An endangered species is a
species whose
population is so reduced
that it is facing a very high risk of
extinction in the
wild throughout all or a
significant part of its range,
due to habitat change,
reduction or destruction,
over-collection or
excessive capture, disease or predation, lack of regulation or
management, or other natural or man-made factors.
Many countries have laws offering special protection to these
species (forbidding hunting, banning their
habitats from development,
etc.) to prevent extinction.
Only a few of the many truly endangered
species actually make it to
the lists and obtain legal protection. Many more species become
extinct, or potentially
will become extinct, without gaining public notice.
The conservation
status of a species is
an indicator of the
likelihood of that endangered species continuing to survive.
See: Threatened Species |
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