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Endangered species

An endangered species is a population of organisms , which because it is either few in number or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters, it is at risk of becoming extinct Extinction

In biology [i] and ecology [i], extinction is the cessation of existence of a species [i] or group of taxa [i]... 

. Many countries have law Law

Law is the set of rules or norms [i] of conduct which forbid, permit or mandate specified actions ... 

s offering special protection to these species or their habitats: for example, forbidding hunting Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing animal [i]s to capture or kill them for food [i], recreation [i], or ... 

, restricting land development or creating preserves. Only a few of the many endangered species actually make it to the lists and obtain legal Law

Law is the set of rules or norms [i] of conduct which forbid, permit or mandate specified actions ... 

 protection. Many more species become extinct, or potentially will become extinct, without gaining public notice.

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An endangered species is a population of organisms , which because it is either few in number or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters, it is at risk of becoming extinct Extinction

In biology [i] and ecology [i], extinction is the cessation of existence of a species [i] or group of taxa [i]... 

. Many countries have law Law

Law is the set of rules or norms [i] of conduct which forbid, permit or mandate specified actions... 

s offering special protection to these species or their habitats: for example, forbidding hunting Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing animal [i]s to capture or kill them for food [i], recreation [i], or... 

, restricting land development or creating preserves. Only a few of the many endangered species actually make it to the lists and obtain legal Law

Law is the set of rules or norms [i] of conduct which forbid, permit or mandate specified actions... 

 protection. Many more species become extinct, or potentially will become extinct, without gaining public notice.

The greatest factor of concern is the rate at which species are becoming extinct within the last 150 years. While species have evolved and become extinct Extinction

In biology [i] and ecology [i], extinction is the cessation of existence of a species [i] or group of taxa [i]... 

 on a regular basis for the last several hundred million years, the number of species becoming extinct since the Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was the major technological [i], socioeconomic [i] a ... 

 has no precedent in biological history. If this rate of extinction continues, or accelerates as now seems to be the case, the number of species becoming extinct in the next decade could number in the millions. While most people readily relate to endangerment of large mammals or bird Bird

Birds are biped [i]al, warm-blooded [i], oviparous [i] vertebrate [i] animals characterized [i] ... 

life, some of the greatest ecological Ecology

Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms [i] ... 

 issues are the threats to stability of whole ecosystems if key species vanish at any level of the food chain Food chain

Food chains and food webs and/or food networks describe the feeding relationships between sp... 

.

Issues of extinction

Species extinction is the ultimate concern, but there are four different reasons to have for concern with this outcome:

  1. Loss of a species as a biological entity
  2. Destabilization of an ecosystem
  3. Endangerment of other species
  4. Loss of irreplaceable genetic material and associated biochemicals


The loss of a species in and of itself is an important factor, both as diminution of the enjoyment of nature and as a moral issue for those who believe humans are stewards of the natural environment. Destabilization is a well understood outcome, when an element of food or predation is removed from an ecosystem. Examples abound that other species are in turn affected, such that population increases or declines are forthcoming in these secondary species. Drastic change or an unstable spiral can ensue, until other species are lost and the ecosystem structure is changed markedly and irreversibly.

The fourth outcome is more subtle, but perhaps the most important point for mankind to grasp. Each species carries unique genetic material in its DNA DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid [i] that contains the genetic [i] instructions for t... 

 and in its chemical factory responding to these genetic instructions. For example, in the valleys of central China, a fern Fern

A fern is any one of a group of about 20,000 species [i] of plant [i]s classified in the phylum or divis ... 

like weed called sweet wormwood grows, that is the only source of artemisinin Artemisinin

Artemisinin is a drug [i] used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum [i] ... 

, a drug that is nearly 100 percent effective against malaria Malaria

Malaria is an infectious disease [i] that is widespread in many tropical [i] and subtropical re ... 

 . If this plant were lost to extinction, then the ability to control malaria, even today a potent killer, would diminish. There are countless other examples of chemicals unique to a certain species, whose only source is the species, whose genetic factory makes that given substance. How many further chemicals have not yet been discovered and could vanish from the planet when further species become extinct cannot be determined, but it is a highly debated and influential point.

