Top 10 endangered animals in Africa

What would it be like if you could see the future? Will animals like the addax or Ethiopian wolf still exist twenty years from today? As you ponder about those questions, it is evident that extinction is a real thing. It will be sad to no longer see your favorite exist few years down the line. Particularly, Africa has many animals that face extinction. If you cannot name three or more animals that could be off the face of the earth, here are the names of the ten most endangered animals in Africa.

Poaching, diseases, and loss of habitat are some of the top reasons for the declining number of wild animals. The sad part is that the human population ever increasing and causing pollution and deforestation. Based on such trends, the following animals may not be part of the planet Earth in the next few years.

Hirola

It is also called the Hunter’s antelope and is on the list of the most endangered animals in Africa. It is found on the border of Somalia and Kenya. These antelopes are the most endangered antelopes and are the only remaining members of their genus. In 2012, there were about 50 Hirolas.

Addax

The other name for this mammal is “White Antelope.” It lives in the Sahara Desert and is on the red list of animals that face imminent extinction. Factors like oil industry activities, regional insecurity, and hunting are behind the sharp decline of this species of antelope. The estimated entire population of the Addax is 300 with the majority in a small region of Niger called Tin Toumma.

Ethiopian Wolf

The dwindling number of the Ethiopian Wolf is a true testament of how human encroachment can lead to the extinction of other species. In this case, livestock over-grazing and subsistence farming are the reasons why there are only about 400 adult Ethiopian Wolves in the Ethiopian highlands.

Mountain Gorilla

These gorillas are also on the list of endangered animals in Africa because they are only 900 of them remaining on the earth. Your next trip should be to Virunga National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park if you want to see these gentle giants before they could be no more.

This species is herbivore and is in danger of being swept out of the face to the earth due to poaching, diseases, and habitat destruction.

Pygmy Hippopotamus

These hippopotamuses are just like their normal counterparts, but get their name from their stature. Studies are underway to determine the distribution of these mammals in Liberia and Sierra Leone. They are believed to be less than 3000 remaining in the world.

African Wild Dog

These dogs are on the extinction watch list because they are no longer present in 25 of the 39 counties they previously existed. At the moment, there are 3,000 to 5,500 African Wild Dogs remaining.

Black Rhinoceros

Poaching has been the Achilles heel of the rhino population across the world and the same trend applies for the Black Rhinoceros. Since 2008, poachers have killed almost 6,000 rhinos and the moment, there are about 3,500 remaining.

Cheetah

The number of cheetahs in Africa has been dwindling hence the need for the many conservation initiatives across the continent. Factors like human interference and loss of their natural habitat have led to the extinction concerns for the fast mammals on earth.

African Lion

Although the African lion is not critically endangered, they face the same adversities that their counterparts on the red zone encountered. Trophy hunting, poisoning, and loss of natural habitat are some of the reasons for the thinning number of the African lions. There are about 22,000 accounted lions in Africa.

African Penguin

Right now is the best time you should plan a trip to go see the African Penguin. These animals are facing their biggest problems that come in the form of massive oil spills and commercial fishing activities.

The above list of the most endangered animals in Africa has animals that you would hate to lose from planet earth. Have you ever played a part in ensuring the number of animals on the extinction watch list does not drop any further? Even a small donation to the appropriate organization can go a long way. In the meantime, the list should be a little reminder for you to travel more and see the animals listed.

Author: Venic Nyanchama – contributing writer to TUKO – Kenyan news