51
Single-striped Opossum
Monodelphis unistriata
The single-striped opossum is only known from two individuals collected from southeastern Brazil in 1821, and northeastern Argentina in 1899.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
TOP 100 EDGE Mammals
52
African Wild Ass
Equus africanus
The African wild ass is a hardy animal which is well adapted to desert life.
Conservation Attention
Medium
53
Telefomin Cuscus
Phalanger matanim
Known from 3 scientific specimens from 1984-86, the Telefomin Cuscus has rarely been seen in the wild since.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
54
Greater Bamboo Lemur
Prolemur simus
The largest of the bamboo lemurs, this species can be identified by its distinctive white ear tufts.
Conservation Attention
Medium
55
Okinawa Spiny Rat
Tokudaia muenninki
The Okinawa spiny rat also know as Muennik’s spiny rat resembles a large vole, the spiny rat has grooved spines protruding from its short, thick body fur.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
56
Mountain Tapir
Tapirus pinchaque
The second smallest and most endangered of the five species of tapir, the mountain tapir survives in a few remaining undisturbed refuges high in the Andes.
Conservation Attention
Low
57
Blunt-eared Bat
Tomopeas ravus
The blunt-eared bat is a primitive mammal and is the sole representative of a subfamily of bats. Very little is known about this tiny bat.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
58
Tattersall’s Sifaka
Propithecus tattersalli
Tattersall’s sifaka also known as the golden-crowned sifaka was first scientifically described in 1988, and is considered one of the rarest of Madagascar’s lemurs.
Conservation Attention
Medium
59
Western Falanouc
Eupleres major
Until 2010, the Western falanouc wasn’t regarded as a species, instead it was a subspecies of its sister species the Eastern falanouc.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
60
Golden-rumped Sengi
Rhynchocyon chrysopygus
The Golden-rumped sengi is also known as “the elephant-shrew” which refers to the animals’ small size and extraordinarily long, flexible trunks.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
61
Chacoan Peccary
Catagonus wagneri
The Chacoan peccary is a pig-like mammal with a long, flexible snout and a coat of grey brown bristly fur, and is the largest of the three living species of peccary.
Conservation Attention
Low
62
Eastern Gorilla
Gorilla beringei
The Eastern gorilla is the largest living primate, and as a great ape; they are also close relatives of humans.
Conservation Attention
Good
62
Western Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla
The Western gorilla is a heavily built primate and is one of the largest of the living apes, second only to the Eastern gorilla.
Conservation Attention
Good
64
Amazonian Manatee
Trichechus inunguis
The Amazonian manatee is the smallest member of the manatee family and can be distinguished by its smoother rubbery skin and lack of vestigial nails on its flippers.
Conservation Attention
Good
65
Mount Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse
Dendromus kahuziensis
The Mount Kahuzi African climbing mouse is only known from two specimens collected from localities 100m apart despite a high level of collecting undertaken in the area, suggesting it is a rare species with a narrow range.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
66
Silky Sifaka
Propithecus candidus
The silky sifaka wasn’t recognised as a separate species until the 2000s, previously being classified as a subspecies of the diademed sifaka.
Conservation Attention
Medium
67
Russian Desman
Desmana moschata
While the Russian desman may outwardly appear to be a rodent, it is in fact a member of the mole family.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
68
Dinagat Gymnure
Podogymnura aureospinula
Belonging to the same family as hedgehogs and gymnures, the Dinagat gymnure has stiff bristly or spiny fur on its back, which is generally golden brown with black speckling.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
69
Hirola
Beatragus hunteri
Perhaps the world’s rarest and most endangered antelope, the hirola is the sole survivor of a formerly diverse group, and is often referred to as a living fossil.
Conservation Attention
Low
70
Leafletted Leaf-nosed Bat
Hipposideros hypophyllus
Very little is known about the Leafletted leaf-nosed bat or Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat.
Conservation Attention
Low
71
Bulmer’s Fruit Bat
Aproteles bulmerae
Bulmer’s fruit bat may be the most endangered species of bat in the world; with 1993 estimates of one subpopulation being 137-160.
Conservation Attention
Low
72
Diademed Sifaka
Propithecus diadema
The diademed sifaka is one of the largest species of lemur.
Conservation Attention
Medium
73
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat
Pharotis imogene
Thomas’s big-eared bat was known only from 45 original specimens collected in 1890.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
74
Pygmy Hog
Porcula salvania
The pygmy hog is the only member of its genus, Porcula, and there may be as few as 200 individuals left in the wild.
Conservation Attention
Low
75
Eastern Long-beaked Echidna
Zaglossus bartoni
Long-beaked echidnas belong to an ancient clade of egg-laying mammals that includes the platypus of Australia. All are slow moving large mammals that live on forest floors.
