24 of the most endangered animals in the US

giant sea bass

Giant sea bass are critically endangered because of over angling.
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  • The globe has anywhere from 5.3 million to ane trillion different species.
  • Over 31,000 species are already considered to exist threatened with extinction.
  • Florida panthers, giant sea bass, and the ruby-red wolf are just a few of the animals listed as critically endangered past the International Spousal relationship for Conservation of Nature.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

While our planet boasts incredible biodiversity, 99.nine% of species that take always existed on Earth are now extinct.

Information technology was estimated that the world boasts anywhere between 5.three million to 1 trillion species. In 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessed 116,177 species from four categories: vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and fungi & protists, and a little over 31,000 were considered threatened with extinction.

To find the virtually imperiled creatures ranging from amphibians to avians, Insider consulted data from the IUCN Red Listing and the Usa Fish and Wild animals Service.

Keep reading to learn most 24 of the most endangered species in the United states.

Although extinct in the wild by 1980, the red wolf was reintroduced to North Carolina vii years later by the US Fish and Wild animals Service.

Red wolves are identified by the color of the fur behind their ears and along their necks and legs.
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Prior to going extinct in the wild in 1980, red wolves — identified past the cherry-red fur behind their ears and forth their necks and legs — were native to North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In 1987, the United states of america Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced the species to eastern North Carolina in an area spanning the Albermarle and Pamlico Sounds.

In machismo, ruby wolves counterbalance an boilerplate of 45 to 80 pounds and stand 26 inches at the shoulder.

The reddish wolf is currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.

At that place are 41 Oahu tree snail species, and all are listed equally federally endangered by the US Fish and Wild fauna Service.

Oahu tree snails were once so common that they factored into Hawaiian folklore and songs.
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Oahu tree snails — whatsoever of 41 species belonging to the genus Achatinella — were once so common on the eponymous isle that they factored into Hawaiian folklore and songs. The creatures live at elevations of more than one,300 anxiety in mountainous dry to wet forests and shrublands.

The snails — which measure iii quarters of an inch and feature varying shell patterns, colors, and shapes — graze on the fungus that coats the surface of native establish leaves. Hermaphroditic in machismo, they have a long lifespan.

One time prized by collectors, their biggest threat is now habitat destruction and predation past rats and cannibal snail species.

The Kemp's ridley turtle is critically endangered.

Despite their small stature, adult Kemp'south ridley turtles can weigh up to 100 pounds.
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Found mainly forth the Gulf of United mexican states, some Kemp'due south ridley turtles swim to the east declension of the United States, including the shore of South Carolina.

Due to the over-harvesting of its eggs, the Kemp'southward ridley is one of the globe's nearly endangered sea turtle species. It's also the smallest species — adults take a trounce length of only 2 feet. Despite their small stature, these turtles can still weigh up to 100 pounds.

Found in the southern tip of the Sunshine State, at that place are but 100 to 180 Florida panthers in the wild.

Panthers once lived across the southeastern Us from Florida to Arkansas.
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Panthers were once plant across the southeastern U.s., spanning from Florida to Mississippi to Arkansas. Now, the only known breeding population is in southern Florida, where at that place are between 120 to 130 of the wildcats left in the wild.

As habitat generalists, panthers — which vest to the same subspecies equally pumas, mountain lions, and cougars — are just as likely to alive in forests, prairies, and swamps.

The Columbia Bowl pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit species — and one of the most endangered.

The main reason for the rabbits' decline is the destruction of their sagebrush habitat.
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True to its name, the Columbia Bowl pygmy rabbit — which weighs less than a pound and measures betwixt ix.iii to 11.6 inches long in adulthood — is the smallest rabbit species. It's also i of the most endangered. Equally of 2001, fewer than 50 were found in the wild.

While the species once lived throughout the northwestern United States, its range is at present limited to Washington State. The master reason for the pygmy rabbits' decline is the large-calibration destruction of their sagebrush habitat. They rely on sagebrush for both shelter and food.

The Eskimo curlew was last sighted with certainty in 1963 — and some scientists speculate it might already be extinct.

Eskimo curlews in one case migrated between convenance grounds in Alaska and Canada and their winter home in Argentina.
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Listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red Listing, the Eskimo curlew was final seen with certainty in 1963. Some scientists speculate it might already be extinct.

Historically, the birds ranged from breeding grounds in the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic to Argentina'southward Pampas grasslands, where they would migrate each winter. One report from the mid-19th century detailed how a flock occupied 40 to fifty acres of footing in Nebraska.

