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Photographer Spends 2 Years Photographing Animals That May Soon Be Extinct, And It Breaks Our Hearts
For most of us, endangered animals are a far-away mystery. British photographer Tim Flach, however, has spent the last two years braving their habitats and documenting the rare animals' fragile existences. The resulting body of work, Endangered, provides us with an intimate and rare view into the beautiful lives of Earth's most threatened species and reminds us of everything we should be afraid to lose.
From species we're all familiar with (polar bear, snow leopard, cheetah) to exotic wild animals we'd only imagine in fantasy films (saiga, Philippine eagle, olm salamander), Flach presents a wide spectrum of biodiversity of endangered species, and sheds light on the unique challenges each animal faces in order to survive. Some have had their numbers cut down by habitat destruction. Others endure more gruesome ordeals, such as hunting, poaching, and being sold into the black market.
Flach has often stated that he aims to reveal in his animal pictures the relationships that connect humans to our wilder counterparts. Staring into the eyes of the animals featured in Endangered, it's heartbreaking to imagine that any one of them would ever be considered less worthy of life than one of us. Scroll down to see the most stunning pictures of animals from the series, and vote for the ones that took your breath away.
More info: Endangered, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Saiga
RELATED:
#3
Philippine Eagle
#5
African Elephant
Jessica Hunter 7 years ago
I would be heartbroken to lose elephants. :( Every creature on this list deserves to live, but I have a special place in my heart for elephants.
BlueJean Yogini 7 years ago
"For comparison's sake, while there are warnings and alarm bells ringing about the imminent extinction of the African elephant as a result of the poaching crisis—a situation not in any way to be minimized—there are an estimated 450,000 African elephants compared to 80,000 giraffe," says Kathleen Garrigan, senior African Wildlife Foundation
Isla Reyne 7 years ago
and they've done nothing to stop it. When they're all gone, the poachers will move on to something else to kill. it's so sad to know that every year there are more people and less animals. I don't want to live in that world. Humans are the worst.
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Anaka Blackwood 7 years ago
No matter how beautiful ivory is, they die from detusking. Even if they let them live tuskless, it's still cruel and immoral.
Heidi Hediger 7 years ago
To look into an elephant's eye is to see their soul looking back at you.
Fiona Matthews 7 years ago
There numbers are on the increase so hopefully the species won't die out.
Di Campbell 7 years ago
These wonderful sentient, feeling beings are being pushed to extinction - they are being killed faster than they can breed so that some human creature can have an ivory trinket. Even though China is banning the import of ivory, I can see some sectors of the community wanting it, and it will still be available - illegally. The powers that be can't stop the smuggling of drugs, so how on earth are they going to stop the smuggling of ivory. They don't have the where-with-all - and, of course, money talks. These poor animals. It breaks my heart.l
Isla Reyne 7 years ago
what kills me about this is that China FINALLY decided to phase out ivory purchase in another couple of years, by which time they'll most definitely be gone. With the poachers knowing that they only have a couple of years left, they'll be going full throttle with the tusk trade. Great going, China. Thanks for nothing.
Catherine McCarty 7 years ago
I believe that is the saddest looking eye I have ever seen. I feel so sorry for him, and so angry about what we have done to him and his.
Laura Perkinson 7 years ago
sad sad as these animals are so smart and can think. but men think if it does not look like them, it is not worth anything.
Tammy Chapman 7 years ago
The elephant is loyal, they grieve when they lose a family member. They'll fight to protect each other from predators. Unfortunately, they can't fight off greedy evil men who track them on the ground and in helicopters and shoot them down with guns, just for their ivory. They are some of the most intelligent animals alive. They will do everything in their power to keep their babies alive and healthy. They have a special bond with each other, even in captivity and from different family units. They need each other and can become deeply depressed when they are kept alone with no other elephants to interact with. And some have been known to die from loneliness. And because of their intelligence people torture them with whips and hooks and chains and train them to do tricks in circuses and give rides to tourists to make money off of them. The elephant is a noble, kind, loving, beautiful and intelligent creature and deserves better than to be treated in such cruel and evil ways.
Analyn Lahr 7 years ago
This photo really speaks of the pain of what elephants have gone through.
#7
Snow Leopard
#8
Cheetah With Cubs
PurpleUnicorn 7 years ago
The first time I saw a cheetah was a female with cubs, surrounded by safari vehicles. The thrill was real but it was kinda sad too
#9
Ring Tailed Lemur
#10
White Bellied Pangolin
#11
Ploughshare Tortoise
#12
Red Panda
Pastel Ghostie 7 years ago
I WANNA SLAP THAT POPSICLE OF ADORABLENESS OFF THAT ENDANGERED LIST
#13
Fireflies
Hari Onago 7 years ago
There used to be so many of them when I was a kid. It's been so long since I last saw one :(
#14
Hippopotamus
#15
Giant Panda
Mama Panda 7 years ago
Ok I am going to move to where ever these animals reside and buy a huge piece of land and keep them all safe with me!
