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As far as lists go, the Endangered Species list is probably one of the most highly anticipated. Who reads Forbes’ “America’s Best Colleges” list? Or any kind of “Best Dressed” lists? Let’s be real, the only list that really matters is the one with all the cute, fuzzy animals about to go extinct. So, to honor our furry friends, here is a list of the top ten animals we will miss the most:
Red River giant softshell turtle
There are only four Red River giant soft-shell turtles left in the world. And these guys are awesome! They live a long time, have soft shells, and are giant. What’s not to miss?
Sumatran rhino
The Sumatran rhino is highly sought after for its horn, which is used in traditional medicine and can be valued as much as $65,000 per kilo -- an animal body that is more valuable than gold. Hey, if they’ve got it, why can’t those hideous poachers just back off and let ‘em flaunt it?
Hainan gibbon
Less than twenty of this species of ape remain as they are regularly hunted on the Hainan Island in China. I have an ape stuffed animal, which makes me partial to these swinging cuties.
Tarzan's chameleon
Who doesn’t love Tarzan? Now I don’t know if this reptile is actually named after the classic Disney tale, but either way, sometimes I would love to be able to blend in like a chameleon. It would make those uncomfortable situations in life a whole lot easier. On that note, are we sure these guys are actually disappearing, or are we just not looking for them hard enough?
Singapore freshwater crab
As I hail from Maryland, land of all things crab, I have a soft spot for these crustaceans -- or really anything that remotely resembles Sebastian.
Vaquita
I love dolphins. They are my favorite animal, and all of my friends make fun of me for it. But I don’t care! Wouldn’t you want to splash around in the water all day? Dolphins are friendly, cute, and fun to be around. Since the Vaquita is a rare kind of porpoise which is related to whales and dolphins, I would miss this special creature more than all of the others.
Actinote zikani
The black and mustard colored butterfly was recently rediscovered in a densely populated area of Brazil. Now if only there were more of these beautiful butterflies fluttering about...
Galapagos damsel fish
I feel for this damsel in distress. Let's hope a muscular gilled fellow comes along to rescue it.
Geometric tortoise
The small tortoise from Western Cape South Province in South Africa has a stunning shell, appearing hand-painted. Such natural beauty simply must not disappear.
Silky sifaka
Bet you never thought this one was a white, soft furry lemur. Oh, and he’s silky. I grew up watching the PBS series “Zoboomafoo,” so I’m always up for a “little leaping lemur who likes to bounce and play.”
So stop and think about these guys while you are procrastinating from work later. Maybe if humans were a little bit more careful, we would have a few more tortoises and monkeys in our lives.
School, major and year: A&S, English major and French minor, 2015
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Favorite Beyonce lyric: "A diva is a female version of a hustla"