Though extinction can be a natural effect of the process of natural selection Natural selection

Natural selection is the process by which individual organism [i]s with favorable trait [i]s are... 

, the current extinction crisis is not related to that process. At the present, the Earth is at a peak of biodiversity and scientists contend that the Earth is undergoing the sixth mass extinction Extinction event

An extinction event occurs when a large number of species [i] die out [i] in a relatively sh ... 

 period. These periods have occurred before without human intervention; however the current extinction period is unique. Previous periods were triggered by physical causes, such as meteorite collision and volcanic eruption, all leading to climate change. The current extinction period is being caused by humans and began approximately 100,000 years ago with the diaspora of humans to different parts the world. By entering new ecosystems which had never before experienced the human presence, humans disrupted the ecological balance by hunting and also possibly bringing disease. From this time up to approximately 10,000 years ago is known as "phase one" of the sixth extinction period.

Phase two of the period began approximately 10,000 years ago with the birth of agriculture. With the birth of agriculture, humans did not have to rely on interaction with other species for survival and so could begin to domesticate them, and they also did not have to adhere to the limitations of the ecosystem's carrying capacity. Thus, humans became the first species able to live outside local ecosystems. As Niles Eldridge says "Indeed, to develop agriculture is essentially to declare war on ecosystems - converting land to produce one or two food crops, with all other native plant species all now classified as unwanted "weeds" -- and all but a few domesticated species of animals now considered as pests." With the ability to live outside of a local ecosystem, humans have been free to breech the "carrying-capacity" of areas and overpopulate, putting ever more stress on the environment with destructive activities necessary for more population growth. Today, those activities include tropical Tropics

The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth [i] centered on the equator [i] and limited in latitude [i] ... 

 deforestation, coral loss, other habitat destruction, overexploitation of species, introduction of alien species into ecosystems and pollution Pollution

Pollution is the release of chemical, physical, biological or radioactive contaminants to the environment [i]... 

 .

Conservation status


The conservation status Conservation status

The conservation status of a species [i] is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to ... 

of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that endangered species continuing to survive. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation status of a species; not simply the number remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, known threats, and so on. In many areas this is referred to as a red-listed species. Internationally, 189 countries have signed an accord agreeing to create Biodiversity Action Plan Biodiversity Action Plan

A Biodiversity Action Plan is an internationally recognized programme addressing threatened species [i] ... 

s to protect endangered and other threatened species. In the USA United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 this plan is usually called a species Recovery Plan.

The best-known worldwide conservation status listing is the IUCN Red List, but many more specialized lists exist. The following conservation status categories are used in articles in this encyclopedia. They are loosely based on the IUCN categories.
  • Extinct: the last remaining member of the species had died, or is presumed beyond reasonable doubt to have died. Examples: Thylacine Thylacine

    The Thylacine is a large carnivorous [i] marsupial [i] native to Australia [i] which is thoug... 

    , Dodo Dodo

    The Mauritius Dodo , more commonly just dodo, was a metre-high flightless bird [i] of the island ... 

    , Passenger Pigeon Passenger Pigeon

    The Passenger Pigeon was once probably the most common bird in the world.... 

    .
  • Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples: Dromedary Dromedary

    The Dromedary Camel is a large even-toed ungulate [i] native to northern Africa [i] and western Asia [i] ... 

    .
  • Critical or critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction Extinction

    In biology [i] and ecology [i], extinction is the cessation of existence of a species [i] or group of taxa [i]... 

     in the immediate future. Examples: Ivory-billed Woodpecker Ivory-billed Woodpecker

    The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is a very large and extremely rare or extinct member of the woodpecker [i] ... 

    , Arakan Forest Turtle Arakan Forest Turtle

    The Arakan Forest Turtle is an extremely rare turtle [i] species which occurs onin the Arakan hills of w... 

  • Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Blue whale Blue Whale

    The Blue Whale is a marine mammal [i] belonging to the suborder of baleen whale [i]s. ... 

