Animals to Admire on #EndangeredSpeciesDay and Beyond (PHOTOS)

Amy Jamieson
Updated
#EndangeredSpeciesDay: Cute Animal Photos

Who can resist a photo of a baby gorilla? No one we’ve ever met.

Animals with similar magnetism are flooding the Internet right now in honor of #EndangeredSpeciesDay, and while it’s an excuse to look at photos of adorable animals, it’s also a stoic reminder of how much better our world is with them in it.

Endangered.org says the day was created in 2006 by the U.S. Congress, to celebrate our nation’s wildlife and wild places. Nature conservancies and various organizations are sharing sweet photos today to remind humans of just how many animals are in trouble, and that we need to work together to keep these critters alive.

All the cuties below are endangered — less than 3,000 Western lowland gorillas (above) call Earth home — so remember their names, click on their photos, and learn how you can help save them and so many others from extinction.

Cuddly orangutans, swift foxes and more need your help, so jump to it.

Sumatran orangutan

This young Sumatran orangutan lives in Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park. Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered and only about 7,500 survive in the wild. Kids will love learning about the beautiful species a that are unfortunately endangered in our free mini-unit on #EndangeredSpecies. They'll read about their habitats, protecting wildlife, biodiversity, evolution and what we can do to help them. Check it out on Kids Discover Online! . . #EndangeredSpeciesDay #ProtectWildlife #Wildlife #HabitatDestruction #Habitat #BioDiversity #BiodiversityDay #Endangered #Species #Preservation #Animals

A post shared by Kids Discover (@kidsdiscover) on May 19, 2017 at 5:07am PDT

Sea otter

Today is #endangeredspeciesday. Thousands of species that call our blue spaces home are endangered, including many that don't receive the same 'air time' as some of their more famous watery cousins. The humble (and awesome) sea otter is listed by the IUCN as endangered, suffering a population decline of more than 50% over the last 45 years. Sea otters have a life span of 15 years, are skilled marine foragers (urchins, clams, rock crabs) and hunt up to a kilometre from shore, to a depth of 30m! While the worldwide population continues to decline, there are a few pockets of stability and, in protected areas, even population growth - which might be why this guy looks so happy! #conservation #exploration #adventure #endangeredspeciesday #seaotter #wild #underwater #marinelife #endangered #sea #ocean #oceanographicmag 📸 by @sosotters

A post shared by Oceanographic Magazine (@oceanographic_mag) on May 19, 2017 at 6:00am PDT

Swift fox

Today is #EndangeredSpeciesDay . . Species protection is a cornerstone of conservation. Slowing, and ultimately reversing, the current trend of species loss is one of the greatest conservation challenges we face in Canada. As the number of Canada’s IUCN Red List species continues to grow, we find ourselves with 40 species that are now more endangered than the giant panda. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has an important role to play in protecting Canada’s IUCN Red List species, particularly those in southern Canada that are most threatened by habitat loss. This is the swift fox. Although no longer extirpated, there are very low numbers of this species in the wild and are an endangered species in Canada. Habitat protection is one of the most important ways to ensure this animal's long-term survival. NCC's landscape-approach conservation in prairie areas such as the Sage Creek Uplands of Alberta and Saskatchewan's Frenchman River is helping with that. . #endangeredspecies #swiftfox #fox #habitatprotection #habitatconservation #iucnredlist #habitatloss #ncc #natureconservancyofcanada

A post shared by Nature Conservancy of Canada (@ncc_cnc) on May 19, 2017 at 4:48am PDT

Spotted owls

It’s Endangered Species Day! The Nisqually Land Trust protects habitat for all kinds of amazing local wildlife, but did you know parts of our #MountRainierGateway protected area are managed in perpetuity for the benefit of northern spotted owls (Strix Occidentalis)? 📷 Thank you to Anna Mangan for the amazing photo! #northernspottedowl #endageredspecies #landtrust #onservation #habitat #wildlife #endangeredspeciesday #greatoutdoors #nwnature #nisqually #nisquallyriverwatershed #washington

A post shared by Nisqually Land Trust (@nisquallylandtrust) on May 19, 2017 at 8:15am PDT

