Join us on an extraordinary journey through the planet's most rare and unique animals! From the critically endangered Northern White Rhinoceros to the elusive Giant Squid, we'll explore incredible creatures fighting for survival against habitat loss, poaching, and environmental challenges.
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00:00The last two northern white rhinos, poised on the brink of extinction.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for some of the most exotic
00:11and unique rare animals on this planet.
00:13They were hunted to extinction in Europe over 400 years ago.
00:1820.
00:19Florida Panther
00:20The Florida Panther, aside from being an NHL team, is a subspecies of the common cougar.
00:24The Florida Panther is often called the ghost cat.
00:29Separated from the general pack, the Panthers made their own ecological niche in the Florida
00:33Everglades and are the only known breeding population of cougars in the eastern U.S.
00:38However, that was very nearly ended 30 years ago.
00:41Hunting and habitat loss drove the already inconspicuous Panthers into obscurity, with
00:45only 20 mature individuals existing in the wild in the 1970s.
00:56With so few left, the gene pool was weak, so reproduction was unsuccessful or problematic.
01:01Fearing a total annihilation, scientists mixed healthy Texan cougars into the population,
01:06which improved the genetic diversity and jump-started breeding.
01:09Today, there are an estimated 180 Florida Panthers in the wild, and the species remains
01:14critically endangered.
01:1619.
01:22Kakapo
01:23Famous for its yellowish-green plumage and distinct owl-like appearance, the Kakapo is
01:27the world's only flightless parrot.
01:31It has called New Zealand home for centuries and holds high esteem in Maori culture and
01:35mythology.
01:36It was even voted New Zealand's bird of the year in 2008 and 2020.
01:43While this nocturnal bird was once one of New Zealand's most common animals, the arrival
01:47of European settlers in the mid-1800s led to a drastic reduction in numbers.
01:52Natural conservation efforts were largely unsuccessful, but the 1995 Kakapo Recovery
01:57Program helped preserve these nocturnal birds, especially in New Zealand's smaller islands.
02:02In recent years, Kakapo numbers increased from around 116 individuals in 2018 to 244
02:08in 2024.
02:0918.
02:10Angonoka tortoise
02:14Also known as the ploughshare tortoise, the Angonoka is one of the rarest land tortoises
02:18and reptiles in the world.
02:20Deforestation, poaching, and climate change have all contributed to the Angonoka's critically
02:24endangered status.
02:29Conservation efforts are underway, particularly in the tortoise's home of Bali Bali in northwestern
02:33Madagascar.
02:34These efforts focus in large part on preventing the abduction and trafficking of the Angonoka
02:38on the black market.
02:39Sadly, they have had to rely on some rather drastic measures, including defacing the shells
02:43of the tortoises to make them less captivating for potential kidnappers.
02:46It's not clear how many ploughshare tortoises are left, but some estimates have fewer than
02:51200 remaining in the wild.
02:5617.
03:00Coelacanth
03:01With its luminescent scales, large eyes, and lobed fins, the 6-foot, 200-pound coelacanth
03:06looks like a creature from the world of Jules Verne.
03:08The truth is even more unique.
03:12The coelacanth was widely thought to be extinct until 1938, when a South African farmer happened
03:17to catch one in his nets.
03:18This earned it the nickname of living fossil.
03:21There are two known subspecies of coelacanth, both found in the Indian Ocean.
03:24The Indonesian coelacanth surrounds the islands of Indonesia and is classified as a vulnerable
03:28species.
03:29The West Indian Ocean coelacanth is native to the Komoro Islands off East Africa and
03:34is listed as critically endangered, with an estimated fewer than 500 still alive.
03:4216.
03:46Megamouth Shark
03:47Reaching 18 feet long and swimming at depths of 500 feet, the nightmare-inducing megamouth
03:52shark lived in total secrecy until its 1976 discovery.
04:00The animal had become entangled in the anchor of a U.S. Navy ship off the coast of Hawaii.
04:04Its eventual examination resulted in a collective cheer for scientists, as few late 20th century
04:09discoveries had been so monumental.
