Tiger (Panthera tigris) 
The largest big cat in the world… and also one of the most endangered.
Photo credit: H. Zell
Symbol of strength and wilderness, the tiger once roamed vast regions of Asia — from Turkey to the Russian Far East. Today, this iconic predator is found in just a handful of fragmented habitats, threatened by poaching and rapid habitat loss.
Common name: Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: South and Southeast Asia, Russian Far East
Current population: Estimated 4,500 wild individuals (2024)
Diet: Deer, wild boar, buffalo, and other large herbivores
🔴 Main threats:
- Illegal hunting and trafficking of skin and body parts
- Habitat destruction due to agriculture and development
- Human-wildlife conflict
- Fragmentation of populations
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Anti-poaching patrols and law enforcement
- Establishment of protected areas and wildlife corridors
- Community-based conservation and coexistence programs
- International campaigns and breeding programs
✅ How to help:
- Support organizations working on tiger conservation
- Avoid products linked to deforestation or wildlife trade
- Share knowledge to raise awareness of this powerful species
Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) 
One of the rarest large mammals on Earth, teetering on the edge of extinction.
The Javan rhino is a shy and solitary species, known for its single horn and thick, armor-like skin. Once widespread across Southeast Asia, it now survives in just a tiny fraction of its former range, restricted mostly to dense tropical forests in Indonesia.
Common name: Javan Rhino
Scientific name: Rhinoceros sondaicus
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia
Current population: Around 80 individuals (2024 estimate)
Diet: Leaves, shoots, fruits, and branches
🔴 Main threats:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- Poaching for horns (though now largely controlled)
- Limited genetic diversity
- Natural disasters affecting small populations
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Strict protection in Ujung Kulon National Park
- Anti-poaching patrols and surveillance
- Habitat restoration projects
- Research and monitoring to improve population viability
✅ How to help:
Promote sustainable development that protects natural forests
Support organizations protecting rhinos and their habitats
Raise awareness about the plight of this rare species
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
Majestic and intelligent, yet quietly vanishing across Asia.
The Asian elephant is revered in many cultures, but despite its symbolic importance, this gentle giant faces severe threats in the wild. Smaller than its African cousin, it plays a crucial ecological role in forest ecosystems, yet its populations are shrinking due to conflict and shrinking habitats.
Common name: Asian Elephant
Scientific name: Elephas maximus
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Southeast Asia
Current population: ~40,000–50,000 individuals (2024 estimate)
Diet: Grasses, fruits, bark, and roots
🔴 Main threats:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation due to agriculture and infrastructure
- Human-elephant conflict (crop raiding and retaliation)
- Illegal capture and trade
- Poaching (mainly for skin and ivory from males)
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Elephant corridors and protected areas
- Human-wildlife conflict mitigation programs
- Community engagement and education
- Monitoring and law enforcement
✅ How to help:
Share information and advocate for coexistence with wildlife
Support ethical elephant conservation initiatives
Avoid attractions that exploit captive elephants
Himalayan Brown Bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) 
A mysterious highland bear, quietly struggling to survive.
The Himalayan brown bear is a rare subspecies of the brown bear, found in the remote mountainous regions of Central and South Asia. Known for its lighter coat and elusive nature, it faces a range of threats that have pushed it closer to extinction in many parts of its range.
Common name: Himalayan Brown Bear
Scientific name: Ursus arctos isabellinus
Conservation status: Critically Endangered in some regions (IUCN Red List – subspecies not assessed globally)
Location: Northern Pakistan, India (Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh), Nepal, Tibet
Current population: Fewer than 1,000 individuals (estimated)
Diet: Omnivorous – includes roots, berries, insects, small mammals, and carrion
🔴 Main threats:
- Habitat loss due to tourism and infrastructure development
- Human-wildlife conflict (especially in grazing areas)
- Poaching for body parts used in traditional medicine
- Climate change affecting alpine ecosystems
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Protection within national parks and reserves
- Research and population monitoring
- Education and awareness campaigns in local communities
- Conflict mitigation strategies with herders
✅ How to help:
Advocate for preservation of fragile mountain ecosystems
Support conservation work in the Himalayas
Promote eco-tourism and responsible travel
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
Silent guardian of the mountains — rare, elusive, and in danger.
The snow leopard is one of the most iconic yet mysterious big cats in the world. Perfectly adapted to the rugged, high-altitude landscapes of Central Asia, it plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of mountain ecosystems. But despite its camouflage and stealth, it cannot hide from threats caused by human activity.
Common name: Snow Leopard
Scientific name: Panthera uncia
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Location: Mountain ranges of Central Asia (Himalayas, Altai, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan)
Current population: Estimated 4,000–6,500 individuals (2024)
Diet: Mountain goats, wild sheep, marmots, and small mammals
🔴 Main threats:
- Retaliatory killings due to livestock predation
- Habitat degradation and fragmentation
- Poaching for fur and bones
- Climate change reducing suitable habitat
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Community-based conservation and compensation programs
- Anti-poaching patrols and wildlife crime monitoring
- Scientific research and camera trapping
- Transboundary cooperation across mountain nations
✅ How to help:
- Support conservation NGOs working in high-altitude regions
- Promote coexistence between local communities and predators
- Share awareness about this majestic but fragile species
Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
A forest thinker on the edge of survival.
The Bornean orangutan is one of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom — intelligent, solitary, and deeply tied to the rainforest canopy. Once abundant across Borneo, this great ape now faces a sharp population decline due to habitat destruction and illegal trade.
