The Worldwide Wildlife Foundation (WWF) keeps track of the most endangered species in the world.
They do their best to protect these creatures, but the task at hand is monumental.
Scientists say that we are currently living in a period of mass extinction. They claim that species of plants and animals are currently going extinct at least 1,000 times faster than they did before human beings were walking around on the earth.
Here are four species that are extremely close to disappearing for ever.
1. Amur Leopard
Poachers have driven this species of leopard to the brink of extinction. A new conservation area – the Land of the Leopard – has been set up in Russia to try to protect the last remaining few.
Estimated population: approx. 30
2. Javan Rhino
The most threatened of all 5 rhino species. The Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia is the only place in the world where the Javan Rhino still lives.
Estimated population: 35
3. Saola
Nicknamed the “Asian Unicorn”, Saola was only first discovered in 1992. Since then, sightings have been few and far between. The number of Saola alive in the wild is unknown, but thought to be less than 100.
Estimated population: between 25 and 100
4. South China Tiger
In the 1950s, it was thought that there were 4,000 of these tigers alive, but no one has spotted one in the wild for 25 years. It is categorised as “functionally extinct”.
Estimated population: ??
Source(s): WWF, WWF-Canon/ David HULSE