Cian O'Luanaigh, reporter
(Image: Johan Karlsson/ZSL)
It may not be the most attractive of bushbabies, but this rondo dwarf galago (Galagoides rondoensis) is special for more than just its looks.
Restricted to just two populations in Tanzania, the nocturnal primate was recently added to the Zoological Society of London's list of Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, a global initiative that ranks mammals and amphibians according to their genetics and conservation status.
Each EDGE species is genetically distinct, with few close relatives. It therefore represents a branch rather than a mere twig on the tree of life. If such a species goes extinct, a disproportionate amount of unique evolutionary history is lost.
The Yangtze river dolphin, previously ranking number one on the list, is already thought to have gone extinct. Conservationists are racing to raise awareness about other species before they too reach the same fate.
Also added to the list this year was the pygmy three-toed sloth, a Chinese pangolin and the saola antelope, known as the "Asian unicorn".