This article was written by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Antelopes are the most poached animals in the world.
Specifically the Grant’s gazelles, is hunted for meat, hides, and horns, while another species, the Thomson’s gazelles, is often killed by trophy hunters as well as poachers.
The Southern reedbucks (Redunca arundinum, least concern in 2025), are targeted because of their slow movement.
In 2023, the South Africa National Parks reported 115 known impala deaths due to poachers’ snares between January and October. There were also 48 zebra deaths, 25 kudu deaths, and 23 nyala deaths.
2. Buffalo
In 2025, African buffalo (Syncerus caffer, near threatened) are poached for bushmeat, leading to their significant decline.
In 2023, South Africa National Parks reported that 135 buffalo died after being caught in poachers’ snares between January and October. This made up 35% of all reported poaching deaths in this period in South Africa.
3. Rhino
Global trade in rhino horn is banned under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora). But back in 2017, South Africa—which is home to 70% of the world’s rhinos—overturned the ban. It is currently legal for people to trade rhino horn within South Africa’s borders.
This has made South Africa a rhino poaching hotspot. Poachers killed more than 100 rhinos in South Africa in the first three months of 2025 alone.
Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis critically endangered) have been particularly impacted. Up to 96% of this population was wiped out from 1970 to 1990 due to poaching. In 2025, there are thought to be just 3,142 mature individuals left in the wild.
White rhinos (Ceratotherium simum, near threatened) were severely impacted by poaching. Southern white rhinos are doing a little better than their northern cousins. In 2025, there are just two northern white rhinos remaining. The pair is protected around the clock by guards.
Over in Asia, Indian rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis, vulnerable) were poached to the point of being reduced to only about 200 individuals, though their numbers have since recovered to more than 2,000.
Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus, critically endangered) are less fortunate. As of 2025, there are just 18 mature individuals left in the wild. Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, critically endangered in 2025) are also struggling, with just 30 mature individuals remaining.
4. Elephants
Elephant poaching remains a huge problem for populations. The largest mammal on Earth has long been targeted for its tusks, which are made of ivory. Though the ivory trade is banned in many countries, it is still legal in places such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
Despite bans, poaching of African elephants rose in the early 2000s and peaked in 2010—though since then, it has been on a slow decline. Still, a staggering 90% of African elephants have been killed by poachers over the last 100 years.
Poaching is currently the number one cause of death for African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis, critically endangered in 2025). It’s also a significant cause of population decline for African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana, endangered), though habitat loss has overtaken poaching as their biggest threat.
Poaching is not only causing population decline but also affecting the evolution of the species. Elephants without tusks are now more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on their genetics, which means elephants are evolving to not have tusks. Tusks are essential for digging for water, lifting objects, gathering food, stripping bark from trees, and defence. Tuskless elephants experience serious disadvantages to their survival.
Though they aren’t as often targeted, Asian elephants (Elephas maximus, endangered in 2025) are victims of poaching too, and the population is decreasing. Trade of both Indian elephants and Borneo elephants’ tusks, skin, and other body parts has increased in Southeast Asia in recent years.
5. African grey parrots
African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus, endangered) are one of the most endangered birds in the world, due to a rising demand in the exotic pet trade. Since 1975, over 1.3 million of these birds have entered international trade. Unfortunately, 30% to 66%of grey parrots captured from the wild die in the process, so the total number impacted is likely much higher.
African greys are almost extinct in Ghana, which has lost 90 to 99% of its grey parrot population due to illegal trade. Their total wild population is declining by up to 21% each year.
In 2022, IFAW supported an investigation into an illegal wildlife trafficking operation, from which 119 African grey parrots were rescued. In 2016, IFAW advocated for African grey parrots to be uplisted to Appendix I of CITES to receive the highest level of protection, which was ultimately successful.
6. Apes
Apes—including bonobos (Pan paniscus, endangered), orangutans (critically endangered), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes, endangered), gorillas (critically endangered), and gibbons (many species are endangered or critically endangered)—are often hunted for bushmeat.
While bushmeat once provided necessary food to local communities, it is now a massive commercial market, especially for consumers in Asia, who view bushmeat as a luxury product. This has increased the demand for bushmeat in Asia and Africa, where apes are found. More than five million tonnes of bushmeat are exported from the Congo Basin each year.
Though many local communities have taboos against hunting apes like bonobos, poachers from other areas travel to the Congo Basin to hunt them, and in 2025, population numbers are still declining.
Orangutans are also sometimes killed for bushmeat, their skulls, and bones. Baby orangutans, in particular, are targeted by the primate pet trade. This illegal trade also impacts gibbons and chimpanzees.