    , Snow Leopard Snow Leopard

    The snow leopard , also known in some instances as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountai... 

    , Kings holly
  • Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: Cheetah Cheetah

    The Cheetah is an atypical member of the cat family that hunts by speed rather than by stealth or pac... 

    , Bactrian Camel Bactrian camel

    The Bactrian camel is a large even-toed ungulate [i] native to the steppe [i]s of eastern Asia [i]. ... 

  • Secure or lower risk: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Norway Rats, Nootka Cypress Callitropsis nootkatensis

    Nootka Cypress, formerly Cupressus nootkatensis, Xanthocyparis nootkatensis or Chamaecyparis nootk... 

    , Llama Llama

    The llama is a large camelid [i] that originated in North America [i] and then later on moved on to South America [i] ... 




The following lists are examples of endangered species. It is important to stress that the following lists are a miniscule fraction of the total endangered species. It is also worth noting that the number of species becoming extinct each year is many times as large as the number of species classified as endangered; this fact arises from the extensive and slow review process for listing new species as endangered. It also arises from the loluminous number of yearly extinctions, often for species about which little docementation exists. Note that because of varying standards for regarding a species as endangered, and the very large number of endangered species, these lists should not be regarded as comprehensive.

Endangered mammals



The following list is a very small fraction of known endangered mammals:
  • Asian Elephant Asian Elephant

    The Asian Elephant, sometimes known by the name of its nominate subspecies, is one of the three living species [i] ... 

  • Aye-aye Aye-aye

    The Aye-aye is a primate [i] native to Madagascar [i] that combines rodent [i]-like teeth with a long, ... 

  • Banteng Banteng

    The Banteng, Bos javanicus is an ox [i] that is found in Myanmar [i], Thailand [i], Cambodia [i], Laos [i] ... 

  • Bighorn Sheep Bighorn Sheep

    Bighorn Sheep are one of two species of mountain sheep [i] in North America [i]; the other species ... 

  • Black Rhinoceros Black Rhinoceros

    The Black Rhinoceros is a mammal [i] in the order Perissodactyla [i], native to the eastern and central ... 

  • Black-footed Ferret Black-footed Ferret

    The Black-footed Ferret is a small carnivorous North American mammal [i] closely related to the Steppe Polecat [i] ... 

  • Blue Whale Blue Whale

    The Blue Whale is a marine mammal [i] belonging to the suborder of baleen whale [i]s. ... 

  • Bonobo Bonobo

    The Bonobo , until recently usually called the Pygmy Chimpanzee and less often the Dwarf or ... 

  • Burrowing Bettong Potoroidae

    The marsupial [i] family Potoroidae includes the bettong [i]s, potoroo [i]s and two of the rat-kangaroo [i] ... 

  • Common Chimpanzee Common Chimpanzee

    The Common Chimpanzee , also known as the Robust Chimpanzee, is a great ape [i]. ... 

  • Chinese River Dolphin  and other river dolphins
  • Diademed Sifaka Diademed Sifaka

    The Diademed Sifaka is an endangered species [i] of sifaka [i], one of the lemur [i]s endemic to certain ... 

  • Eastern Gorilla Gorilla

    The gorilla, the largest of the living primate [i]s, is a ground-dwelling herbivore [i] that inhabits th ... 

  • Fin Whale Fin Whale

    "Finback" redirects here. For the U.S.... 

  • Forest Elephant African Forest Elephant

    The African Forest Elephant was until recently considered a subspecies [i] of the African Bush Elephant [i] ... 

  • Gelada Gelada

    The Gelada is a species of Old World monkey [i], found only in the highland [i]s of Ethiopia [i] and Eritrea [i] ... 

  • Giant golden-crowned flying fox Giant golden-crowned flying fox

    The Giant golden-crowned flying fox, also known as the Golden-capped fruit bat, is a rare fruit bat [i] ... 

  • Giant Panda Giant Panda

    The giant panda is a mammal [i] classified in the bear family, Ursidae [i], native to central and south ... 

