More and more animals nowadays are getting endangered due to several factors: exploitation, habitat destruction, and others.
China is one of the countries which experiences many of its animals are getting endangered. It is really sad to see those animals get their endangered status. Also meet these native animals China.
What are the endangered animals in China? Here they are, the top 6 endangered animals in China we need to protect so that they won’t go extinct in the future.
- Pere David’s Deer
This deer species is a rare animal. It was first found in China more than 2,000 years ago. Pere David’s deer is known for being a wetland species of deer which had unique appearance.
It had a camel’s neck, a donkey’s tail, cow-like hooves, and stag antlers. The Chinese often called this animal as Sibuxiang, which means four unlikes.
Sadly saying, Pere David’s deer is extinct in the wild. According to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), Pere’s David’s deer present population live in captivity. There are more than 1,600 captive Pere David’s deer in China now.
- Chinese Alligator
Also known as the Yangtze alligator, the Chinese alligator was very abundant more than 230 million years ago.
However, now, there’s only a population of 150 in the wild and as a result, it is listed as one of the world’s most endangered creatures.
Before you jump in, know what animals are swamps will tell you the dangerous animals in the swamps, including the alligators.
They got their name as the Yangtze alligators as they are distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
They are really good at swimming and mostly inhabit in the water. Besides, they are also nocturnal, which means they are active during the night.
Regarding to their diet, they often consume mollusks and fish, however, they are also known to catch birds and mammals upon occasion.
Their number is drastically declining due to the entire loss of low-altitude wetlands in the Yangtze River Basin. There are many efforts done to stabilize the population of this alligator, such as by the artificial breeding of Chinese alligators.
- Tibetan Antelope
In 1996, the Tibetan antelope was listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Then in 2000, it was upgraded to endangered. It is estimated that there are around 100,000 Tibetan antelopes in China.
Tibetan antelopes weigh around 45 to 60 kilograms, have sturdy body, with a wide and long head and stout mouth. They have short tail and well-proportioned limbs.
Their whole body is covered with bushy, soft, and dense hair, except for their cheeks. One interesting feature of this antelope is they hold their head high as they walk.
Do you know that antelope is one of the types of kangaroos in Australia?
- South China Tiger
South China Tiger, also known as Chinese tiger, is a native inhabitant of China’s central and southern areas. The male weighs around 149 to 225 kilograms while the female weighs around 90 to 120 kilograms.
South China tigers are good at swimming than climbing. They usually eat fresh meat of wild bears, wild oxen, and deer.
Sadly saying, besides being listed as one of the extinct animals Asia, South China tiger is listed as one of the world’s ten most endangered animals.
Chances of them surviving in the wild are slim because of the loss of habitats and hunting. It is estimated that there are only 98 South China tigers living in captivity in China.
- Giant Panda
Who doesn’t know Giant Panda, the mascot of China? Giant pandas are black and white bears living in the temperate-zone bamboo forests. They are mostly found in the central-western and south-western part of China.
Being the most famous animals in China, unfortunately, they are also considered as the rarest animals to be found around the world. However, there are many efforts done by the government to conserve this species.
Giant panda is also known as one of the friendliest animals to human. They are so cute and friendly!
In the present time, it is estimated that there are around 1,000 to 2,000 giant pandas in the wild and more than 200 in the captivity.
Giant pandas mostly inhabit the mountain ranges in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu Provinces in Central China.
- White Flag Dolphin
White Flag dolphin is considered as a living fossil as it is extremely high-risk of extinction. There are several factors causing this condition, such as deterioration of the living environment in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River.
It was reported that the last sight of this dolphin was in 2002 and it is really hard to find one.