Mammal
Pangolin
The world's only scaly mammal
Critically Endangered animals
22 species in the guide are facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Each profile leads with a direct answer to the most-searched questions.
What "Critically Endangered" means
Critically Endangered (CR) is the highest-risk category the IUCN Red List assigns to a wild species before Extinct in the Wild. It means a species faces an extremely high probability of extinction — usually because its population has collapsed, its range has shrunk drastically, or very few mature individuals remain. Species at this level typically depend on active conservation to survive.
Conservation categories follow the IUCN Red List. See the conservation hub for how every status compares.
Mammal
Gorilla
The largest living primate
Reptile
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
The tortoiseshell turtle
Mammal
Black Rhinoceros
Africa's hook-lipped browser in crisis
Bird
California Condor
North America's largest flying land bird
Bird
Kakapo
Flightless nocturnal parrot of New Zealand
Fish
Coelacanth
Living-fossil lobe-finned fish
Mammal
Sumatran Rhinoceros
The smallest, hairiest — and rarest — rhino
Mammal
Javan Rhino
The rarest rhino on Earth
Amphibian
Axolotl
The salamander that never grows up and can regrow body parts
Mammal
Saiga Antelope
Bulbous-nosed steppe antelope of Central Asia
Amphibian
Chinese Giant Salamander
World's largest amphibian
Fish
Largetooth Sawfish
Giant ray with a toothed rostral saw
Fish
Hammerhead Shark
The shark with a head like a hammer
Amphibian
Golden Mantella
Critically Endangered orange gem of Madagascar
Fish
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Critically Endangered lord of the open ocean
Fish
Common Guitarfish
Critically Endangered shovel ray of sandy coasts
Invertebrate
Red Abalone
Critically Endangered nacre snail of Pacific kelp
Mammal
Orangutan
The great ape of the Southeast Asian rainforest
Fish
European Eel
The 100-year reproductive mystery that baffled scientists from Aristotle to the 21st century
Reptile
Gharial
The fish-eating crocodilian with a long, narrow snout
Mammal
Vaquita
The world's most endangered marine mammal
Frequently asked questions
What does "Critically Endangered" mean?
Critically Endangered (CR) is the highest-risk category the IUCN Red List assigns to a wild species before Extinct in the Wild. It means a species faces an extremely high probability of extinction — usually because its population has collapsed, its range has shrunk drastically, or very few mature individuals remain. Species at this level typically depend on active conservation to survive.
Which animals are Critically Endangered?
The Global Animal Guide lists 22 species as Critically Endangered, including Pangolin, Gorilla, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Black Rhinoceros, California Condor. See the full list below.