Rarest species you've Never heard of

 Popular animals that are critically endangered and well known to the public often receive much more attention and help in their conservation, while other more interesting and unique species are often neglected and left to go extinct just because there are not enough people to know and care for them.

Saola

 

The saola, also often called the Asian unicorn, is one of the world’s rarest large mammals. It’s endemic to Vietnam and Laos, with a length of around 150 cm (4.9 ft) and a height slightly elevated in the back of around 84 cm (33 in), and usually weighs between 80 and 100 kg (176 and 220 lbs). Their most striking feature is the big, almost parallel horns present in both sexes, combined with their beautiful chocolate brown coat with white patches on the face, neck, and belly. Solas are also currently listed as critically endangered due to their already small distribution being endangered by habitat loss and hunting.

Black-spotted cuscus

The cuscus is a species of marsupial found mostly in Oceania. The black-spotted cuscus is one of the biggest members of the family, being surpassed only by the bear cuscus. They are endemic to northern New Guinea and live only in undisturbed tropical forests below 1200 m (3940 ft.). This species usually grows to around 70 cm (27 in) + 50 cm (19 in) tails and weighs around 5-7 kg (11–15 lbs). Females are easily recognized by their well-developed pouches. They are omnivores and eat everything from plants to small animals, and while not much about these species is known, we are sure that they are nocturnal and solitary, moving slowly between branches and often interactions between individuals are aggressive. They are listed as critically endangered due to the loss of habitat in their already small range, and overhunting due to their beautiful capes has led to a decrease in the population.

Northern hairy-nosed wombat

 

Wombats are the closest living relatives of the Koala, and there are three existing species of them, all found only in Australia. They are listed as critically endangered, but due to good conservation, that may not be the case for long. While their population was only 113 individuals in 2003, most recent records estimate their population to be more than 300. While wombats grow, they have a large problem: close to 2/3 of all individuals are males. The hairy-nosed wombat is nocturnal, growing to around 35 cm (14 in) high and 1 m (40 in) long, weighing up to 40 kg (88 lbs). They are nocturnal and rely mostly on their noses due to very poor eyesight; their habitat requires deep sandy soils in which they dig burrows, making them inhabit mostly open eucalypt woodlands.

Vaquita

 

Vaquitas are a species of porpoise, which is a group of small dolphins like cetaceans more closely related to belugas and narwhals than to true dolphins. They are endemic to the Gulf of California in Baja California, Mexico. The vaquita can reach a maximum body length of 150 cm (4.9 ft), with females being larger than males, making it the smallest of all living cetaceans. They are thought to be one of the rarest animals in the world, with a population of around 10 individuals. Currently listed as critically endangered, the species is on the brink of extinction because of bycatch and gillnets used in illegal fishing in the area.

 

Philippine eagle

 

Also known as the monkey-eating eagle, it is the largest extant eagle in the world in terms of length and wingspan, growing to an impressive 86 to 102 cm (2.8 to 3.4 ft) in length and weighing around 4 to 8 kg (8.9 to 17.6 lb). As the name may suggest, they are endemic to the Philippines and are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered, mostly due to habitat loss due to deforestation throughout their range. Thankfully, there are conservation efforts on the way, including the fact that killing a Philippine eagle is considered a criminal offence and can be punished by up to 12 years in prison and heavy fines. Their population is believed to be around 250 breeding couples, and they inhabit the montane forest, particularly in steep areas at elevations higher than 1,800 m (5,900 ft).

So that was it! – Now you know the rarest and most unique species on Earth. I hope you learned a lot regarding the spectacular wildlife on our planet with The Wildlife Echo!