  • Giant Pangolin
  • Golden Lion Tamarin Golden Lion Tamarin

    The Golden Lion Tamarin, or Golden Marmoset, is a small New World monkey [i] of the family Cebidae [i] ... 






  • Gray bat Gray Bat

    The Gray Bat is a small bat [i] that lives in cave [i]s throughout the southern United States [i]. ... 

  • Hawaiian Monk Seal Hawaiian Monk Seal

    The Hawaiian Monk Seal in the Family Phocidae [i], is an endangered [i] ... 

  • Humpback Whale Humpback Whale

    The Humpback Whale is a mammal [i] which belongs to the baleen whale [i] suborder. ... 

  • Iberian Lynx Iberian Lynx

    The Iberian Lynx - sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Spanish Lynx - used to be often mis-classifi... 

  • Indian Pangolin
  • Indri Indri

    The Indri, also called the Entrina, is a large tree-dwelling relative of the lemur [i] and, like a ... 

  • Island Fox Island Fox

    The Island Fox is a small fox [i] that is native to six of the eight Channel Islands of California [i]. ... 

  • Javan Rhinoceros Javan Rhinoceros

    The Javan Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros sondaicus is one of the rarest and most endangered large mammal [i]... 

  • Key Deer Key Deer

    The Key Deer is an endangered [i] deer [i] that lives only in the Florida Keys [i]. ... 

  • Kouprey
  • Leopard Leopard

    The leopard is one of the four 'big cat [i]s' of the genus [i] Panthera [i]. ... 

  • Mahogany Glider Mahogany Glider

    The Mahogany Glider, which is named for its mahogany-brown colour, is a highly endangered possum [i], ve... 

  • Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat Wombat

    Wombats are Australia [i]n marsupial [i]s; they are short-legged, muscular quadruped [i]s, approximately... 

  • Numbat Numbat

    The Numbat is a small marsupial [i] native to western and southern Australia [i] with a number of unique ... 

  • Orangutan Orangutan

    The orangutans are two species of great apes [i] with long arms and reddish, sometimes brown, ... 






  • Père David's Deer Père David's Deer

    Pre David's deer, Ciervo del Padre David, and Milu in Chinese), is a species [i] of deer [i] kno ... 

  • Proboscis Monkey Proboscis Monkey

    The Proboscis Monkey is a reddish-brown arboreal [i] mainly Sonneratia [i] leaf-eating [i] Old World monkey [i]... 

  • Red Panda Red Panda

    The Red Panda also known as the Lesser Panda, Wah, Bear Cat or Firefox, is a mo... 

  • Red Wolf Red Wolf

    The Red Wolf is the rarest and most endangered of all wolves [i].... 

  • Savannah Elephant African Bush Elephant

    The African Bush Elephant is the better-known and larger of the two species [i] of African elephant [i]s ... 

  • Sea Otter Sea Otter

    [i], from northern [[Japan]... 

  • Sei Whale Sei Whale

    The Sei Whale is a large baleen whale [i]. ... 

  • Snow Leopard Snow Leopard

    The snow leopard , also known in some instances as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountai... 

  • Steller's Sea Lion Steller's Sea Lion

    The Steller's Sea Lion , also known as the Northern Sea Lion, is a sea lion [i] of the temperate e... 

  • Sumatran Rhinoceros Sumatran Rhinoceros

    The Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest extant rhinoceros [i] species, as well as the one with the most ... 

  • Temminck's Pangolin Temminck's Pangolin

    The Temminck's Pangolin, or Cape Pangolin, is one of four species of pangolin [i] which can be fou ... 

  • Tibetan Antelope
  • Tiger Tiger

    Tigers are mammal [i]s of the Felidae [i] family and one of four "big cat [i]s" in the Panthera [i]... 

  • Timber Wolf
  • Vaquita
  • Western Gorilla Gorilla

    The gorilla, the largest of the living primate [i]s, is a ground-dwelling herbivore [i] that inhabits th ... 

