<div><p>For a planet that is 4.543 billion years old, Earth has been holding up very well. </p><p>However, in the last few decades, scientists have noticed a rapid increase in degradation of ecosystems and global warming caused by "greenhouse gases and releasing vast amounts of agricultural chemicals into the environment." </p><p>Although there hasn't been a decline in the human population, some animal species have been dying out. About 1 in 6 animal and plant species will become extinct during our lifetime. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/polar-bear_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>The International Union for Conservation of Nature released their comprehensive "Red List" which names the world's critically endangered species and it is quite alarming. </p><p>There are 5,210 animal species on the list and the organization believes that many of them have an "extremely high risk of going extinct any time soon."</p><p>Here's a list of 10 well-known species whose populations are dwindling at a high rate and are on the brink of extinction: </p><h2>1. Javan Rhino - 60 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/javan-rhinoceros.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/javan-rhinoceros_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/javan-rhinoceros_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/javan-rhinoceros_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Animal Corner</cite></figcaption></figure></div><h2>2. Amur Leopard - 70 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA93BF100000578-0-image-a-11_1493301922797_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><h2>3. Malayan Tiger - 250-340 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/batari_0197_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>The Cat House</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>4. Slender-billed Curlew - Less than 50 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE68F2D00000578-4452476-There_are_very_few_recent_confirmed_records_of_the_slender_bille-m-3_1493883113064_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><h2>5. Iberian Lynx - 404 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FE6343800000578-4452476-Spot_the_difference_The_Iberian_lynx_weighs_about_half_as_much_a-a-4_1493884895387_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><h2>6. Sumatran Elephant - 2,400 - 2,800 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FAA1F2B00000578-0-image-a-29_1493308261399_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>7. Mountain Gorilla - 790 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9835900000578-4452476-image-a-1_1493881844422_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><h2>8. Hawksbills Turtle - Approx. 8,000 females are remaining </h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9548500000578-4452476-image-a-20_1493818548598_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>9. Sumatran Orangutan - 14, 613 remaining</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA97D3600000578-0-image-a-20_1493302740654_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><h2>10. Yangtze Finless Porpoise - 1,000 -1,800 remaining</h2><p> </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3FA9E88F00000578-4452476-image-a-19_1493818509906_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>You can see the rest of the animals that made it onto the Red List of Threatened Species <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/">here</a>. </p><p>Share your thoughts on this news in the comments! </p><p>[<strong>h/t:</strong> <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4452476/See-Animals-edge-extinction.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>]</p></div>