Ramsey Canyon leopard frogs have been institute at just five sites in Arizona, including backyard ponds.

As habitat generalists, these amphibians thrive in aquatic areas in oak woodlands and semi-desert grasslands.
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Native to Arizona'southward Huachuca Mountains, extant populations of Ramsey Coulee leopard frogs have been found at only five sites, backyard ponds included. As habitat generalists, these amphibians tin can thrive in aquatic areas of pino-oak, oak woodland, and semi-desert grassland environments.

Although they're now protected in California and United mexican states, giant sea bass are critically endangered due to over fishing.

Giant sea bass are found from California's Humboldt Bay to the tip of Baja California.
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Spanning from California's Humboldt Bay to the tip of Baja California, giant sea bass are critically endangered due to over fishing, and have been listed by the IUCN since 1996.

While juveniles are institute at depths of near 40 to seventy feet, where they swim around kelp beds, adults adopt depths of nearly 100 feet.

Staghorn coral has experienced a population reduction of more than 80% over the past 30 years.

This coral species is plant in shallow tropical reefs from Florida to Venezuela.
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Staghorn coral — institute in shallow tropical reef ecosystems from Palm Embankment, Florida, to Venezuela — has experienced a population reduction of more than eighty% over the past 30 years.

Major threats to the species (and other corals) include disease and climate change.

The Franklin's bumble bee was last sighted in 2006 by a retired entomologist.

Franklin'southward bumble bee not pictured.
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Much of what we know most the Franklin'due south bumble bee, which was last sighted in 2006, comes from a retired (and tireless) entomologist named Robbin Thorp. His unpublished reports indicate that populations have decreased drastically since 1998 — to such an extent that non a single one of the bees was spotted betwixt 2004 and 2005.

This rare bumblebee — one of more than than twenty,000 apian species — is only constitute between southern Oregon and northern California.

In general, the largest threats to bumblebees include exotic diseases introduced via commercial greenhouses, habitat devastation, and agricultural pesticides.

In that location are fewer than 250 dusky gopher frogs, which are found only in Mississippi.

Dusky gopher frog not pictured.
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Information technology's estimated that there are fewer than 250 mature dusky gopher frogs, which live in stump holes and burrows in longleaf pine forests. You'll find breeding adults and tadpoles in shallow, fishless emphemeral, and isolated wetlands.

One time spanning the coastal patently of the southern United States from eastern Louisiana to Alabama's Mobile River delta, the species is now limited to Harrison County, Mississippi. As of 2003, these frogs have primarily been establish in Glen'southward Pond in De Soto National Forest.

Like sharks and rays, smalltooth sawfish are members of a cartilaginous group of fish called elasmobranchs.

In adulthood, smalltooth sawfish can weigh up to 770 pounds.
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Along with sharks, skates, and rays, sawfish are members of a cartilaginous group of fish called elasmobranchs.  The oldest cousin of the sawfish nosotros know today took to the waters 100 million years agone.

The smalltooth, found mainly in the peninsula of Florida, is 1 of two sawtooth species native to the Us. Information technology's as well institute as far abroad as Honduras and Sierra Leone. Measuring between 18 and 25 feet long in machismo, smalltooth sawfish can counterbalance upwards to 770 pounds.

Due to their size, smalltooth sawfish can damage fishing gear and pose a threat to fishermen. When they're captured by mistake, they're ofttimes killed. Juvenile fish, which live in shallow areas abundant in vegetation (such equally mangrove forests), are imperiled by habitat loss.

The Mitchell'southward satyr butterfly is plant just in Michigan and Indiana, where information technology lives in rare wetlands known as fens.

The species can be identified by the orange-ringed black circular eyespots on its wings.
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Plant only in Michigan and Indiana, the Mitchell's satyr butterfly is restricted to rare wetlands known equally fens. It tin can be identified past its wings, which feature orange-ringed black circular eyespots.

Habitat destruction is the principal reason why the Mitchell'southward satyr is endangered. Much of its wetland habitat has been drained and filled due to urban and agricultural evolution. Fens are also susceptible to pollution from pesticides, fertilizer, and other contaminants. Additionally, some populations might accept been decimated by butterfly collectors.

Bog turtles are threatened by damage to their wetland habitat. They're also in demand in the pet merchandise.

In that location are two separate populations of bog turtles.
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There are two separate populations of bog turtles, which alive in marshes and swamps in regions ranging from the southeastern Appalachian foothills to western Massachusetts.

