Saola

Discovered only in 1992, the saola remains one of the world's rarest mammals, with scientists estimating fewer than 100 individuals in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos. Its secretive nature makes population counts unreliable—a 2019 camera-trap survey yielded just two sightings. This extreme rarity places it at greater risk than the #7 Mountain Gorilla, whose population exceeds 1,000 and is actively recovering.