Conservation Attention
Low
76
Hainan Gymnure
Neohylomys hainanensis
The Hainan gymnure is the only member of its genus Neohylomys, with only 8 species of gymnure in total.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
77
Vaquita
Phocoena sinus
Mexico’s only endemic marine mammal, the vaquita is considered the most endangered marine mammal species alive.
Conservation Attention
Medium
78
San José Brush Rabbit
Sylvilagus mansuetus
The San José brush rabbit exists nowhere outside of the island it is named for, giving it the smallest distribution of all lagomorphs; rabbits and hares.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
79
Perrier’s Sifaka
Propithecus perrieri
The name sifaka is a reference to a common call given by western dry forest sifakas in which they give an explosive, hiss-like “shee-faak” call several times in succession, though sifakas are actually rather silent animals.
Conservation Attention
Low
80
Red Slender Loris
Loris tardigradus
The red slender loris has extremely thin arms and legs and is arboreal (tree dwelling).
Conservation Attention
Low
81
Lamotte’s Roundleaf Bat
Hipposideros lamottei
Lamotte’s roundleaf bat is characterised by an elaborately modified nose and muzzle which form leaf-like projections that are thought to help focus echolocation signals emitted through the nose.
Conservation Attention
Low
82
Malabar Civet
Viverra civettina
The Malabar civet is possibly one of the Western Ghats’ rarest and most threatened mammals.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
83
Blue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
The blue whale is the largest animal alive today and one of the largest animals ever – rivalled only by the largest dinosaurs; the titanosaurs.
Conservation Attention
Medium
84
Santa Catarina Guinea Pig
Cavia intermedia
Santa Catarina’s guinea pig is one of the rarest species on the planet, with an estimated population of 42 individuals.
Conservation Attention
Medium
85
Blue-eyed Spotted Cuscus
Spilocuscus wilsoni
This poorly understood marsupial with distinct pale blue eyes is only known from two museum specimens, and a pet.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
86
Indian Pangolin
Manis crassicaudata
The Indian pangolin or thick-tailed pangolin is a solitary, shy, slow moving, nocturnal mammal,
Conservation Attention
Medium
87
Philippine Pangolin
Manis culionensis
It wasn’t until 1998 that the Philippine pangolin was recognised as a separate species to its close relative the Sunda pangolin.
Conservation Attention
Medium
88
Woylie
Bettongia penicillata
The woylie has experienced some wild population changes – it was removed from the threatened species list after extensive conservation work through the 70s, 80s and 90s; as it peaked with a population of 250,000 in the early 2000s, but has declined by 90% since.
Conservation Attention
Good
89
Sperm Whale
Physeter macrocephalus
The sperm whale has the largest brain of any living species today, as well as being the largest toothed whale species
Conservation Attention
Good
90
West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatus
The Sirenians (manatees and dugongs) are more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals such as whales and dolphins.
Conservation Attention
Good
90
West African Manatee
Trichechus senegalensis
The African manatee is the least well-known of the three manatee species in genus Trichechus.
Conservation Attention
Medium
92
Black-spotted Cuscus
Spilocuscus rufoniger
The black-spotted cuscus is a marsupial known only from northern parts of the island of New Guinea.
Conservation Attention
Low
93
Gerp’s Mouse Lemur
Microcebus gerpi
Gerp’s mouse lemur was only discovered in 2012, as the Sahafina Forest, where it is found, had not been studied until 2008 and 2009.
Conservation Attention
Low
93
Claire’s Mouse Lemur
Microcebus mamiratra
Very little is known about Claire’s mouse lemur which is only found on Nosy Bé Island, Madagascar, in a very restricted and fragmented area, and are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation.
Conservation Attention
Low
93
Marohita Mouse Lemur
Microcebus marohita
Very little is known about the Marohita mouse lemur as it was only formally described to science in 2013.
Conservation Attention
Low
96
Cuvier’s Hutia
Plagiodontia aedium
Very little is known about the Cuvier’s hutia, although in the isolated areas they are found they are considered agricultural pests.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
97
Koala
Phascolarctos cinereus
Often mistakenly called ‘Koala bears’, koalas have recently been uplisted to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Conservation Attention
Good
98
New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat
Mystacina tuberculata
The New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat is one of the most terrestrial bats, foraging on the forest floor much more frequently than any other species.
Conservation Attention
Low
99
Nelson’s Small Eared Shrew
Cryptotis nelsoni
Nelson’s Small Eared Shrew is a medium-sized shrew and is thought to be endemic to the forested slopes of a small volcano in southern Mexico.
Conservation Attention
Very Low
100
Dwarf Hutia
Mesocapromys nanus
One of the few modern mammals to be first described from fossil remains, this species was thought to be extinct until living animals were discovered.
Conservation Attention
Very Low