"The 14 Most Famous Endangered Species: A Call to Action for Conservation"
1. The Amur Leopard is critically endangered, with only about 70 individuals left in the wild in the Russian Far East.
2. Javan rhino: one of the rarest large mammals, with fewer than 70 individuals remaining in Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia.
3. Mountain Gorilla: Endangered, with just over 1,000 individuals left, living in the mountains of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
4. Asian Elephants are endangered due to habitat loss and poaching, with populations scattered across 13 Asian countries.
5. Sumatran Orangutan: Critically endangered, with fewer than 14,000 individuals remaining in the wild, found only on the island of Sumatra.
6. Vaquita: The world's most endangered marine mammal, with fewer than 20 individuals remaining in the Gulf of California.
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7. Snow Leopard: Vulnerable, with about 4,000 to 6,500 individuals left in Central and South Asia's mountain ranges.
8. The Hawksbill Turtle, which is found in tropical coral reefs around the world, is critically endangered due to the illegal trade of its shells.
9. Giant Panda: Vulnerable, with around 1,800 individuals left in the wild, primarily in China's Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.
10. The blue whale is endangered due to commercial whaling, with an estimated 10,000 to 25,000 individuals remaining in oceans worldwide.
11. Tiger (Panthera tigris): Tigers are iconic big cats native to Asia. They are critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. There are fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild, spread across fragmented habitats in countries like India, Russia, and Indonesia.
12. Whooping Crane (Grus americana): The whooping crane is North America's tallest bird, known for its striking white plumage and black wingtips. It is critically endangered, with around 800 individuals left in the wild and in captivity combined. Conservation efforts include habitat protection and captive breeding programs.
13. Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris): Sea otters are marine mammals found along the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. They are endangered due to oil spills, hunting for their fur, and habitat degradation. In some areas, conservation efforts have helped populations recover.
14. Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii): The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial native to the island of Tasmania. Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD), a contagious cancer, has drastically reduced its population, making it endangered. Conservation programs focus on disease management and captive breeding.
These species are well-known symbols of conservation efforts and highlight the urgent need to protect our planet's biodiversity.