The animals listed below are based on the Red List of Threatened animal Species provided by IUCN

1. Addax

The Scientific name of the Addax is Addax nasomaculatus it is among the top most endangered –‘critically endangered- wildlife species on the African continent.

The biggest threat that the Addax faces is uncontrolled hunting as well as harassment, drought is another threat that these animals are facing.

Today there are less than 300 Addax living in the entire universe, and these animals can best be seen in Niger, Chad as well as Mauritania. They thrive in the Sahara Desert and at times are referred to as the screwhorn antelope, or the white antelope

2. Black Rhinoceros

The scientific name is Diceros bicornis, it’s among the Critically Endangered species. However its biggest threat is poaching mainly for its rhino-horn as well as medicinal use especially in China. Over the last 60 years its said that the population of rhinos has reduced by more than 90% and today its estimated that there are just 4180 black-rhinos remaining in the world.

The black rhinos can be seen in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia as well as South Africa. Although this rhino is called ‘black’, actually its color differs from brown-to-grey.

3. Ethiopian Wolf

Its scientific Name is Canis simensis and its among the Endangered animals on the continent. The biggest threat to the Ethiopian Wolf is loss of their habitat due to human activity especially agriculture. Other threats include hybridization with domestic-dogs as well as disease epizootics. Currently there are just 400 to 550 Ethiopian Wolves remaining and these can be seen in the Ethiopian highlands.

The Ethiopian wolf is similar in structure and size to the coyote however its distinguished by its red & white fur as well as the long and slender skull.

4. Mountain Gorilla

The scientific Name of the mountain gorilla is Gorilla beringei and it is listed among the Endangered species in the world.

Among the threats that mountain gorillas face include: loss of habitat, illegal hunting for bushmeat, poaching as well as illegal trade.

Today it is estimated that there are less than 700 mountain gorillas in the entire world. Mountain gorillas can be found in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as Rwanda.

Mountain Gorillas are a sub-species of the eastern gorilla, and there are just two populations remaining on the entire planet.

5. Pygmy Hippopotamus

Its scientific Name is Choeropsis liberiensis, and it’s endanger animal species in the world.

The leading threat faced by the pygmy hippo is loss of their territory due to deforestation as forests where cleared to create room for agricultural. Othere threats include logging as well as hunting them down for bush-meat.

According to a survey that was conducted back in 1993, several years ago, information gathered at the time, there were estimated to be approximately to be between 2000 and 3000 pygmy-hippos. But considering that their population is on the decrease, it is believed that today there are less than 2000 of these remaining in the world – however this is just an estimate.

These animals are endemic mainly to West Africa, and some of the countries in which you can see the pygmy hippo include Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire as well as Guinea.

The pygmy hippo is solitary, nocturnal as well as semi-aquatic and loves living close to water sources where it can cools its body temperature cool as well as moisturizes its skin.

6. African Wild Dog

The scientific name of the African wild dog is Lycaon pictus, and it’s among the endangered animals on the planet. Their biggest threat includes reduction of their habitat for human activities as well as infectious diseases such as rabies.

It is estimated that their overall population is between 3000 and 5500 individuals. Some of the countries where you can see the wild dogs include: Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Sudan, Chad, Namibia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Malawi, Senegal, Kenya as well as Mozambique

African wild dogs are very social animal, that stay in groups called packs and each of these has different dominance hierarchies for both the females as well as the males. Something extraordinary about these social carnivores is that the females instead of the males leave their biological packs at the time of sexual maturity, and yet while feeding on carcasses, the young ones are the ones accepted to eat first.

7. Cheetah

Its scientific name is Acinonyx jubatus, and its branded as a vulnerable species, whose survival is threatened mainly by loss of their natural habitat mainly because of being cleared by farmers. It is estimated that there between 10,000 and 15,000 cheetahs remaining in the world.

Best places to see them include: Uganda, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, Togo, Benin, Tanzania, Botswana, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, South Africa, Chad, Somalia, Congo, Niger

8. African Lion

Its scientific name is Panthera leo and it is listed as a Vulnerable species whose threat is mainly them being poisoned by people as a way of being protecting their livestock. Others include hunting, and loss of territory

They are estimated to be between 20,000 and 23,000. And yet in the past they where over 450,000 lions

These can be seen in various countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

9. African Penguin (Jackass Penguin)

Scientific name is Spheniscus demersus and are listed among the Vulnerable species. Their leading threat is commercial fishing as well as oil spills. It is estimated that there are about just 72,000 birds and these can be seen in South Africa, Angola, Namibia as well as Mozambique

10. African Elephant

The scientific name of the African elephant is Loxodonta Africana and it’s among the vulnerable species in the world. Their biggest threat is them being hunted down for the ivory and meat. Secondly they have lost most of their habitat. Today there are between 470,000 and 690,000 elephants

These can be seen in Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau; Benin, Zambia, Mozambique; Botswana, Tanzania; Burkina Faso; Togo; South Africa, Cameroon; Sierra Leone; Central African Republic; Sudan; Chad; Senegal; Congo; Rwanda; Congo; Côte d’Ivoire; Namibia; Equatorial Guinea; Nigeria; Eritrea; Niger; Ethiopia; Gabon; Malawi; Ghana; Liberia; Guinea; Kenya; Mali and Somalia.

For more information about Africa Wildlife, visit adventureugandasafari.com