With the rise of deforestation, climate change, and hunting, many creatures that walk the Earth with us are in danger. There are 41,415 species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, which classifies animals that are threatened. Of those, 16,306 are endangered and nearing extinction.
But the following 16 animals prove that not all hope is lost: All 16 were close to extinction, or already believed to be extinct, but rebounded — often thanks to the hard work of conservationists.
From the Australian night parrot that was missing for 100 years to the giant panda that went from being the face of wildlife conservation to a thriving species, keep scrolling to read more animal conservation success stories.
The San Quintin kangaroo rat was thought to be extinct — until it resurfaced in Mexico after over 30 years.
The San Quintin kangaroo rat was declared critically endangered, possibly extinct in 1994 — it hadn't been spotted for 30 years when scientists came across the little rodent in the Valle Tranquilo Nature Preserve in Baja California, Mexico.
The giant panda is a global symbol for wildlife conservation: it is the face of the World Wildlife Fund. In 2016, it was removed from the global endangered species list.
Pandas were downgraded from endangered to vulnerable in 2016, after years of concentrated efforts to preserve their habitat. There are now 67 habitats in China dedicated to providing pandas with a safe place to live.
The Worldwide Wildlife Fund (WWF) director said that "The recovery of the panda shows that when science, political will, and engagement of local communities come together, we can save wildlife and also improve biodiversity."
Manatees were taken off the endangered list in 2017, but not all activists are happy with this decision.
When manatees were added to the endangered species list in the '70s, their population in Florida was in just the hundreds. At the time of their removal in 2017, there were over 6,000 wild manatees in Floridian waters.
But not everyone is happy about this "upgrade." Some people are worried that if manatees are "just" threatened animals, the government will stop protecting them.
"We believe this is a devastating blow to manatees," said Save the Manatee Club executive director Patrick Rose.
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