  • West Indian Manatee Manatee

    Manatees are large aquatic mammal [i]s sometimes known as sea cows. ... 

  • Wolverine Wolverine

    The wolverine is the largest terrestrial species of the Mustelidae [i] or weasel family, and is also ca ... 



Endangered bird Bird

Birds are biped [i]al, warm-blooded [i], oviparous [i] vertebrate [i] animals characterized [i] ... 

s




  • Alaotra Grebe
  • Andean Condor Andean Condor

    The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture [i] families. ... 

  • Amami Thrush
  • Amsterdam Albatross
  • Attwater's prairie-chicken Attwater's Prairie Chicken

    Attwater's prairie-chicken is a highly endangered subspecies of prairie chicken [i] ... 

  • Bali Starling Bali Starling

    The Bali Starling, Leucopsar rothschildi also known as Rothschilds Mynah or Bali Myna is... 

  • Black-capped Petrel
  • Brazilian Merganser
  • California Clapper Rail California Clapper Rail

    The California Clapper Rail is an endangered [i] subspecies [i] of the Clapper Rail [i] ... 

  • California Least Tern California Least Tern

    The California Least Tern, Sternula antillarum browni, is a subspecies of Least Tern [i] that breeds ... 

  • California Condor California Condor

    The California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture [i] famil ... 

  • Chatham Albatross
  • Chinese Crested Tern
  • Christmas Island Frigatebird
  • Cozumel Thrasher
  • Eskimo Curlew Eskimo Curlew

    The Eskimo Curlew or Northern Curlew was a medium-sized New World shorebird [i]. ... 

  • Giant Ibis
  • Glaucous Macaw
  • Guam Rail Guam Rail

    The Guam Rail, Gallirallus owstoni, is a flightless bird, endemic to Guam [i]. ... 

  • Gurney's Pitta
  • Hawaiian Crow Hawaiian Crow

    The Hawaiian Crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, also known as Alala at the Native Hawaiians [i], is a species ... 

  • Hawaiian Goose or Néné
  • Imperial Woodpecker Imperial Woodpecker

    The Imperial Woodpecker is a member of the woodpecker [i] family [i] Piciformes [i]. ... 

  • Indian White-rumped Vulture Indian White-rumped Vulture

    The Indian White-rumped Vulture is an Old World vulture [i] in the family Accipitridae [i], which also ... 

  • Ivory-billed Woodpecker Ivory-billed Woodpecker

    The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is a very large and extremely rare or extinct member of the woodpecker [i] ... 

  • Jerdon's Courser Jerdon's Courser

    The Jerdon's Courser belongs to the pratincole [i] and courser [i] family Glareolidae [i]. ... 

  • Junin Flightless Grebe
  • Kakapo Kakapo

    The Kakapo, Strigops habroptilus, is a species [i] of nocturnal [i] parrot [i] endemic [i] ... 

  • Kittlitz's Murrelet Kittlitz's Murrelet

    The Kittlitz's Murrelet, is a small auk [i] found in the waters off Alaska [i] and Eastern Siberia [i]. ... 

  • Kiwi Kiwi

    A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless bird [i]s endemic to New Zealand [i] of the genus... 

  • Laysan Duck Laysan Duck

    The Laysan Duck is a dabbling duck [i], today endemic [i] to Laysan Island [i], Hawaii [i]. ... 

  • Lear's Macaw
  • Long-billed Vulture Long-billed Vulture

    The Long-billed Vulture, Gyps indicus, is an Old World vulture [i] in the family Accipitridae [i], ... 

    ,
  • Magdalena Tinamou
  • Magenta Petrel
  • Mauritius Fody
  • Mauritius Parakeet
  • Mindoro Bleeding-heart
  • New Zealand Storm-petrel
  • Night Parrot
  • Northern Bald Ibis Northern Bald Ibis

    The Northern Bald Ibis, Hermit Ibis, or Waldrapp, Geronticus eremita, is a large [[bird]... 

  • Okinawa Woodpecker
  • Orange-bellied Parrot
  • Philippine Eagle Philippine Eagle

    The Philippine Eagle is one of the rarest, largest and most powerful bird [i]s in the world.... 