#17
Golden Snub Nosed Monkey
#18
Pied Tamarin
#19
Sea Angels
#20
Shoebill
#21
Northern White Rhinoceros
#23
European Honey Bee
#24
Egyptian Vulture
#25
Scimitar Oryx's
PurpleUnicorn 7 years ago
They were extinct in the wild but have been successfully captive bred and reintroduced.
#26
Western Lowland Gorillas
#27
Scallope Hammerhead Aggregation
#28
Blue Throated Macaw
#29
Proboscis Monkey
Michael Weinberg 7 years ago
That looks like Trump. Nevermind, that's an insult to this Monkey.
#30
Kaiser's Newt
#31
Indian Gharial
#32
Yellow-Eyed Tree Frog
#33
Arabian Oryx
PurpleUnicorn 7 years ago
The scimitar-horned oryx. They were extinct in the wild but captive breeding programmes have been successful enough to reintroduce them in selected protected locations.
#35
Beluga Sturgeon
PurpleUnicorn 7 years ago
Due to our appetite for caviar, pregnant females are killed for their eggs - nothing left to grow up
#37
Yunan Snub Nosed Monkey
#38
Smooth Fronted Cayman
#39
Yellow Eyed Tree Frog Eggs
#40
Hooded Vulture
#41
Olm Salamander
#42
Siamese Crocodile
Howard Hendricks Jr 7 years ago
I thought crocodile farms in Thailand had bred plenty of these for repopulating the species.
#43
Partula Snails
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Zori the degu 7 years ago
Such amazing photos, this is one skilled photographer! And while we are on the subject, consider this carefully: Which is better? Having more money(by not taking care for nature) or having these beautiful creatures roaming in the world in the future? Because, I choose the second option.
Petra Christovová 7 years ago
I think about this often too. We are horribly wasting the planet resources and our whole economy is based on wasting. Today everything is made so that it does not last long so people would buy new things. Economist are constantly babbling about need for infinite growth and production, but no one cares if this is manageable in the long term. Poor countries are devastating themselves for money .. really sad when I think about how our planet is being destroyed by our greed and expansion.
Load More Replies...
J. A. K. 7 years ago
Amazing, how all these majestic and beautiful species were here long before us and how little time it took us to change the world to it's worse. Funny how we keep asking about our origins, where we come from, and the purpose of our lives, yet everything is right in front of us, but apparently we are blind on this eye and keep starring into the sky with its stars and search for alien life, yet waste everything so beautiful and unique on this planet, really sad!
Analyn Lahr 7 years ago
It's just so sad to think that one day these creatures could just be gone. And it's the fault of humans. Humans cut down forests and kill for sport and profit. We are the cruelest of Earth's species.
Shafiq Wardag 7 years ago
Yes Analyn Lahr, I'm agree with ur point of view, one day evey things would be down, but we should never give pu these creatures of things, hope u don't mind it.
Load More Replies...
Anne Thompson 7 years ago
I think about these wonderful creatures, yes. But I also think about tinier, less showy creatures like insects. And I think about the flora that will vanish with climate change and human mindlessly encroaching upon their habitats. What wildflowers and birds will my grandsons never have a chance to see, even though they once lived on the creek near their house?
Gillian Black 7 years ago
one of the saddest things to think my great grandkids will not see a lot of these breaks my heart. so isn't it time this was put to right
Quant 7 years ago
We're facing another great extinction like many before it. The good news is that the planet will survive long after we've extinguished ourselves and our animals. It will be reborn and flourish. People keep talking about humans destroying the planet... b******t, the planet is just fine, we're destroying ourselves.
Anna Salerno 7 years ago
OMGosh these are incredible photos of incredible animals. It is very sad that they may be extinct some day. God made some beautiful creatures and some exceedingly scary creatures! WOW!
Sherra Pierre-March 7 years ago
Saddened by our blindness to this perfect world that we spend so much energy and effort in destroying....Is this what we call Progress!!
Cenk Karaferya 7 years ago
Money obsessed and people who always consume irresponsibly will always fail because they don't know the true meaning of being an human being...
Jay Jackson 7 years ago
It seems like the most beautiful animals are endanger!! ! Truely heart breaking. 😭
Darlene Michuk 7 years ago
Kinda scary, I hope somebody is caring enough to listen. The lack polar bear food source is what going to end it all. I think unless some really quick action for humanity, extinct animal to die likely be the polar bear and will everything fall like dominoes?