04:16Including the original, there had been only 61 confirmed specimens of the megamouth found
04:20as of January 2015, and catching them on video is even more rare.
04:24Only three have been videotaped in the wild.
04:3415.
04:35Tapanuli Orangutan
04:36The island of Sumatra is home to a diverse ecosystem of wildlife.
04:40Tigers and elephants roam the ground alongside nearly 100 amphibians that call the island
04:44home, while one of the world's rarest great apes lurks up in the trees.
04:50It seems that these orangutans need a greater variety of plant foods to survive.
04:56The Tapanuli Orangutan was identified as a separate species in 2017, just in time to
05:01be classified as critically endangered.
05:14There are an estimated less than 800 individuals left of the decreasing population threatened
05:18by hunting, habitat destruction, and inbreeding.
05:28Their neighbor to the north, the Sumatran Orangutan, is also classified as critically
05:31endangered, but is doing a bit better with around 6,600 individuals found in the wild.
05:3614.
05:37Amur Leopard
05:38This magnificent wildcat prowls the jungles of eastern Russia and northern China.
05:43It is known for having a paler and much thicker coat compared to its African counterpart,
05:47a necessity for survival in the harsh winters of its home.
05:54The Amur Leopard is one of the rarest cats in the world, and like almost everything else
05:58on this list, it is threatened by poaching, habitat loss, and deforestation.
06:02Conservation efforts have been ongoing for years and have found some success in increasing
06:05the number of leopards.
06:07As of 2023, there are an estimated 130 Amur Leopards remaining.
06:1413.
06:16Unballed Ibis
06:17This large, long-billed bird once occupied a giant slab of the Middle East, inhabiting
06:21dozens of countries on multiple continents.
06:23But that is far from the current case.
06:25The birds endured regional extinction, first in Europe, then in countries like Sudan, Turkey,
06:29Israel, and most recently Syria, and now they are limited to one natural breeding population
06:34in Morocco.
06:35Hunting, disease, and habitat loss brought the population down to somewhere near 200
06:39to 250, but captive breeding has since doubled that number.
06:43Breeding and reintroduction programs are giving the birds a fighting chance, and with luck,
06:46they could take back a small chunk of their former range.
06:5012.
06:56Cross River Gorilla
06:58Gorillas have captivated our hearts and minds ever since Tarzan swung onto our screens in
07:021995.
07:03Unfortunately, this has been of little help to the Cross River Gorilla's quest for survival.
07:11Located in fragmented forests in West Africa, it has been described as similar to its western
07:15lowland counterpart, albeit slightly smaller.
07:18The Cross River Gorilla has the unfortunate honor of being the world's rarest great ape
07:22with an estimated fewer than 250 individuals left.
07:28Conservation efforts have been underway for a long time, particularly in Cameroon and
07:32Nigeria where the gorillas reside.
07:34These include efforts to reduce hunting and the opening of various reserves and parks
07:38for the gorillas to thrive.
07:3913.
07:41Society says this is the first professional footage ever recorded of these primates in
07:45the wild.
07:4611.
07:47Spix's Macaw
07:48For hundreds of years, the skies of Brazil were graced by bright blue parrots with a
07:52distinctive call, and eyes ringed with gray skin.
07:55The first Spix's Macaw was collected in 1819 in northeastern Brazil, but by the 1980s,
08:00it was clear that dramatic action was needed.
08:02The macaw's vibrant plumage had proven an attractive target for illegal animal traffickers.
08:06This poaching, along with colonization-driven habitat loss, drew the macaw to near-extinction
08:11levels.
08:12It was bad enough that the macaw made it onto an episode of Law & Order SVU.
08:16In 2019, the Spix's Macaw was classified as extinct in the wild.
08:22However, conservation and captive breeding programs have led to the gradual re-release
08:26of these birds back into nature.
08:29Scientists declared the bird extinct in the wild, and today, only 334 of them remain in
08:35captivity.
08:3610.
08:37Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth
08:38Discovered on a small Panamanian island in 2001, the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth has one of
08:42the smallest habitat ranges of any mammal.
