1
Western Long-beaked Echidna
Zaglossus bruijnii
The western long-beaked echidna is one of the most mysterious mammals on earth.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
TOP 100 EDGE Mammals
1
Attenborough’s Long-beaked Echidna
Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, also known as Sir David’s Long-beaked Echidna, is the smallest and probably most threatened of the three long-beaked echidna species. Echidnas and platypus are the only mammals to lay eggs.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
3
New Zealand Greater Short-tailed Bat
Mystacina robusta
The New Zealand greater short-tailed bat is the largest of New Zealand’s three remaining bat species. It remains enigmatic; with no confirmed sightings of the species since 1967.
Conservation Attention
Low
4
Baiji
Lipotes vexillifer
The baiji is probably the most threatened marine mammal in the world; with some saying that it is ‘functionally extinct’.
Conservation Attention
Low
5
Mountain Pygmy Possum
Burramys parvus
The mountain pygmy possum is the largest of the pygmy possums, and the only Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat.
Conservation Attention
Good
6
Cuban Solenodon
Atopogale cubana
Solenodons are one of the few venomous mammals, with venom in their saliva.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
6
Hispaniolan Solenodon
Solenodon paradoxus
One of the most famous ‘living fossils’ and one of only a few venomous mammals, the Hispaniolan solenodon is one of the last representatives of an ancient lineage of shrew like mammals that lived with dinosaurs from 76 million years ago.
Conservation Attention
Low
8
Sumatran Rhinoceros
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis
The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest and most threatened of the five living rhinoceros species.
Conservation Attention
Low
9
Black Rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis
The black rhinoceros has four subspecies, one of which was declared extinct in 2011, with two others critically endangered.
Conservation Attention
Good
10
Leadbeater’s Possum
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
The Leadbeater’s possum was not sighted for 50 years and was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1961.
Conservation Attention
Good
11
Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat
Lasiorhinus krefftii
Only a single colony of northern hairy-nosed wombat remains, guarded by a dingo proof fence in Queensland, Australia.
Conservation Attention
Good
12
Javan Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros sondaicus
The Javan rhino is one of two rhino species to only have one horn.
Conservation Attention
Medium
13
Ganges River Dolphin
Platanista gangetica
The Ganges river dolphin is not only the only member of its genus, but of its family, Plantanistidae, representing an ancient lineage in the order Cetartiodactyla.
Conservation Attention
Medium
14
Wild Camel
Camelus ferus
The Wild Camel, known locally as Khavtgai, can withstand drought, food shortages, and even radiation from nuclear weapons testing.
Conservation Attention
Low
15
Chalchalero Viscacha Rat
Tympanoctomys aureus
Chalchalero Viscacha Rat specialises in feeding on halophite plants (plants that are able to grow in high salt areas).
Conservation Attention
Very Low
15
Golden Vizcacha Rat
Tympanoctomys loschalchalerosorum
The Golden Vizcacha rat specialises in feeding on halophite plants (plants that are able to grow in high salt areas), and lives in burrows.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
17
Chinese Pangolin
Manis pentadactyla
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, and the Chinese pangolin may be the most endangered of them all.
Conservation Attention
Low
18
Sunda Pangolin
Manis javanica
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal.
Conservation Attention
Medium
19
Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis
The highly distinctive aye-aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate.
Conservation Attention
Low
20
Indri
Indri indri
Indri simply means ‘there it is’ in the Malagasy language.
Conservation Attention
Medium
21
Asian Elephant
Elephas maximus
The largest land mammal in Asia, this intelligent, highly social animal lives in small groups led by the dominant female, or ‘matriarch’.
Conservation Attention
Good
22
Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens
The scientific name of this rare and beautiful species literally means ‘fire-coloured cat’.
Conservation Attention
Good
23
Pygmy Three-toed Sloth
Bradypus pygmaeus
The pygmy three-toed sloth is the smallest of the three-toed sloths, and was only recognised as a distinct species in 2001.
Conservation Attention
Low
24
Javan Slow Loris
Nycticebus javanicus
Previously thought to be a subspecies of the Sunda slow loris, the Javan slow loris was classified as a separate species in the 2000s.
Conservation Attention
Low
25
Riverine Rabbit
Bunolagus monticularis
The riverine rabbit lives along seasonal rivers, in one of the few areas of the Karoo Desert, South Africa, suitable for conversion to agriculture – and as a result has lost virtually all its habitat to farming.