Kyla Nicole Rivera 7 years ago
made me sad. they are so beautiful and yet they're almost gone and or gone :<
Dylan v 6 years ago
i really hope we all go extinct so we don't have to deal with petty squabbles of people who don't vaccinate their kids and yeah i'm talking bout you, Susan Shaddock. why don't you let your kid do that for us 089fd17522...fd-png.jpg 
Steve Anthony 7 years ago
Yes amazing photos of threatened creatures, but people please consider supporting a conservation group so you can make a visible difference. The more we petition, donate or work at grassroots level, the more we can stop the extinction rates.
Linda Sanftleben 7 years ago
IF PEOPLE COULD LEARN TO LIVE WITH THESES WONDERFUL CREATURES , WE All DESERVE TO Have a good life LIVING beside and around EACH other. OUR NEXT GENERATION DESERVES TO SEE THESE WONDERFUL CREATURES TOO! LET US ALL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE TOGETHER!
Anaka Blackwood 7 years ago
Who would kill such beasts of wonderful unusual qualities? I just want to ban every chainsaw, poaching gun, and other deforestation device in existence
Bossis Marie-christine 7 years ago
the humans are just stupid they dont appreciate what the earth gives to them
Jenni Smeltzer 7 years ago
Whoever was putting together this set, didn't bother to read the titles of the original photos on Tim Flach's website, or they'd realize that that first photo is not a Ring Tailed Lemur. It's a Crowned Sifaka. http://timflach.com/work/endangered/slideshow/#72 (click the i in the bottom right corner, it tells you what's in the photo)
Adolf Richtar 7 years ago
All the money spent on black African subhuman filth is useless garbage. We should stop financing UN and use all the resources on this beautiful animals, give them space where they can reproduce. This animals are better for us than black Africans or degenerated Islamic filth we importing to Europe and USA.
David 7 years ago
Judging by a lot of these comments there seems to be a lot of people that think humans are the ONLY cause of a species going extinct. Much like the climate, that has been changing cyclically since the beginning of time... So too have various species been going extinct. All without ANY help form mankind.
David 7 years ago
While it IS sad when a species goes extinct, please remember that species have been going extinct since the beginning of time. All before man could have had ANYTHING to do with it. My point is, don't just jump to conclusions that "we've" killed off some species. Have some gone extinct due to the expansion of modern man? Sure, but some also go extinct do to the expansion of other species. It's just nature.
Lev Arieh 7 years ago
Looking up a few of these and they are certainly not on the level of "may soon be extinct". Beautiful photos and something I do care about, but misleading.
Pearl Sapirstein 7 years ago
Yeah, but the impact is still the same in the way that there are many, many critically endangered species, and its one way to raise awareness.
Load More Replies...
Pia 7 years ago
You want to eat them? Are you serious? They can stop existing any year now and you want to kill then so you can eat them? I'm sorry but you are not normal
Load More Replies...
Just a Purpler 7 years ago
Gorgeous pictures, but Lev is absolutely right, misleading title. A lot of these species are still doing fine. Some of them aren't even bothered by humans at all.
Zori the degu 7 years ago
Friend, you really have odd beliefs about our world. Our toxic kind's actions affect all the planet, from the smallest fly, to the largest blue whale.
Load More Replies... Zori the degu 7 years ago
Such amazing photos, this is one skilled photographer! And while we are on the subject, consider this carefully: Which is better? Having more money(by not taking care for nature) or having these beautiful creatures roaming in the world in the future? Because, I choose the second option.
Petra Christovová 7 years ago
I think about this often too. We are horribly wasting the planet resources and our whole economy is based on wasting. Today everything is made so that it does not last long so people would buy new things. Economist are constantly babbling about need for infinite growth and production, but no one cares if this is manageable in the long term. Poor countries are devastating themselves for money .. really sad when I think about how our planet is being destroyed by our greed and expansion.
Load More Replies... J. A. K. 7 years ago
Amazing, how all these majestic and beautiful species were here long before us and how little time it took us to change the world to it's worse. Funny how we keep asking about our origins, where we come from, and the purpose of our lives, yet everything is right in front of us, but apparently we are blind on this eye and keep starring into the sky with its stars and search for alien life, yet waste everything so beautiful and unique on this planet, really sad!
Analyn Lahr 7 years ago
It's just so sad to think that one day these creatures could just be gone. And it's the fault of humans. Humans cut down forests and kill for sport and profit. We are the cruelest of Earth's species.
Shafiq Wardag 7 years ago
Yes Analyn Lahr, I'm agree with ur point of view, one day evey things would be down, but we should never give pu these creatures of things, hope u don't mind it.