08:45The entire species lives in a 1.7 square mile area of the island, roosting exclusively in
08:50the red mangrove trees.
08:56Being the victim of insular dwarfism and a genetic bottleneck, the sloths split from
09:00their original population when the island split from the mainland, and so became a genetically
09:04independent species whose isolation and limited range decreased their size and survivability.
09:09There are an estimated 79 dwarf sloths left on the island, and the species is categorized
09:14as critically endangered and critically adorable.
09:179.
09:18Cahuncey Spray Toad
09:22Coming in hot as one inch long with bulbous eyes and striped yellow flesh is the Cahuncey
09:26Spray Toad.
09:27The toad is notably one of the few live-bearing amphibians.
09:30It once boasted a population of 17,000 strong, found only in a tiny area at the base of the
09:35Cahuncey waterfall.
09:42Unfortunately though, it has been declared extinct in the wild after being last sighted
09:46in 2004, primarily due to habitat loss and disease.
09:49Don't fret though, you still have the opportunity to pay this insectivore a visit in one of
09:53various zoos in the U.S. or Tanzania.
09:56There have also been recent efforts to reintroduce the Cahuncey Spray Toad back to its rightful
10:00habitat in the wild.
10:078.
10:08Vaquita
10:09The vaquita is a species of small porpoise that resides in the Gulf of California.
10:13It is considered the world's most rare marine mammal due to its tiny geographic range and
10:17serious loss in population from commercial fishing methods like gill netting.
10:21In 1997, just over 500 vaquitas were thought to be left in the world.
10:25By 2014, that number was 100, and by 2016, they were estimated to be as few as 60, with
10:31accidental netting accounting for the annual 20% drop in population.
10:34It is estimated that within five years' time, the intelligent and serene vaquita will
10:38be completely extinct.
10:40That is, unless a miracle conservation effort is made.
10:437.
10:44Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat
10:45As one of the rarest land mammals in the world, the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat exists in
10:49an area of just over one square mile in Queensland, northeast Australia.
10:53With a range that once encompassed hundreds of thousands of miles, the wombat's demise
10:57seems almost apocalyptic.
10:59There's only 315 of the marsupials left.
11:02That's not quite the case, as there are dozens of natural reasons for its decimation,
11:06though diseases like mange and toxoplasmosis are accountable.
11:10Fortunately for the cute marsupials, serious conservation efforts were undertaken, which
11:13increased the population from 30 in the 1970s to over 200 today, but there's still a long
11:18way to go.
11:276.
11:28Red Wolf
11:29This North American canine is, among other things, surprisingly not that red.
11:33Instead, its coat usually falls somewhere in the tawny to gray range.
11:39The red wolf's habitat once extended all the way from central Texas through North Carolina
11:43and up to the eastern Canadian coast.
11:45Over the years, though, it faced a tragic cornucopia of factors, from coyotes to habitat
11:49loss to poaching, that decimated its population.
11:56Efforts to save the wolf were kickstarted after Richard Nixon signed the 1973 Endangered
12:00Species Act into law.
12:02As of 2024, it is estimated that there are only 17 red wolves remaining in the wild,
12:06and another 250 or so in captivity across various breeding facilities.
12:145.
12:15Javan Rhinoceros
12:16One of the smallest of the five living rhinoceros species, the Javan rhino's habitat once
12:20stretched across Southeast Asia.
12:22Now it's only found in a minuscule area in the island of Java's western region.
12:26The Javan rhino's keratin horn, though shorter and blunter than that of other rhinos, made
12:30it a valuable target to poachers, and it is now critically endangered.
12:33In fact, the last accurate headcount from 2019 had only 18 individuals remaining.
12:43Conservation efforts are hindered by the fact that Javan rhinos haven't historically prospered
12:46in captivity.
12:47Its cousin, the Sumatran rhino, has fared a bit better but is also critically endangered,
12:51with an estimated fewer than 80 individuals remaining.
12:574.