Conservation Attention
Low
26
De Winton’s Golden Mole
Cryptochloris wintoni
De Winton’s golden mole is only known from one locality, and has not been recorded for more than 50 years.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
27
Malayan Tapir
Tapirus indicus
The Asian, or Malayan tapir is the largest of the five living species of tapir.
Conservation Attention
Medium
28
Baird’s Tapir
Tapirus bairdii
Baird’s tapir is the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. Tapirs are a ‘primitive’ group that resemble the ancestor of rhinos and horses, and have remained morphologically similar for the last 35 million years.
Conservation Attention
Medium
29
Amazon River Dolphin
Inia geoffrensis
The Amazon River dolphins are the largest freshwater dolphins in the world!
Conservation Attention
Good
30
Sibree’s Dwarf Lemur
Cheirogaleus sibreei
Sibree’s dwarf lemur was believed extinct following the destruction of its first recorded forest habitat, though they were found in their high altitude habitat on Mount Maharira in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, as well as in Tsinjarivo, where it may be restricted by rivers.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
31
Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat
Coleura seychellensis
This bat belongs to an ancient family of sheath-tailed bats, so called because of the nature of the membrane which stretches between the hind legs.
Conservation Attention
Medium
32
Western Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus occidentalis
The Western ringtail possum has been synonymised with P. peregrinus (common ringtail possum) in eastern Australia, and are arboreal marsupial (tree living) which live in the canopy of peppermint woodlands and eucalypt forests.
Conservation Attention
Good
33
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Choeropsis liberiensis
The pygmy hippo is the smaller, reclusive and nocturnal cousin to the more widely known common hippo.
Conservation Attention
Medium
34
Pacific Degu
Octodon pacificus
The pacific degu has not been seen by scientists following its description in 1994.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
35
Numbat
Myrmecobius fasciatus
The numbat is a highly distinctive carnivorous marsupial.
Conservation Attention
Good
36
Gilbert’s Potoroo
Potorous gilbertii
This small marsupial is one of the most fungi-dependent mammals anywhere in the world.
Conservation Attention
Medium
37
Rondo Dwarf Galago
Galagoides rondoensis
The Rondo dwarf galago is unique for its bottle-brush tail and call, is endemic to coastal Tanzania, was first described in 1996.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
38
Siau Island Tarsier
Tarsius tumpara
This tarsier is endemic to the tiny volcanic island of Siau, Indonesia.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
39
Jamaican Greater Funnel-eared Bat
Natalus jamaicensis
Recently recognised as a distinct species, the Jamaican greater funnel-eared bat is known from a single locality; St. Clair cave in central Jamaica – where the surviving population numbers fewer than 100 individuals, and covering a range of extent of less than 100km².
Conservation Attention
Low
39
Bolivian Chinchilla Rat
Abrocoma boliviensis
This rodent lives in burrows in the rocky areas of the cloud forests of the Bolivian Andes.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
41
Dugong
Dugong dugon
Dugongs are more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals such as whales and dolphins.
Conservation Attention
Good
42
Talaud Bear Cuscus
Ailurops melanotis
Previously regarded as a subspecies of the better-known Sulawesi bear cuscus, the Talaud bear cuscus has only recently been classified as a separate species.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
43
Saola
Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
Incredibly, the saola was completely unknown to western science until its discovery from horns found in the houses of Vietnamese hunters in 1992.
Conservation Attention
Medium
43
Bornean Orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus
The orangutans are the only great apes that occurs outside Africa, and they are the largest arboreal mammal in the world.
Conservation Attention
Good
44
Sumatran Orangutan
Pongo abelii
Orangutans are the only great apes to occur outside of Africa, and are the largest arboreal mammals in the world.
Conservation Attention
Good
45
Handley’s Slender Mouse Opossum
Marmosops handleyi
A delicately built mouse opossum, with a prehensile tail and no pouch.
Conservation Attention
Low
47
Alaotran Gentle Lemur
Hapalemur alaotrensis
Described by Gerald Durrell as a ‘honey-coloured teddy bear’, the Lake Alaotra gentle lemur is the only species of primate to occur exclusively in marsh habitat.
Conservation Attention
Medium
47
Golden Bamboo Lemur
Hapalemur aureus
The golden bamboo lemur is so called because of the golden fur around its face, inner limbs and belly.
Conservation Attention
Medium
49
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
Varecia variegata
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is one of two ruffed lemur species in the Varecia genus.
Conservation Attention
Medium
50
Red Ruffed Lemur
Varecia rubra
The red ruffed lemur is one of the largest species of lemur.
Conservation Attention
Good