The world's most unloved, underappreciated wildlife – in pictures

Do you like pangolins or silky sharks? How about the black-legged kittiwake? Vote for your favourite in the Wildscreen Arkive’s Valentine’s Day campaign to help protect underappreciated species from poaching and climate change

Main image: Black-legged kittiwake Photograph: Brian Gratwicke/Courtesy of Wildscreen

  • Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)

    Despite being crucial to its ecosystem, the dingo, a wild dog, is a much maligned and misunderstood species. Its presence benefits many other threatened mammal, bird and reptile species by reducing populations of feral cats and foxes, which are thought to be the biggest threat to Australian wildlife.Nominated by Wildlife Land Trust
    Dingo (Canis lupus dingo): Despite being crucial to its ecosystem, the dingo, a wild dog, is a much maligned and misunderstood species. Its presence benefits many other threatened mammal, bird and reptile species by reducing populations of feral cats and foxes, which are thought to be the biggest threat to Australian wildlife.Nominated by: Wildlife Land Trust

  • Chagos anemonefish (Amphiprion chagosensis)

    Often overlooked due to its very famous close relative, the anemonefish has a super power in the form of a protective shield that allows them to live amongst sea anemones but not get stung. The coral reef habitat of the anemonefish and other coral-dwelling fish is under threat due to climate change and acidification.Nominated by Chagos Conservation Trust
    Chagos anemonefish (Amphiprion chagosensis): Often overlooked due to its very famous close relative, the anemonefish has a super power in the form of a protective shield that allows them to live amongst sea anemones but not get stung. The coral reef habitat of the anemonefish and other coral-dwelling fish is under threat due to climate change and acidification.Nominated by: Chagos Conservation Trust

  • Horrid ground-weaver (Nothophantes horridus)

    Despite being called ‘horrid’ this spider is harmless and is actually so-called due to a corruption of its scientific name horridus which actually means ‘hairy’. This species is found in just three recorded sites in Plymouth, UK, one of which has been developed into an industrial estate. After the development of another site was proposed, Buglife launched a campaign which prevented planning permission from being granted and the horrid ground-weaver population was saved. Nominated by BugLife
    Horrid ground-weaver (Nothophantes horridus): Despite being called ‘horrid’ this spider is harmless and is actually so-called due to a corruption of its scientific name horridus which actually means ‘hairy’. This species is found in just three recorded sites in Plymouth, UK, one of which has been developed into an industrial estate. After the development of another site was proposed, Buglife launched a campaign which prevented planning permission from being granted and the horrid ground-weaver population was saved. Nominated by: BugLife

  • European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis)

    The European pond turtle is one of the very few freshwater turtles in Europe. Historically, the reason for its decline was due to human consumption, although habitat loss and invasive species are now the primary threats to its survival. Nominated by Polish Society for Nature Conservation – Salamandra
    European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis): The European pond turtle is one of the very few freshwater turtles in Europe. Historically, the reason for its decline was due to human consumption, although habitat loss and invasive species are now the primary threats to its survival. Nominated by: Polish Society for Nature Conservation – Salamandra

  • Pangolins (Pholidota)

    They are the world’s most trafficked mammal, yet most people don’t even know that they exist. Wild pangolin populations are plummeting in all areas where they are found, and it is believed that over a million have been caught and sold for medicine and exotic meat over the past decade. Although their appearance is reptile-like, these unique, gentle and beautiful animals are the world’s only scaled mammal. An individual pangolin can eat up to 23,000 insects every day, helping to maintain their populations.Nominated by David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
    Pangolins (Pholidota) are the world’s most trafficked mammal, yet most people don’t even know that they exist. Wild pangolin populations are plummeting in all areas where they are found, and it is believed that over a million have been caught and sold for medicine and exotic meat over the past decade. Although their appearance is reptile-like, these unique, gentle and beautiful animals are the world’s only scaled mammal. As an individual pangolin can eat up to 23,000 insects every day, helping to maintain their populations.Nominated by: David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

  • Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

    It is a dainty gull with black-tipped silver wings, yellow bill and dark eyes. Their shrill call ‘kittee wa-aake’ gives them their name. Kittiwake numbers in the UK have declined by about 50% (66% in Scotland) since the mid-1980s. This decline appears to have been driven by a slump in the availability of sandeels due to climate change and overfishing. Breeding failure increases with the proportion of sandeels fished.Nominated by Blue Planet Society
    Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a dainty gull with black-tipped silver wings, yellow bill and dark eyes. Their shrill call ‘kittee wa-aake’ gives them their name. Kittiwake numbers in the UK have declined by about 50% (66% in Scotland) since the mid-1980s. This decline appears to have been driven by a slump in the availability of sandeels due to climate change and overfishing. Breeding failure increases with the proportion of sandeels fished.Nominated by: Blue Planet Society

  • Club-tailed dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus)

    The club-tailed dragonfly is threatened by major works carried out on rivers, which destroys the plants they need to emerge into adults. Scouring of the river bed also removes the silt they need to bury in. Excessive silt build up is likewise a problem, suffocating the larvae, as is poor water quality. Fast moving boats on rivers are also dangerous as they affect their emergence. Nominated by British Dragonfly Society
    The club-tailed dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus) is threatened by major works carried out on rivers, which destroys the plants they need to emerge into adults. Scouring of the river bed also removes the silt they need to bury in. Excessive silt build up is likewise a problem, suffocating the larvae, as is poor water quality. Fast moving boats on rivers are also dangerous as they affect their emergence. Nominated by: British Dragonfly Society

  • Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

    It gets its name from its exceptionally smooth skin and metallic tone. This highly migratory, low productivity shark is at risk from substantial incidental take in high seas fisheries. Due to its beautifully marked skin, the silky shark is a popular target for the shark leather trade. Like many other sharks, it is also fished for its fins, meat and liver oil. It’s classified as near threatened and ranked among the top three most important sharks in the global fin trade.Nominated by: Project AWARE
    They are vulnerable to overfishing due to slow growth, late maturity, lengthy gestation, and few young.Classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and ranked among the top three most important sharks in the global fin trade, the silky shark truly deserves all our love and attention.

  • Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)

    It resembles striped markings of a zebra, but is actually closely related to giraffe. Since the okapi is only endemic in the DRC, their numbers have gone down tremendously since the discovery of their species in 1901. The okapi has been a protected national treasure of the Congo since 1933 but are now listed as endangered. Major threats include habitat loss due to deforestation and human settlement. Extensive hunting for their bushmeat and skin have also led to the decline in their populations. Nominated by: Tusk Task Force
    Okapi (Okapia johnstoni): It resembles striped markings of a zebra, but is actually closely related to giraffe. Since the okapi is only endemic in the DRC, their numbers have gone down tremendously since the discovery of their species in 1901. The okapi has been a protected national treasure of the Congo since 1933 but are now listed as endangered. Major threats include habitat loss due to deforestation and human settlement. Extensive hunting for their bushmeat and skin have also led to the decline in their populations. Nominated by: Tusk Task Force

  • Galapagos giant tortoises (Geochelone nigra)

    They are endemic to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, this tortoise is one of only two distinct populations of giant tortoises remaining on the planet. Each of the 11 living subspecies are either vulnerable, critically endangered, or endangered, and several have already gone extinct. The main causes for their decline are harvesting for food and oil, habitat loss, and the introduction of pigs, dogs, cats, and rodents that prey on young tortoises and eggs.Nominated by Ecology Project International
    Galapagos giant tortoises (Geochelone nigra) are endemic to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, this tortoise is one of only two distinct populations of giant tortoises remaining on the planet. Each of the 11 living subspecies are either vulnerable, critically endangered, or endangered, and several have already gone extinct. The main causes for their decline are harvesting for food and oil, habitat loss, and the introduction of pigs, dogs, cats, and rodents that prey on young tortoises and eggs.Nominated by: Ecology Project International

  • Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia)

    It features on many clan crests and is a part of Scottish folklore. There could be as few as 100 in the wild. They are a protected species but so heavily outnumbered by domestic cats that it’s difficult for them to find and mate with another wildcat, and instead they often mate with domestic cats and have hybrid kittens. These hybrids have mixed wildcat and domestic cat ancestry and as hybridisation continues with each successive generation, the wildcat genes are being diluted. Nominated by Scottish Wildcat Action
    The Scottish wildcat features on many clan crests and is a part of Scottish folklore. There could be as few as 100 in the wild. They are a protected species but so heavily outnumbered by domestic cats that it’s difficult for them to find and mate with another wildcat, and instead they often mate with domestic cats and have hybrid kittens. These hybrids have mixed wildcat and domestic cat ancestry and as hybridisation continues with each successive generation, the wildcat genes are being diluted. Nominated by: Scottish Wildcat Action

  • Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

    The greatest threat to the walrus is the disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic, due to rising global temperatures. Not only do walrus depend on sea ice as a crucial habitat and resting platform, but retreating sea ice also opens the Arctic to potentially harmful industrial activity, like commercial shipping and risky oil and gas drilling causing irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem that walruses depend on.Nominated by Ocean Conservancy
    The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus): The greatest threat to the walrus is the disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic, due to rising global temperatures. Not only do walrus depend on sea ice as a crucial habitat and resting platform, but retreating sea ice also opens the Arctic to potentially harmful industrial activity, like commercial shipping and risky oil and gas drilling causing irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem that walruses depend on.Nominated by: Ocean Conservancy
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