Common name: Bornean Orangutan
Scientific name: Pongo pygmaeus
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: Borneo (Indonesia and Malaysia)
Current population: ~100,000 individuals (2024 estimate, declining)
Diet: Fruits, leaves, bark, flowers, and insects
🔴 Main threats:
- Deforestation from logging, palm oil plantations, and fires
- Illegal hunting and pet trade
- Habitat fragmentation isolating populations
- Slow reproduction rate
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Protection of primary forests and peatlands
- Rescue and rehabilitation of captive or displaced individuals
- Reforestation and habitat corridors
- Campaigns against illegal wildlife trade and unsustainable palm oil
✅ How to help:
Educate others about the importance of rainforest biodiversity
Choose certified sustainable palm oil products
Support orangutan rescue and forest protection programs
Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)
The rarest primate on Earth — surviving on a single mountain.
Once found across Hainan Island in China, the Hainan gibbon is now confined to a single patch of forest. With fewer than 40 individuals left, it is considered the rarest ape — and the rarest mammal — on the planet. Known for its haunting calls and graceful movement through the trees, this gibbon is hanging by a thread.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Common name: Hainan Gibbon
Scientific name: Nomascus hainanus
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: Hainan Island, China (Bawangling National Nature Reserve)
Current population: 36 individuals (2024, in a single population)
Diet: Fruits, leaves, flowers, and insects
🔴 Main threats:
- Historical deforestation and habitat loss
- Extremely small population size (genetic bottleneck)
- Natural disasters (typhoons, disease)
- Lack of suitable habitat to expand population
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Strict protection of existing habitat in Bawangling
- Continuous monitoring and behavioral studies
- Reforestation and creation of forest corridors
- Genetic research to support long-term recovery
✅ How to help:
- Support primate conservation organizations in Asia
- Share the story of the world’s rarest ape
- Promote protection of tropical forests and endemic species
Yangtze River Dolphin – Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer)
A silent disappearance from one of the world’s great rivers.
The baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin, was once a graceful presence in China’s longest river. Revered in local folklore and perfectly adapted to life in murky freshwater, it is now possibly extinct. Years of industrialization, pollution, and intense boat traffic have pushed this unique species beyond the brink.
Common name: Yangtze River Dolphin (Baiji)
Scientific name: Lipotes vexillifer
Conservation status: Critically Endangered – Possibly Extinct (IUCN Red List)
Location: Yangtze River, China (last confirmed sightings in early 2000s)
Current population: Possibly 0 (no verified sightings since 2002)
Diet: Fish and other small aquatic animals
🔴 Main threats:
- Industrial pollution of the Yangtze River
- Heavy boat traffic and underwater noise
- Accidental entanglement in fishing gear
- Habitat degradation and river engineering projects
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Declared functionally extinct after 2006 expedition
- Renewed interest in protecting other Yangtze species
- Lessons from the baiji guide current river conservation programs
✅ How to help:
- Support conservation of freshwater ecosystems
- Advocate for sustainable river management
- Share the story of the baiji as a call to action for protecting aquatic life
Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
The last island tiger — stealthy, powerful, and vanishing fast.
The Sumatran tiger is the smallest surviving subspecies of tiger and the only one still found in the Indonesian archipelago. It’s uniquely adapted to life in dense tropical forests, but its future hangs in the balance as deforestation and poaching continue to threaten its existence.
Common name: Sumatran Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris sumatrae
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: Sumatra, Indonesia
Current population: Fewer than 600 individuals (2024 estimate)
Diet: Deer, wild boar, birds, and small mammals
🔴 Main threats:
- Illegal poaching for skins and body parts
- Habitat loss due to palm oil plantations and logging
- Human-wildlife conflict
- Fragmentation leading to isolated populations
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Anti-poaching patrols and camera trap monitoring
- Habitat protection in national parks
- Community engagement and education
- International campaigns against wildlife trafficking
✅ How to help:
Raise awareness about the importance of forest predators
Support tiger conservation programs in Indonesia
Choose certified sustainable palm oil products
Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)
An armored insectivore in peril — silent victim of trafficking.
The Indian pangolin is a shy, nocturnal mammal covered in protective keratin scales. It plays a vital role in controlling termite and ant populations, but despite its ecological importance, it faces relentless pressure from illegal wildlife trade. Its elusive nature makes conservation difficult, yet urgent.
Common name: Indian Pangolin
Scientific name: Manis crassicaudata
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Location: Indian subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan)
Current population: Unknown (declining due to poaching and habitat loss)
Diet: Ants, termites, and other small invertebrates
🔴 Main threats:
- Poaching for scales (used in traditional medicine)
- Illegal trade of meat and body parts
- Habitat destruction from agriculture and development
- Lack of public awareness
🌱 Conservation efforts:
- Inclusion in CITES Appendix I (ban on international trade)
- Wildlife crime enforcement and rescue operations
- Education campaigns across range countries
- Research on population status and habitat use
✅ How to help:
- Support anti-trafficking and pangolin rescue NGOs
- Avoid products linked to illegal wildlife trade
- Spread awareness about the world’s most trafficked mammal
🌏 About This Content: A Representative Sample, Not a Complete List
The goal of this article is to highlight some of the most iconic and threatened species of Asia. However, it’s important to note that these examples represent only a small fraction of the continent’s reality.
According to data from the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Asia currently has:
🟡 1,719 species listed as Vulnerable (VU)
🟠 1,406 species listed as Endangered (EN)
🔴 1,024 species listed as Critically Endangered (CR)
These figures reflect the immense diversity of Asian wildlife — including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates — many of which are little known to the public or lack available data, imagery, and media coverage.
📌 What you’ll find in this article are just a few emblematic, iconic, or visually striking examples that help build a more personal and educational connection with Asia’s threatened biodiversity.
If you wish to explore the full list of assessed species, visit the official IUCN database: