Overview
Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species have few close relatives and are often extremely distinct in the way they look, live and behave. These unique species are also on the verge of extinction, and if they disappear there will be nothing like them left on the planet. Click here for more information on EDGE species.
Some EDGE species, such as elephants and pandas are well known, but others, such as the Yangtze River dolphin (the world's rarest cetacean), Gardiner’s Seychelles frog (possibly the world’s smallest amphibian) and the egg-laying long-beaked echidnas, remain poorly understood.
Alarmingly, two-thirds of the top 100 EDGE mammal species are currently receiving little or no conservation attention. The situation is even more worrying for amphibians, with 85% of the top 100 amphibians are currently receiving little or no conservation attention. The EDGE of Existence programme aims to address this conservation gap by raising awareness of these species, identifying the dominant threat processes affecting them, and implementing conservation strategies for a number of Focal species each year.
The Species section of the website provides information on the top 100 EDGE mammals and amphibians, poorly-known (or potential) EDGE species, and the ten most Evolutionarily Distinct species in each group. Visit the search page to look for a specific species, or scroll through the lists and learn more about the weird and wonderful species we are highlighting.
