, India Unknown 
 deforestation
 firewood collection
 civil unrest Pomarea whitneyi Fatuhiva monarch Bird  Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia 50 
 predation by introduced species - Rattus rattus and feral cats Pristis pristis Common sawfish Fish 100px Coastal tropical and subtropical waters of Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Currently largely restricted to northern Australia Unknown 
 exploitation has removed the species from 95 per cent of its historical range Prolemur simus Greater bamboo lemur Mammal (primate) 100px Southeastern and southcentral rainforests of Madagascar 100–160 
 agriculture
 mining
 illegal logging Propithecus candidus Silky sifaka Mammal (primate) 100px Maroantsetra to Andapa basin, and Marojeju Massif, Madagascar 100–1,000 
 hunting
 habitat disturbance Psammobates geometricus Geometric tortoise Reptile (tortoise)  Western Cape Province, South Africa Unknown 
 loss of habitat destruction
 predation Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Saola Mammal 100px Annamite mountains, on the Viet Nam - PDR Laos border Unknown 
 habitat destruction
 hunting Psiadia cataractae  Plant  Mauritius Unknown 
 development project
 competition from invasive plant species Psorodonotus ebneri Beydaglari bush-cricket Insect  Beydaglari range, Antalaya, Turkey Unknown 
 climate change
 habitat loss Rafetus swinhoei Red River giant softshell turtle Reptile (turtle) 100px Hoan Kiem Lake and Dong Mo Lake, Viet Nam, and Suzhou Zoo, China 3 
 hunting for consumption
 wetland destruction
 pollution Rhinoceros sondaicus Javan rhino Mammal (rhino) 100px Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia < 100 
 hunting for traditional medicine
 small population size Rhinopithecus avunculus Tonkin snub-nosed monkey Mammal (primate)  Northeastern Viet Nam < 200 
 habitat loss
 hunting Rhizanthella gardneri West Australian underground orchid Plant (orchid) 100px Western Australia, Australia < 100 
 land clearance for agriculture
 climate change
 salinisation Rhynchocyon sp. Boni giant sengi Mammal (shrew) 100px Boni-Dodori Forest, Lamu area, Kenya Unknown 
 development causing habitat loss Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi Cebu frill-wing (damselfly) Insect (damselfly)  Rivulet beside the Kawasan River, Cebu, Philippines Unknown 
 habitat degradation and destruction Rosa arabica  Plant  St Katherine Mountains, Egypt Unknown, 10 sub-populations 
 domestic animal grazing
 climate change and drought
 medicinal plant collecting
 limited range Salanoia durrelli Durrell’s vontsira  (type of mongoose) Mammal 100px Marshes of Lake Alaotra, Madagascar Unknown 
 loss of habitat Santamartamys rufodorsalis Red crested tree rat Mammal (rodent)  Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia Unknown 
 urban development
 coffee cultivation Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis Red-finned Blue-eye Fish  Edgbaston Station, central western Queensland, Australia 2,000-4,000 
 predation by introduced species Squatina squatina Angel shark Fish (shark) 100px Canary Islands Unknown 
 benthic trawling Sterna bernsteini Chinese crested tern Bird  Breeding in Zhejiang and Fujian, China. Outside breeding season in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand. < 50 
 habitat destruction
 egg collection Syngnathus watermeyeri Estuarine pipefish Fish  Kariega Estuary to East Kleinemonde Estuary, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa Unknown 
 dam construction is altering river flows
 flood events into estuaries Tahina spectabilis Suicide Palm  Dimaka Plant 100px Analalava district, north-western Madagascar 90 
 fires
 logging
 agricultural developments Telmatobufo bullocki Bullock’s false toad Amphibian (frog) 100px Nahuelbuta, Arauco Province, Chile Unknown 
 construction of hydro-electricity Tokudaia muenninki Okinawa spiny rat Mammal (rodent)  Okinawa Island, Japan Unknown 
 habitat loss
 predation by feral cats Trigonostigma somphongsi Somphongs’s rasbora Fish 100px Mae Khlong basin, Thailand Unknown 
 farmland conversion and urbanization Valencia letourneuxi  Fish  Southern Albania and Western Greece Unknown 
 habitat destruction
 water abstraction
 aggressive interaction with Gambusia Voanioala gerardii Forest coconut Plant  Masoala peninsula, Madagascar < 10 
 deforestation
 harvesting for consumption of palm heart Zaglossus attenboroughi Attenborough’s echidna Mammal  Cyclops Mountains, Papua Province, Indonesia Unknown 
 habitat modification and degradation
 logging
 agricultural encroachment shifting cultivation and hunting by local people

 References 

Category:Lists of animals
Category:Lists of plants
Category:Conservation