Among the 120,372 species monitored by the IUCN, 8,404 were categorized as Critically Endangered as of 2021.
About 96 percent of all mammal species extinctions of the last hundred thousand years can be attributed to human impact.
This article, part 2 of our two-part series, highlights nine more animals on the brink of extinction.
A total of 21 species, including birds, mussels, fish, and one mammal, were officially declared extinct by U.S. scientists this year. This article, the second in our 2-part series, takes a look at nine more animals on the verge of extinction.
1. Gorillas
These highly intelligent animals, which exhibit numerous human-like behaviors and emotions, such as sadness and laughter, are our third-closest relatives, following chimpanzees and bonobos.
Inhabiting the tropical and subtropical forests of equatorial Africa, the largest of the great apes are divided into two species: the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla). Both are classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN.
