20 of the most endangered animals and wildlife in Africa

The black rhino (Diceros bicornis) is a critically endangered rhino species native to Sub-Saharan Africa. There are an estimated 3,142 remaining black rhinos. Sadly, the species has gone extinct in much of its range. Today, the black rhino is only found as far north as Kenya. The black rhino is grey in colour and has two horns. 

Poaching wiped out 96% of the black rhino population between 1970 and 1990. It still poses a major threat to these animals. Habitat loss and climate change are also issues for this species. 

2. Gorillas 

The two gorilla species, the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), are both critically endangered. Found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda, the eastern gorilla has an estimated population of 2,600. One of its two subspecies, the mountain gorilla, has only 600 individuals remaining. 

The western gorilla, found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria, has a decreasing population. One subspecies of the western gorilla, the Cross River gorilla, has only 100-250 individuals remaining. Population numbers for the other subspecies, the western lowland gorilla, are unknown, but it is also critically endangered. 

Threats to gorillas include habitat loss, disease spread from humans, and hunting for bushmeat. 

3. Elephants 

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) and African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are two of the largest land animals in the world. The African forest elephant, native to West and Central Africa, is critically endangered. Found across Sub-Saharan Africa, the African savannah elephant is endangered. They are two of the three elephant species found on the planet, and they are in danger of extinction. 

The primary threats faced by these elephants include poaching due to the illegal trade of their tusks, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. Coupled with their slow reproduction, these species face a difficult path to recovery. 

4. Atlantic humpback dolphin 

The Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) lives along the west coast of Africa. There are only about 1,500 of these marine mammals remaining. Known for the distinctive hump on its back below its dorsal fin and its elusive personality, not much is known about the Atlantic humpback dolphin. But despite its tendency to avoid humans, bycatch and entanglement pose major threats to the species, as does human-caused habitat degradation. 

5. Geometric tortoise 

The geometric tortoise (Psammobates geometricus) is a critically endangered tortoise species native to South Africa. It has a beautiful yellow-and-black geometric pattern on its shell. There are only about 800 of these tortoises left, and they face threats of habitat alteration, degradation, and destruction due to human activity. 

6. Addax 

Also known as the white antelope or screwhorn antelope, the addax (Addax nasomaculatus) is a grazing antelope with spiral-shaped horns native to the Sahara Desert. Unfortunately, their numbers are severely dwindling. There are only around 30 to 90 total addaxes remaining—an aerial survey in March 2016 found only three living individuals and the remains of others left by poachers. Years of uncontrolled hunting, military activity, and oil production are among the reasons for addaxes’ decline. 

7. African wild donkey 

Also known as the African wild ass, the African wild donkey (Equus africanus) is thought to be the domesticated donkey’s ancestor. They are native to deserts and arid areas of the Horn of Africa region, and as members of the genus Equus, they are close relatives of all horses, donkeys, and zebras. They bear a little resemblance to zebras with the thin black stripes around their white legs, but the rest of their bodies are a light grey to brown colour. 

There are fewer than 200 African wild donkeys remaining in the wild, and their primary threats are hunting and competition with livestock, as there is a limited supply of food and water for these animals. 

8. Golden bamboo lemur 

Native to Madagascar, the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) is a primate species with brown and golden to orange fur. Bamboo lemurs are also called ‘gentle lemurs’, despite their tendency to be aggressive towards humans when in captivity. They received the name ‘bamboo lemurs’ because of their preference for living around and consuming bamboo. 

Sadly, there are fewer than 250 golden bamboo lemurs remaining in the wild. They are threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture, as bamboo provides a variety of uses to locals. They also sometimes become trapped in snares. 

9. Seychelles sheath-tailed bat 

The Seychelles sheath-tailed bat (Coleura seychellensis) is a microbat—a very small bat—native to the Seychelles. On these islands, the clearance of forests and disturbance of caves sadly threaten this species. Additionally, introduced species like barn owls and feral cats pose the threat of predation. There are only 50 to 100 remaining Seychelles sheath-tailed bats. 

