Asia's Vanishing Megafauna

As I drew up my list of species for this book of endangered mammals, I tried not to have too animals from one particular group or region of the world. Even so, Asia's vanishing megafauna will occupy a great deal of it. These species include not only charismatic conservation icons -- such as pandas, tigers, orangutans, and even the Asian elephant -- but also many overlooked species with close relatives that seem to be doing fine elsewhere.

Indian hog deer (Hyelaphus porcinus)
Current Range: Northern Pakistan and India to southern China
Conservation Status: Endangered

Dhole (Cuon alpinus)

Current Range: Swaths of Southeast Asia, from western China and southwestern India to Sumatra and Java

Conservation Status: Endangered

Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica)
Current Range: Southeast Asia, from Myanmar to Brunei
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (unknown wildlife population)

Turkmenian kulan (Equus hemionus kulan)
Current Range: Turkmenistan
Conservation Status: Endangered

Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
Current Range: Northeast China and east coastal Russia
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (c. 57 in Russia and 12 in China as of February 2015)