10 of the Cutest Endangered Species

baby tiger with paw on branch

Tambako the Jaguar / Getty Images

 

While all endangered species are worth saving, it comes as no surprise that the cute and fuzzy members of the animal kingdom stand a better chance of protection. Once you get past the adorable animals and "poster" endangered species (e.g. whales and elephants), human conservation efforts tend to stall.

In addition to those animals that make us go "aww," big predators and species that are useful or commercially important top the list of the most-protected endangered species. The losers in this competition are mostly plants, reptiles, and amphibians, which are some of the most endangered groups in the world.

Here's our list of the world’s most adorable endangered species—but not all of them are quite as cuddly as they appear.

1
of 10

Pileated Gibbons

black and white pileated gibbon monkey

su neko / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Pileated gibbons are native to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Today about 47,000 of these animals exist in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Like other gibbons, the pileated gibbon is arboreal and lives in monogamous pairs. The animals are threatened by hunting and severe habitat loss.

2
of 10

Mexican Axolotls

green Mexican axolotl in water

LoKiLeCh / Wikimedia Commons / GFDL 1.2

Known as the "Peter Pan" of animals, the Mexican axolotl is a unique type of salamander that spends its entire life in its larval form. It is found only in Mexico's Lake Xochimilco, where it lives underwater. Its ability to regenerate body parts make it a subject of study in labs and schools.

Fewer than 1,200 Mexican axolotls remain today because the lake is drained to provide water for nearby Mexico City. It has also suffered from the introduction of invasive species like carp and tilapia, which eat the axolotls. Additionally, roasted axolotl is also considered a delicacy in Mexico.

In 2012, Australian writer DBC Pierre collaborated with musicians to create "An Axolotl Odyssey," a symphony in honor of the critically endangered animal.

3
of 10

Black-Footed Ferrets

black-footed ferret standing alert in dry grass

Kimberly Frase r /USFWS / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

The black-footed ferret is considered one of America’s top conservation success stories, though the animal is still endangered. The species declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as a result of a decrease in prairie dogs—the ferrets' main prey—which were exterminated as agricultural pests.

In 1979, black-footed ferrets were declared extinct. But in 1981, a Wyoming woman found that her dog had brought a dead one to their home. Scientists scrambled to find more, eventually locating a colony of 61 ferrets. Thanks to conservation efforts, about 1,000 of the animals are now thought to live across the central U.S.

4
of 10

Amur Leopards

close-up portrait of amur leopard

Anja Melior / EyeEm / Getty Images

Native to southeastern Russia, the Amur leopard is listed as critically endangered, with fewer than 60 left in the wild. This big cat is also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard, and the Korean leopard.

It’s been reported that some males stay with females after mating and may even help rear the young. The species is threatened by poaching, habitat loss, and the climate crisis.

5
of 10

Fennec Foxes

cute fennec fox walking on rocks

Nor Alami Bouté / Getty Images

Although the International Union for Conservation of Nature doesn't list fennec foxes as endangered yet, conservationists are concerned that the species may soon be threatened. Native to North Africa and the Middle East, these animals are intensively hunted. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora lists them as an Appendix II species and regulates their trade.

6
of 10

Pygmy Hippos

small pygmy hippo beside large hippo

jeep2499 / Shutterstock

Pygmy hippos look similar to their larger hippopotamus relatives, but they grow to only about two and a half feet tall and are extremely rare in the wild; there are no more than a few thousand remaining. Their primary threat is loss of habitat due to deforestation, but they’re also hunted extensively for food and trophies.

Although pygmy hippos are endangered in the wild, they breed well in zoos. In 1927 Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, gave President Calvin Coolidge a male pygmy hippo named Billy as a gift. Billy is the ancestor of most pygmy hippos in American zoos today.

7
of 10

Sand Cats

tan sand cat walking through sandy hill

 MikeLane45 / Getty Images

The smallest of all wild cats, sand cats are the size of domestic cats and are found in the deserts of northern Africa and central Asia. Because these animals live in vast, arid locations, they’re difficult to study and population estimates aren’t available.

Sand cats are threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and collection for the pet trade. The species went extinct in Israel due to habitat destruction following the territorial exchange between Israel and Jordan in 1994, but in 2012, a litter of four sand cat kittens was born at the Zoological Center of Tel Aviv.

8
of 10

Egyptian Tortoises

egyptian tortoise walking in sunlight

Mtsackid / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Once found in Egypt and Libya, the Egyptian tortoise—one of the smallest tortoises in the world—is effectively extinct in Egypt due to habitat destruction. Although two populations exist in Libya, the species has lost much of its coastline habitat. Today there are about 7,500 Egyptian tortoises remaining in the wild, but populations continue to decline due to hunting for folk medicine and the illegal pet trade. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as critically endangered.

9
of 10

Sea Otters

sea otter and pup together in water

Arthur Morris / Getty Images

Fur traders once hunted sea otters to near extinction, with the animals' numbers dwindling to less than 2,000 during the early 20th century. The species now exists in about two-thirds of its former range at varying levels of recovery.

Although the hunting of otters is no longer permitted except for limited harvests by Indigenous peoples, the species is threatened by predation, poaching, and entanglement in fishing nets. However, oil spills are the animal’s greatest threat. Otters are particularly vulnerable to oil spills because they rely on their fur to keep them warm; when their fur is soaked with oil, it can no longer retain air and the otters die quickly from hypothermia. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill killed an estimated 2,800 otters, and the lingering oil in the area continues to affect the population.

10
of 10

Slow Lorises

slow loris sitting on tree branch

Freder / Getty Images 

Despite its toxic bite and the fact that the 2007 CITES conference banned international transport of the animal, the slow loris is a prized pet, making it a target for animal traffickers. The animals are also hunted for use in traditional Asian medicine and are threatened by habitat loss due to logging. The slow loris’ endangered status varies by country, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists most populations as declining.