Monk seal

In celebration of #EndangeredSpeciesDay, I present this hungry Hawaiian Monk Seal pup calling out to their mother for more milk. With only 1,300 remaining, these seals are critically endangered and in danger of extinction. #Hawaii #monkseal @noaa #Papahanaumokuakea #endangeredspecies #fbf #conservation #wildlifeconservation #SaveTogether #sealpup #alohafriday

A post shared by Jon Brack (@brackjon) on May 19, 2017 at 7:15am PDT

Asiatic lions

There are only 500 Asiatic lions left in the wild, living in the Indian state of Gujarat – their last remaining natural habitat. Asiatic lions are endangered and the small population is very vulnerable, but is steadily increasing thanks to conservation measures. ZSL is working with partners in India to provide training, expertise and support to protect these incredible lions. #EndangeredSpeciesDay #ZSL #conservation #lion #asiaticlion #lion #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography #bigcats #India #Asia

A post shared by officialzsl (@officialzsl) on May 19, 2017 at 7:31am PDT

Sea turtles

It's #endangeredspeciesday and today we want to celebrate the Kemp's ridley, the most endangered sea turtle species. What's their biggest threat? Incidental capture in fishing gear, including trawls, hook-and-line, gill nets and dredging. We happen to have two Kemp's ridley patients currently in our care: Nigel and Chum - both were caught hook-and-line. Luckily for these two, they were caught by benevolent fisherman who, instead of throwing the turtles back with the hook still intact, called South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Sea Turtle Care Center - some Kemp's ridley turtles aren't so lucky! Here at our hospital, we do what we can to keep these amazing creatures on our planet, but it's no small feat - they need everyone's help! So if you're out fishing, be sure to use bycatch reduction devices like turtle excluders. If you happen to catch a Kemp's ridley on hook-and-line, don't throw it back. Be a hero to a little Kemp's ridley and call DNR for help at: (800) 922-5431 #protectwhatyoulove

A post shared by South Carolina Aquarium (@southcarolinaaquarium) on May 19, 2017 at 6:30am PDT

Asian elephants

It’s #EndangeredSpeciesDay! We’re sharing some photos of wild endangered animals that scientists from @SmithsonianZoo have taken around the world. These are Asian elephants in Sri Lanka being tracked with radio collars. Asian elephants are endangered, and it’s estimated that there are only 30,000 to 50,000 living in the wild. Their biggest threat is habitat loss. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute ecologists track wild elephants with satellite collars and use the data they collect about where they live and travel to mitigate human-elephant conflict.

A post shared by Smithsonian (@smithsonian) on May 19, 2017 at 5:02am PDT

Columbia basin pygmy rabbit

It’s Endangered Species Day in the U.S. and in honor of the more than 1,200 federally recognized endangered species, we are highlighting a few that The Nature Conservancy has helped play a role in protecting, beginning with the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. The Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife runs a recovery program to bring these sagebrush-eating, mango-sized rabbits back from the edge of extinction by allowing bunnies to grow in enclosures safe from predators. Once mature, a team of biologists, volunteers, and Conservancy staff wrangle the rabbits and release them onto Conservancy land in the Beezley Hills in Washington where they contribute to the biodiversity of the region. Support wildlife near you at nature.org @conserve_wa #EndangeredSpeciesDay #nature #northwestnature

A post shared by The Nature Conservancy (@nature_org) on May 19, 2017 at 3:01am PDT

Rhino

Photo by @andywcoleman // May 19 is Endangered Species Day, a day designed to highlight the plight of many at-risk and critically endangered species of animals and to remind us to take the time to learn about why it’s vitally important to protect them from any further harm. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were several hundred thousand black rhino in Africa. By 2014, due to poaching, civil unrest and habitat changes, that number had been reduced to about 2400. As we watched this magnificent creature roaming through a field in South Africa, we were thankful for all the efforts in recent years to help ensure the survival of this species. #EndangeredSpeciesDay

A post shared by National Geographic Travel (@natgeotravel) on May 18, 2017 at 8:40pm PDT

Vaquita

Today is #EndangeredSpeciesDay and the most endangered marine mammal in the world needs your help. So far, more than 78,000 of you have signed on to demand immediate action to protect the vaquita. Haven’t signed yet? Click the link in our bio and add your name now!

A post shared by World Wildlife Fund (@world_wildlife) on May 19, 2017 at 8:31am PDT

To learn more about endangered species, visit the WWF’s website.