These 10 Beautiful Animals Are in Serious Danger of Being Lost Forever in 2018

If you're in need of yet another reason to be alarmed by the current state of our environment, here's a frightening one for you: environmental destruction could cause us to lose Malayan Tigers as soon as 2018. And Malayan Tigers aren't the only creatures at risk of disappearing off the face of the Earth; new research from the Eco Experts lists hundreds of species as being on the verge of extinction.

For their 2017 study, Eco Experts researchers gathered animal conservation data from around the globe, comparing the number of endangered mammal species from country to country. While Indonesia ranked as the worst nation for endangered mammals β€” 188 species are facing extinction in its territory β€” lead researcher Shreena Patel emphasized that this crisis isn't simply a concern for individual nations, but "for the entire world." You can find the full breakdown of areas with the greatest number of mammals at risk of extinction below.

Getty | MARVIN RECINOS

In addition to the geographic analysis of endangered species, the Eco Experts also published a harrowing list of the 10 mammals that are closest to extinction in 2018. From Indian elephants to blue whales, read ahead to find out which of Earth's rarest animals are on the brink of total eradication. If you're interested in learning more about these vulnerable species, check out the World Wildlife Fund's directory of endangered animals here. And if you're compelled to make a donation toward crucial conservation efforts, you can do so here.

01
Malayan Tiger
Getty | SAEED KHAN

Malayan Tiger

Current population: 250

02
Indochinese Tiger
Getty | JENS SCHLUETER

Indochinese Tiger

Current population: 350

03
Saola Antelope
Flickr user globalwildlife

Saola Antelope

Current population: 750

04
Bengal Tiger

Bengal Tiger

Current population: 2,500

05
Tapanuli Orangutan
James Askew/SOCP Handout/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Tapanuli Orangutan

Current population: 800

06
Tiger (Panthera Tigris)
Getty | Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert

Tiger (Panthera Tigris)

Current population: 3,890

08
Sumatran Orangutan
Getty | Ulet Ifansasti

Sumatran Orangutan

Current population: 14,613

09
Indian Elephant
Adobe

Indian Elephant

Current population: 20,000

10
Asian Elephant
Getty | Don Arnold

Asian Elephant

Current population: less than 50,000