The American Museum of Natural History in New York surveyed biologists. Seventy percent of respondents believe that 20 percent of animal species could become extinct by 2028. Although scientists have only discovered about two million species so far, it is thought that only a fraction of these threatened animals have already gone extinct or have yet to be discovered. In the past 400 years, 89 mammal species have gone extinct, and another 169 are threatened with extinction. Here is a list of globally threatened species of animals. Although there are many more threatened or endangered species, most are critically endangered.

Black Rhino

Once the most common rhino species, the black rhino was common throughout southwest Africa. The population has declined by more than 90 percent in the past 70 years due to hunting. Poaching is the greatest threat to black rhinos. Poaching is the greatest threat to black rhinos. They are hunted for their horns, used in traditional Chinese medicine and for ornamental purposes, and as trophies. Although rhino numbers are increasing, conservation programs and increased law enforcement are helping to preserve them. However, they remain endangered.

Hawksbill Turtles

The range of the hawksbill turtle encompasses nearly all of the world’s subtropical and tropical seas. This has led to an 80% population decline in three generations. The turtle shell industry is the greatest threat to the hawksbill turtle. Millions of turtles have been killed in the last 100 years to extract their shells. Other significant threats to their survival include habitat destruction, excessive egg collection, poaching, and beach development.

Sumatran Orangutans

Sumatran orangutans are found only on Sumatra, an island in Indonesia. Their population has declined by 80% in the last 75 years due to human encroachment into their forest habitat, mainly for timber extraction and agriculture. Although their numbers have stabilized for many years, deforestation increased after people cut down trees to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the 2004 tsunami.

Asian Elephant

Conflict with humans is the greatest threat to the Asian elephant. Elephants need large tracts of land to survive and graze. In areas where most of the land is used for agriculture, elephants and humans cannot coexist. Human encroachment is a serious threat to the habitat of the Asian elephant, which is native to Asia, the region with the fastest-growing population.

Mountain Gorilla

In the wild, the mountain gorilla subspecies are found in only two areas: the Virunga Volcanoes area on Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bwindi Impenetrable Park in Uganda. Hunting and human encroachment in agriculture and logging threaten these animals. While ecotourism can help protect these small populations, it also risks transmitting human diseases to the animals.

Siberian Tiger

Although tigers once roamed throughout Asia, their population is now endangered. Today, there are more tigers in American zoos than in the wild in Asia. The Siberian or Amur tiger is the subspecies most likely to become extinct in the wild. It is the largest subspecies of tigers and the largest of all the big cats in the world. These big cats face two significant threats: poaching and habitat loss due to human encroachment. Most poaching is done to obtain tiger parts for traditional Chinese medicine. However, there are better modern options that have proven to be more effective.…