# How many mammal species are threatened?

> The IUCN Red List assesses more than 1,300 mammal species as threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered) — roughly one in four mammals evaluated. The IUCN Red List assesses extinction risk using quantitative criteria — population decline, range size, fragmentation.

**Category:** Conservation  ·  **Updated:** 2026-07-05

## Key takeaways
- 1,300+ mammal species threatened on IUCN Red List.
- ~One in four assessed mammals in threatened categories.
- Primates have highest share threatened.
- Habitat loss and hunting dominate terrestrial threats.
- Red List status updates — recovery possible with action.
- Not Evaluated species may still face severe risk.

## Answer
Primates, cetaceans and big cats appear frequently on threatened lists. Rodents and bats contain both abundant and critically rare species.

Threats cluster: habitat conversion in tropics, overhunting in forests and savannas, climate change in montane and polar regions.

Red List updates change as populations recover or crash — conservation action can move species between categories over time.

## How IUCN counts threatened mammals
Specialist groups assess species against published criteria — extent of occurrence shrinking, population reduction over three generations, small population size and continuing decline. Vulnerable is least severe threatened tier; Critically Endangered faces extremely high extinction risk. Data Deficient means insufficient information — not a clean bill of health. Not Evaluated species may be equally imperilled but unstudied — many tropical rodents and bats lack assessments. Summary statistics aggregate assessed species only — true threat may exceed published totals.

## Which mammals rank highest
Primates lead proportion threatened — orangutans, lemurs, gorillas. Cetaceans — river dolphins Critically Endangered. Big cats — tiger Endangered, others Vulnerable. Rhinos and pangolins Critically Endangered from poaching. Rodents and bats include island endemics with tiny ranges — less famous but equally Extinct in the Wild candidates. Megafauna attracts funding; microfauna extinction removes ecosystem functions unnoticed until collapse.

## Regional patterns
Tropical deforestation concentrates threat in Southeast Asia, Central Africa and Amazonia. Montane species shift upslope until summits trap them — climate change driver. Polar and marine mammals face sea ice loss and bycatch. Developed nations show recoveries — wolf, bison, beaver — alongside local extirpations still unreversed. Global totals hide winners and losers — donor strategy targets Critically Endangered with actionable habitat and enforcement pathways.

## Can categories improve?
Southern white rhino recovered from near extinction with intensive protection — IUCN status improved though not secure. Bald eagle delisted in US after DDT ban and protection. Humpback whales rebounded under whaling moratorium. Improvement requires sustained funding over decades matching species biology. Red List is snapshot — trend direction matters as much as current category. WARN cites status and year on wildlife guides so readers know if data are current.

## FAQ
### How many mammal species are threatened?
More than 1,300 Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered on IUCN Red List — about one in four mammals assessed.

### How many endangered species are there total?
Across all taxa IUCN lists 42,000+ threatened species — see popular search answer for global totals.

### Which mammal group is most threatened?
Primates — about 60% of species threatened, highest share of any mammal group.

### What is Critically Endangered?
Extremely high extinction risk — last tier before Extinct in the Wild on IUCN scale.

### Can species recover on the Red List?
Yes — status updates with population data; southern white rhino and humpback whale examples.

### Are all mammals assessed?
No — many Not Evaluated; absence of assessment does not mean safe.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List summary statistics](https://www.iucnredlist.org)

Human-readable page: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/answers/how-many-mammal-species-are-threatened