LIVE BY CHOICE NOT BY CHANCE!!!!

1. Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) – Mexico

• 🌊 Marine mammal found only in the northern Gulf of California.
• 🐬 Fewer than 10 individuals believed to be alive (as of recent reports).
• 🧭 Threat: Fishing nets (bycatch), illegal fishing.

2. Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) – Russia/China

• 🐆 Only around 100 left in the wild.
• 🌲 Native to the Russian Far East and parts of northeastern China.
• 🔒 Highly endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.

3. Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) – Indonesia

• 🦏 Found only in Ujung Kulon National Park, Java.
• 🌿 Only 70-80 individuals remain.
• 🛡️ Protected by strict conservation efforts.

4. Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) – Middle East/Europe/North Africa

• 🪶 A critically endangered bird once considered extinct in Europe.
• 🔍 Fewer than 1,000 in the wild.
• 📜 Culturally significant in ancient Egypt.

5. Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) – Vietnam/Laos

• 🦌 Sometimes called the “Asian Unicorn.”
• 🧭 Extremely elusive and rarely seen by humans.
• 🔍 Less than 50 thought to be alive, but exact numbers unknown.

6. Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus) – Panama

• 🦥 Found only on Isla Escudo de Veraguas.
• 🌴 Only a few hundred individuals estimated.
• 🌊 Threat: Rising sea levels and habitat destruction.

7. Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) – Mexico

• 🧬 Famous for its regenerative abilities.
• 🐸 Endemic to lakes near Mexico City.
• 🚨 Nearly extinct in the wild, though common in labs and aquariums.

8. Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) – China/Vietnam

• 🐢 Only approx 2-3 known individuals remain.
• ⚠️ One of the rarest turtles in the world.
• 🚫 Trouble breeding in captivity.

9. Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) – Madagascar

• 🐒 A rare nocturnal lemur with long fingers.
• 🧿 Once feared and killed due to superstition.
• 🌍 Endemic to Madagascar and threatened by habitat loss.

10. Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) – Africa

• 🐦 A prehistoric-looking bird with a large bill.
• 💧 Lives in swamps of central tropical Africa.
• 📉 Vulnerable due to habitat loss and pet trade.

@nandasagec manisha nandan