Take a good look at these animals right now. In 2015, they may no longer exist at all.
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1 / 10
Northern White Rhino
Only five northern white rhinos exist on the planet after one died recently at the San Diego Zoo. None of this animal exists in the wild.
2 / 10
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
The ivory-billed woodpecker has not been definitively sighted since 1944. If this unique American bird isn't already extinct, it’s not long until it will be.
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3 / 10
Amur Leopard
Due to various factors, not the least of which is inbreeding, cub survival is on the decline in the Amur leopard population. There are about 30 of them left in the world.
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4 / 10
South China Tiger
In 1996, the population of the South China tiger was estimated at less than 100. Scientists consider the animal to be functionally extinct, a title that may change to simply extinct in 2015. These cats, hunted by man, haven’t been seen in the wild for almost 30 years.
5 / 10
Little Dodo Birds
The little dodo bird is a relative of the dodo that went extinct about 400 years ago. This little cousin is about to suffer the same fate. Little dodo birds now have less than 500 individuals in the total population.
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6 / 10
Mountain Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are being put at risk by multiple factors. They are suffering from Ebola, a disease that is wiping out large numbers. Hunters pick off many more gorillas every year. Their natural habitat is shrinking as well. Mountain gorillas have increased from a population of 620 in 1989 to about 880 right now.
7 / 10
Saolas
Saolas are so rare, they’re called Asian unicorns. Their numbers have fallen to under 1,000 and they’re still declining.
8 / 10
Vaquitas
The vaquita is the rarest marine mammal in the water, and it wasn't even discovered until 1958. Now it’s already facing extinction as early as 2015. Experts predict the animal will be gone by 2018. There fewer than 100 of them, and half the population was lost in the last three years alone. They often fall prey to illegal fishing around the Gulf of California, the animal’s only native habitat. Vaquitas are up to 5 feet long and weigh up to 120 pounds.
9 / 10
Hawaiian Crow
The Hawaiian crow is considered to be extinct in the wild, which means it’s no longer found in Hawaii. It is believed that disease wiped out the population. Only 115 birds are still alive in captivity at the San Diego Zoo. Introducing the birds back into the wild has proved difficult because of the Hawaiian hawk, a natural predator. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a five-year plan to save the bird so it will not become extinct, but that plan expires in 2015.
10 / 10
Javan Rhinos
Of the five rhino species, the Javan rhino is the most threatened. There are around 35 left in the Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia. The last rhino in the wild was poached in 2010. The few who remain are the last hope of the species. The Javan rhino is considered to be on the brink of extinction.
- Source: allday.com
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