Load More Replies... Anne Thompson 7 years ago
I think about these wonderful creatures, yes. But I also think about tinier, less showy creatures like insects. And I think about the flora that will vanish with climate change and human mindlessly encroaching upon their habitats. What wildflowers and birds will my grandsons never have a chance to see, even though they once lived on the creek near their house?
Gillian Black 7 years ago
one of the saddest things to think my great grandkids will not see a lot of these breaks my heart. so isn't it time this was put to right
Quant 7 years ago
We're facing another great extinction like many before it. The good news is that the planet will survive long after we've extinguished ourselves and our animals. It will be reborn and flourish. People keep talking about humans destroying the planet... b******t, the planet is just fine, we're destroying ourselves.
Anna Salerno 7 years ago
OMGosh these are incredible photos of incredible animals. It is very sad that they may be extinct some day. God made some beautiful creatures and some exceedingly scary creatures! WOW!
Sherra Pierre-March 7 years ago
Saddened by our blindness to this perfect world that we spend so much energy and effort in destroying....Is this what we call Progress!!
Cenk Karaferya 7 years ago
Money obsessed and people who always consume irresponsibly will always fail because they don't know the true meaning of being an human being...
Jay Jackson 7 years ago
It seems like the most beautiful animals are endanger!! ! Truely heart breaking. 😭
Darlene Michuk 7 years ago
Kinda scary, I hope somebody is caring enough to listen. The lack polar bear food source is what going to end it all. I think unless some really quick action for humanity, extinct animal to die likely be the polar bear and will everything fall like dominoes?
Kyla Nicole Rivera 7 years ago
made me sad. they are so beautiful and yet they're almost gone and or gone :<
Dylan v 6 years ago
i really hope we all go extinct so we don't have to deal with petty squabbles of people who don't vaccinate their kids and yeah i'm talking bout you, Susan Shaddock. why don't you let your kid do that for us 089fd17522...fd-png.jpg
Steve Anthony 7 years ago
Yes amazing photos of threatened creatures, but people please consider supporting a conservation group so you can make a visible difference. The more we petition, donate or work at grassroots level, the more we can stop the extinction rates.
Linda Sanftleben 7 years ago
IF PEOPLE COULD LEARN TO LIVE WITH THESES WONDERFUL CREATURES , WE All DESERVE TO Have a good life LIVING beside and around EACH other. OUR NEXT GENERATION DESERVES TO SEE THESE WONDERFUL CREATURES TOO! LET US ALL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE TOGETHER!
Anaka Blackwood 7 years ago
Who would kill such beasts of wonderful unusual qualities? I just want to ban every chainsaw, poaching gun, and other deforestation device in existence
Bossis Marie-christine 7 years ago
the humans are just stupid they dont appreciate what the earth gives to them
Jenni Smeltzer 7 years ago
Whoever was putting together this set, didn't bother to read the titles of the original photos on Tim Flach's website, or they'd realize that that first photo is not a Ring Tailed Lemur. It's a Crowned Sifaka. http://timflach.com/work/endangered/slideshow/#72 (click the i in the bottom right corner, it tells you what's in the photo)
Adolf Richtar 7 years ago
All the money spent on black African subhuman filth is useless garbage. We should stop financing UN and use all the resources on this beautiful animals, give them space where they can reproduce. This animals are better for us than black Africans or degenerated Islamic filth we importing to Europe and USA.
David 7 years ago
Judging by a lot of these comments there seems to be a lot of people that think humans are the ONLY cause of a species going extinct. Much like the climate, that has been changing cyclically since the beginning of time... So too have various species been going extinct. All without ANY help form mankind.
David 7 years ago
While it IS sad when a species goes extinct, please remember that species have been going extinct since the beginning of time. All before man could have had ANYTHING to do with it. My point is, don't just jump to conclusions that "we've" killed off some species. Have some gone extinct due to the expansion of modern man? Sure, but some also go extinct do to the expansion of other species. It's just nature.
Lev Arieh 7 years ago
Looking up a few of these and they are certainly not on the level of "may soon be extinct". Beautiful photos and something I do care about, but misleading.
Pearl Sapirstein 7 years ago
Yeah, but the impact is still the same in the way that there are many, many critically endangered species, and its one way to raise awareness.
Load More Replies... Pia 7 years ago
You want to eat them? Are you serious? They can stop existing any year now and you want to kill then so you can eat them? I'm sorry but you are not normal
Load More Replies... Just a Purpler 7 years ago
Gorgeous pictures, but Lev is absolutely right, misleading title. A lot of these species are still doing fine. Some of them aren't even bothered by humans at all.
Zori the degu 7 years ago
Friend, you really have odd beliefs about our world. Our toxic kind's actions affect all the planet, from the smallest fly, to the largest blue whale.
Load More Replies...
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