10. Riverine rabbit 

Also known as the bushman rabbit or bushman hare, the riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is a species found in limited areas of South Africa. There are only 157 to 207 individuals remaining. Over the last century, 40% to 60% of its floodplain habitat has been lost due to cultivation such as wheat production. This rabbit is also hunted for bushmeat and for sport, and it can become an accidental victim of traps set for ‘pest’ species. Additionally, climate change has the potential to reduce the riverine rabbit’s remaining habitat by 89%. 

11. São Tomé grosbeak 

The São Tomé grosbeak (Crithagra concolor) is the largest canary species in the world. Native to the island of São Tomé, this bird was known for a long time only by three individuals discovered in the 19th century. Today, it’s estimated that there are fewer than 250 of these elusive birds. Cocoa and palm oil plantations have decimated their habitat. 

12. White-winged flufftail 

The white-winged flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi) is a small bird native to southern Africa. There are sadly fewer than 250 of them remaining in the wild. Their marsh habitats are threatened by drainage, flooding by dams, catchment erosion, water abstraction, disturbance, burning, and livestock grazing. 

13. Madagascar pochard 

The Madagascar pochard (Aythya innotata) is a duck found in a very limited range in Madagascar. There are likely only 30 to 50 of these birds remaining in the wild. The wetlands in which they live have been severely degraded by sedimentation, rice growing, introduced fish species, and other forms of human disturbance. Madagascar pochards are also sometimes hunted or caught as bycatch in fishing nets. 

14. Newton’s fiscal 

Newton’s fiscal (Lanius newtoni), also called the São Tomé fiscal, is a small bird with black, white, and yellow plumage. It’s found only on the island of São Tomé. There are fewer than 250 of these birds left. Cocoa and coffee plantations as well as oil exploration have contributed to the deforestation of their habitat. 

15. Bizarre-nosed chameleon 

Recognised by its large nose appendage, the bizarre-nosed chameleon (Calumma hafahafa) occupies a tiny range in northern Madagascar. Its remaining population is severely fragmented, and it’s unknown how many of these reptiles are left in the wild. The major threat to this species is the loss of their humid forest habitat due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, fires, honey collection, and cattle grazing. 

16. Krokosua squeaking frog 

The krokosua squeaking frog (Arthroleptis krokosua) is a small amphibian native to West Africa. Interestingly, these frogs develop from tadpoles into froglets without hatching from their eggs. There are fewer than 250 krokosua squeaking frogs left, as much of their habitat has been lost to wildfires—and what’s left has been severely disturbed by human activities. 

17. Liben lark 

Also known as Archer’s lark, the Liben lark (Heteromirafra archeri) is a small bird native to the Horn of Africa region. There are fewer than 250 of these birds remaining. They live in grassland habitats, which have experienced degradation due to agriculture, civil unrest, and climate change. 

18. Table Mountain ghost frog 

The Table Mountain ghost frog (Heleophryne rosei) is a small frog native to Table Mountain National Park near Cape Town, South Africa. Its population is severely diminished, but it’s unknown how many individuals are left. The main threats this frog faces are the spread of alien plants, an increase in the density of woody plants at the expense of grasses and wildflowers, and the presence of water storage reservoirs, which disrupt the flow of natural streams. 

19. Long-billed forest warbler 

The long-billed forest warbler (Artisornis moreaui) is a small bird native to Tanzania. It lives in tropical and subtropical forests, which face pressures due to mining, pole-cutting, cultivation, and firewood collection. There are fewer than 250 long-billed forest warblers left in the wild. 

20. Bale Mountains tree frog 

The Bale Mountains tree frog (Balebreviceps hillmani) is a stout-bodied frog coloured purple or brown with two yellow stripes. Like the krokosua squeaking frog, the eggs of these frogs hatch as smaller versions of the adults rather than as tadpoles. They’re native to a small area of the Mendebo Mountains in Ethiopia. Their population is critically endangered and decreasing. The main threat to this species is habitat degradation due to cattle grazing, deforestation, and fencing and settlement development. They also may become threatened by the chytrid fungus that impacts many amphibians around the world. 

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