The biggest threat to the species is habitat destruction. Bog turtles are also in small-scale merely high demand in the pet trade.

California condors nearly perished for proficient in the 1980s, simply an intensive captive breeding program brought them dorsum from the brink of extinction.

The species' refuse has been attributed to lead poisoning and to the reduced eggshell thickness from Ddt.
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By 1987, California condors — which have historically been establish between British Columbia and Baja California — were extinct in the wild. That twelvemonth, the final half dozen wild members of the species were captured for a breeding recovery program.  Thankfully, the plan was successful, yielding a population of 223 birds by 2003.

The species' refuse has been attributed to pb poisoning (from the accidental ingestion of bullet fragments stuck in carcasses) and to reduced eggshell thickness related to ingesting the pesticide DDT.

The Ozark hellbender is a large, aquatic salamander plant in Missouri and Arkansas.

The Ozark hellbender is nocturnal, unremarkably hiding under large rocks during the day.
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The Ozark hellbender is a large, aquatic salamander that tin can survive for up to 30 years in the wild. Found only in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, the species lives in the White River watershed.

In addition to ore and gravel mining, its habitat is harmed by food and toxic runoff. The Missouri populations are too threatened by an infectious mucus.

The Kanab ambersnail is found only in Utah and in Arizona's Grand Coulee National Park.

The Kanab ambersnail is non pictured.
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Kanab ambersnails are an endangered mollusk institute in Kanab, Utah, and in Arizona's G Canyon National Park. They utilize wetland vegetation for food and shelter, receding into their shells during the winter.

A hermaphroditic species, these snails are capable of cocky-fertilization if they can't observe a mate.

Mississippi sandhill cranes are found only at a wildlife refuge in Jackson County, Mississippi.

Around 100 of the cranes alive at the refuge.
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Critically endangered, Mississippi sandhill cranes are found only at a wildlife refuge in Jackson County, Mississippi, where around 100 individuals remain.

Originally, the population'due south range spanned along the Gulf coastal plain from southern Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle. Much of the species' habitat was destroyed when the open pine savanna was converted to pine plantations following Globe State of war 2.

The grotto sculpin is found in the caves of Perry County, Missouri.

The grotto sculpin not pictured.
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The grotto sculpin, a tiny, cave-habitation fish, is found only in Perry County, Missouri. A federally endangered species, the population is contained to five cavern systems and two streams.

H2o contamination poses the biggest threat to the species.

The coral pink sand dunes tiger beetle is critically endangered and only found in Utah.

The tiger beetles range from 11 to fifteen millimeters in length.
Ferdy Timmerman/Shutterstock

The coral pink sand dunes tiger protrude tin only be constitute in Utah'due south Coral Pink Sand Dunes Land Park. Its habitat is primarily threatened by offroad vehicles and droughts due to climate change.

While two conservation areas and a ban on offroad vehicles have been established, the species remains critically endangered considering of its small-scale range size.

The entire species of the Maui parrotbill is fenced in to prevent threats from feral pigs and deer.

The bill tin can be used to split branches and extract larvae.
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This endangered species is upward against a variety of threats, including feral pigs, deer, hurricanes, and general environmental deposition.

The feral pigs began invading the species' habitat in 1945 and continued to threaten the parrotbill upward until 1995, spreading disease-carrying mosquitos. Now, the Maui parrotbill species are currently living in a conservation area on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The Florida cavern shrimp has simply been establish in a unmarried limestone cave in Florida and were last seen there in 1973.

Florida cave shrimp not pictured.
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The first Florida cave shrimp were nerveless in 1953, and so over again in 60s and 70s, with the final known species recorded in 1973.

Since the cave shrimp are just establish in i cave, their ecosystem is expected to face up threats equally Gainsville, Florida expands. The expansion could bear on ground-water quality because of storm water runoff, sewage drainage, and fertilizer use in the area.

The cave shrimp are also threatened past an invasive fish species that have been found in the cave.

The Akohekohe, or crested honeykeeper, is the largest bird of its kind in Maui and is predominantly threatened by deer.

The Akohekohe is not pictured, but also features orange splotches throughout its torso and caput.
Michael Siluk/Shutterstock

The Akohekohe species lives in the forests of Maui and is threatened past habitat degradation and affliction-conveying mosquitos plant in the lowlands. Extreme weather as a result of climate change is also a constant threat to the bird.

There are but an estimated 3,800 mature individuals, which places the species on the IUCN'south critically endangered list.

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