13:00Giant Squid
13:01Occupying the lightless abyss of the deepest oceans, the giant squid is a legend for its
13:05rarity.
13:06For thousands of years, people reported tentacle sea monsters, and it wasn't until 1857 that
13:10the monster's true identity was revealed.
13:12A zoologist named Iapetus Steenstrup studied dead specimens and made the first formal classification
13:18of the animal, calling it the giant squid.
13:20After such a revelation, the search was on to document a live one, but we had to wait
13:23another 150 years.
13:25By the turn of the 21st century, the giant squid remained the only known large animal
13:28to have never been photographed alive.
13:31That changed in 2002 when a squid was caught and photographed near the surface, and ten
13:34years later the first video of a giant squid in its natural habitat was taken.
13:393.
13:41Hainan Black-Crested Gibbon
13:43As another example of island segregation, the black-crested gibbon inhabits the Hainan
13:47Island off the coast of China.
13:53Unlike the pygmy three-toed sloth, the gibbons managed to thrive on their own, reaching a
13:56dense and stable population of 2,000 during the 1950s.
13:59However, deforestation in the form of rubber and paper harvesting has decreased the population
14:04so severely that the gibbons are in the midst of an existential emergency.
14:12Fewer than 30 gibbons were found in the latest census, meaning there likely aren't enough
14:15individuals for the species to propagate naturally.
14:18They'll either die from genetic degradation, or human ingenuity will save the world's
14:22rarest primate.
14:23We hope it's the latter.
14:302.
14:36Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle
14:38The Yangtze softshell turtle is so rare, in fact, that none exist in the wild.
14:42This cannot be 100% confirmed, of course, but the last wild sighting was in 1998, and
14:46it hasn't been for lack of trying.
14:48As the name says, this turtle made its home in the Yangtze River in Asia, a heavily disturbed
14:52and polluted river that has claimed its share of species, including the now-extinct Yangtze
14:56River Dolphin.
14:58Considered the largest freshwater turtle in the world, the giant softshell has been pushed
15:01to the edge of existence.
15:03Through hunting, poisoning, and habitat destruction, just three individuals are left on the planet,
15:07and attempted breeding has thus far been futile.
15:10Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
15:131.
15:14California Condor
15:15Once extinct in the wild, there are now around 561 of these vultures in the United States.
15:19They had a long road ahead before the California Condor could soar once again.
15:252.
15:26Saola
15:27Also called the Asian Unicorn, it is one of the rarest land mammals.
15:29Although, unfortunately, she didn't survive long, some of her descendants are probably
15:33still in the forest.
15:343.
15:35Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
15:36There are only around 20 of this incredibly rare insect, once believed to be extinct.
15:41There are plans to reintroduce the insects as soon as the rats have been eradicated.
15:444.
15:45Jamaican Iguana
15:46Until 1990, there are now 500-600 adult Jamaican Iguanas.
15:505.
15:51Snow Leopard
15:52Living in Asia's highest mountains, there's only a few thousand of this mysterious cat
15:55left.
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16:161.
16:18An Honest Politician
16:20This exceedingly rare creature has not been seen in over 50 years, with the last known
16:24individual retreating into the snowy forests of upstate Maine out of sheer despair.
16:27Just kidding, back to Africa we go.
16:301.
16:31Northern White Rhinoceros
16:32Meet Nyan and Fatu.
16:34This mother-daughter duo lives in Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy, protected by armed guards
16:39and looked after by loving conservationists.
16:45They are the last two Northern White Rhinos on the planet.
16:48Once upon a time, the Northern White Rhino happily roamed the African plains, but decades
16:52of poaching drove it to the brink.
16:53It was declared extinct in the wild in 2008, and by 2015, there were only three left.
16:58Tragically, the last male Northern White Rhino, Nyan's father Sudan, passed away in 2018,
17:04making the species functionally extinct.
17:10Research has been ongoing for many years in the hope of birthing new Northern White Rhinos
17:13using IVF and artificial insemination.
17:15Here's hoping they pull it off.
17:23Which rare animals would you love to see in person?
17:25Let us know in the comments below!