Current Official List of Endangered Species from the Animal Welfare Institute

October 21, 2025

The Animal Welfare Institute reminds us that countless animal species are hovering on the brink of extinction — and to bring attention to this crisis, they highlight a particular list of endangered species deserving urgent protection. Below are the species AWI spotlights, each with a short description of their lives and plight.

Sperm Whale (Physeter catodon / P. macrocephalus) – This deep-diving ocean giant is threatened by whaling, ship strikes and noise pollution disrupting its ability to hunt squid.
Tiger (Panthera tigris) – Once roaming across much of Asia, this majestic big cat is now endangered due to habitat loss, poaching for its skin and body parts, and conflict with humans.
Fiji Banded Iguana (Brachylophus fasciatus) – A vibrant green lizard endemic to Fiji, this species is endangered because of invasive predators and habitat destruction on its small island home.
Orangutan (genus Pongo) – These tree-dwelling great apes of Borneo and Sumatra face critical threats from rainforest conversion (especially for palm oil), illegal trade and fragmentation of their habitat.
African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) – Known for its complex pack social system and bold patterns, this large carnivore is endangered because of disease, loss of range and persecution in human–wildlife conflict.
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) – These intelligent giants of South and Southeast Asia are endangered due to shrinking habitat, poaching for ivory, and dangerous interactions with people in expanding agricultural zones.
Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) – One of the rarest seal species in the world, this marine mammal is endangered because of entanglement in fishing gear, low reproductive rates and human disturbances.
Blue-Throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) – A striking bird native to Bolivia, it is endangered because of illegal pet trade, loss of nesting trees and grassland destruction.
Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) – This elusive forest cat of Southeast Asia is endangered largely because of deforestation and hunting for its skin and bones.
Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhomboidalis) – A small but formidable crocodile confined to Cuba’s swamps and cays, endangered due to habitat loss, hybridization and historic over-hunting.
Temminck’s Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) – The most trafficked mammal on Earth, this scaly anteater is endangered because of rampant poaching for its scales and meat, coupled with habitat loss.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) – With its beautifully patterned shell, this sea turtle is endangered due to capture for shell trade, by-catch, pollution and loss of nesting beaches.
Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) – Once near-extinct from fur hunting, the few remaining in California waters face threats from oil spills, prey scarcity and environmental toxins.
Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) – Once declared extinct in the wild, this prairie predator’s fragile comeback is endangered by disease (plague/ distemper), loss of prairie dog habitat and low genetic diversity.
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) – As sea ice shrinks in the Arctic due to climate change, the polar bear’s hunting grounds and ability to access prey are vanishing — placing this iconic species in endangerment.
Red Wolf (Canis rufus) – Once widespread in the southeastern United States, this species is endangered due to habitat fragmentation, hybridisation with coyotes and historic persecution.
Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) – Maybe less “charismatic,” but vital as a pollinator, this bumble bee is endangered because of habitat loss, disease, pesticides and climate change.
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini) – A dramatic shark with a distinct “hammer” head, it is endangered from over-fishing (especially for fins), by-catch and slow reproduction.
Scimitar-Horned Oryx (Oryx damma) – Once extinct in the wild in North Africa, this desert-antelope is endangered and reliant on captive-breeding and reintroduction efforts to recover.
Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) – With long limbs and a prehensile tail, this tropical forest primate is endangered due to deforestation, hunting and the pet-trade.

Every species on this list reminds us of the fragility of life on Earth and the role human activity plays — whether through habitat destruction, poaching, climate change or pollution. The AWI emphasises that the legal protections under the Endangered Species Act and other treaties are essential, but only meaningful if enforcement, habitat conservation and public awareness follow. (Animal Welfare Institute)