West African Potto
Perodicticus potto
Red List assessment
Near Threatenedon the IUCN Red List
- EXExtinct
- EWExtinct in the Wild
- CRCritically Endangered
- ENEndangered
- VUVulnerable
- NTNear Threatened
- LCLeast Concern
The IUCN Red List assesses the West African Potto as Near Threatened.
- Genus
- Perodicticus
- Red List category
- Near Threatened
- Data updated
- August 9, 2026
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The West African Potto is one of the mammals assessed by the IUCN Red List, so it has a page here — with its scientific name, Perodicticus potto, its conservation category and, where one is known, a recorded observation on the map. What is missing is the rest: habitat, distribution, diet, behaviour, threats and the conservation work under way.
Each profile is researched and checked one species at a time, and there are thousands to go. You can put this one at the front of the queue.
In the meantime, the full assessment is on the IUCN Red List.
Questions about the West African Potto
Is the West African Potto endangered?
The IUCN Red List assesses the West African Potto as Near Threatened. The species does not qualify as threatened today, but it is close to the thresholds and likely to cross them soon. It is the category that most often changes at the next assessment.
What is the scientific name of the West African Potto?
The West African Potto is Perodicticus potto.
Other species in the genus Perodicticus
Sources
Conservation status, range description and population estimate come from the IUCN Red List assessment for Perodicticus potto. Countries are derived from that range description, not from a mapped country list. Last refreshed on .
The distribution map is drawn from the IUCN Red List spatial data compiled in 2020. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)