We are currently going through what is known as the Holocene extinction event. A mass extinction of species that is slowly gaining speed as more and more of the planet is taken over by humans. From our cities and farming, to pollution and hunting, we are quickly leaving no way for species, especially larger ones that need space, to survive.  With that in mind, here is a list of the 10 species most at risk of extinction right now.

Iberian Lynx

Programa de Conservación Ex-situ del Lince Ibérico www.lynxexsitu.

The Iberian Lynx very well could be the next species to go. It’s numbers are now estimated at as few as 100.  If the Lynx does become extinct, it will be the first big cat species to vanish since the Smilodon over 10,000 years ago. The good news though is that breeding program in Spain has been showing some success, and the first captive bred cubs were born in 2005.

California Condor

Sempivirens Via Flickr

This giant bird, which can live up to 50 years was nearly extinct in 1987 when there were only 22 California Condors left in the wild. All of them were captured to start a breeding program which has worked so well that there are now  322 of them, with 172 living in the wild. And while this is great news that all conservationists should be proud of,  this species is still very much critically endangered and could easily disappear in our lifetimes.

Black Rhinoceros

nonisense via flickr

Just 100 years ago, the four subspecies of  black rhinoceros had a population in the hundreds of thousands in Africa. Today less than 4,000 remain, with one of the four subspecies, the west African black rhino declared extinct in 2006. The large majority of this species decline is due to poaching by hunters and loss of habitat.

Mountain Gorilla

TKnoxB via Flickr

Roughly 700 Mountain Gorillas remain in the Virunga and Bwindi forests of Africa. They are facing not only the normal threats most endangered species are confronted with such as poaching and destruction of habitat.  But are also facing ongoing unrest and civil war that has spread more and more into their territory claiming the lives of many these last few years.

Island Fox

The Island Fox is the only one on this list that is not directly endangered by human activity. Instead this fox on the islands of southern California is at risk of extinction due to golden eagles laying claim to the islands this fox calls home.  Due to the decline in the bald eagle population from DDT in the 20th century, the golden eagle took advantage of their loss and moved into these islands and made the island fox a major food source. in the 1990′s this species went from 500 to 2000 per island to only a few dozen on each.

South China Tiger

ltansey via Flickr

This majestic animal is what all other tiger species originated from. Native to China, in 1959 Mao Zadong declared them an enemy of the people, and basically created a mass extermination campaign against them. By the 1980′s only 200 remained, at which point the Chinese government changed course and started protecting them. Sadly it was too late, and no tiger has been confirmed in the wild in over 20 years. A captive breeding program has been started, but with so few remaining many scientists are declaring the species functionally extinct.

Javan Rhinoceros

At one point the Javan Rhino was the most common Asian rhinoceros,  and ranged from Indonesia, China, Vietnam and even India. Today there are only two known populations remaining. One in Vietnam, with as few as eight remaining, and one in Indonesia on the island of Java, with as little as 40.  This species is at high risk of extinction as there are none in captivity, and the habitat these few left have is at high risk of being destroyed.

Right Whale

The North Pacific and Atlantic Right Whale was once one of the most common whales in the oceans.  Due to their slow speed they were the most popular target of whalers which has led to the near complete decimation of the species. In recent years many of their deaths have been from ship strikes. Today, only 400 Atlantic Right Whales remain, with the elusive Pacific population estimated at as little as only a few dozen to couple hundred.

Hirola

This antelope species from Kenya and Somalia is critically endangered with fewer than 1000 remaining, and none in captivity. As recently as the 1970′s there were as many as 15,000, but due to drought and competition from other species, especially cattle, they have been squeezed to the brink of extinction.

Amur Leopard

macjewell via Flickr

The Amur Leopard is considered to be at an extremely high risk of extinction due to poaching, deforestation, and inbreeding from the small population size. Only 35-45 remain in the wild, with the captive population at 290 in 2007.

By Mark Johnson