  • Po'ouli
  • Puerto Rican Parrot Puerto Rican Parrot

    The Puerto Rican Parrot is an endemic [i] parrot [i] of the archipelago [i] of Puerto Rico [i]... 

  • Raso Skylark
  • Red-cockaded Woodpecker Red-cockaded Woodpecker

    About the size of the Northern Cardinal [i], the Red-cockaded Woodpecker is approximately 20-22 cm [i] ... 

  • Red-vented Cockatoo
  • Ridgway's Hawk
  • São Tomé Grosbeak
  • Siberian Crane
  • Slender-billed Curlew
  • Socorro Mockingbird,
  • Sociable Lapwing Sociable Lapwing

    The Sociable Lapwing or Sociable Plover is a wader [i] in the lapwing [i] family of bird [i]s.

... 


  • Spix's Macaw
  • Sumaatran Elephant
  • Takahe Takahe

    The Takahe or South Island Takahe, Porphyrio hochstetteri is a flightless bird [i] endemic to... 

  • White-headed Duck White-headed Duck

    The White-headed Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck [i].

... 


  • White-shouldered Ibis
  • Whooping Crane Whooping Crane

    The Whooping Crane is a very large crane [i]. ... 

  • Writhed-billed Hornbill Writhed-billed Hornbill

    The Writhed-billed Hornbill, or Visayan Wrinkled Hornbill is a hornbill [i] bird living in the rai... 

  • Yellow-crested Cockatoo Yellow-crested Cockatoo

    The Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua sulphurea also known as Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo i... 

  • Zino's Petrel
  • Mountain Pygmy Possum

Endangered reptile Reptile

Reptiles are tetrapod [i]s and amniote [i]s, animals whose embryo [i]s are surrounded by an amniotic membrane [i] ... 

s


  • Californian Walking Bird
  • St. Croix ground lizard
  • Loggerhead Sea Turtle Loggerhead Sea Turtle

    The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is a sea turtle [i] and the only member of the genus Caretta. ... 

  • Green Sea Turtle Green Sea Turtle

    The Green Sea Turtle is a large sea turtle [i], the only member of the genus Chelonia. ... 

  • Cuban Crocodile Cuban Crocodile

    The Cuban crocodile is a small species of crocodile [i] found only in Cuba [i]'s Zapata Swamp [i] and th ... 

  • Mona Ground Iguana Mona Ground Iguana

    The Mona Ground Iguana is a subspecies [i] of the rhinoceros iguana. ... 

  • Mesoamerican River Turtle
  • Leatherback Sea Turtle Leatherback Sea Turtle

    The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the biggest of all living turtle [i]s, reaching a length of over 2.7 m [i] ... 

  • Indigo snake Drymarchon

    The genus [i] Drymarchon of colubrid [i] snakes includes the Indigo snakes and various other r ... 

  • Hawksbill Sea Turtle Hawksbill turtle

    The Hawksbill turtle is a sea turtle [i] that is distinguished by the following characteristics.

... 


  • Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard Gambelia sila

    Gambelia sila, also known as the Blunt-nosed leopard lizard is a federally listed endangered species [i] ... 

  • Burmese Star Tortoise
  • Kemp's Ridley Turtle Sea turtle

    Sea turtles are turtle [i]s found in all the world's oceans with the exception of the Arctic Ocean [i], ... 

  • Olive Ridley Olive Ridley

    The Olive Ridley is one of the smallest species of sea turtle [i]. ... 

  • Flat Back Turtle Sea turtle

    Sea turtles are turtle [i]s found in all the world's oceans with the exception of the Arctic Ocean [i], ... 

  • Grand Skink
  • Otago Skink Otago skink

    The Otago skink is an endangered species [i] of large skink [i]s native to the central Otago [i] region ... 

  • Monito Gecko
  • Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard

    The Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard, Uma inornata, is a California [i]n species of lizard [i]. ... 

  • Komodo Dragon Komodo dragon

    The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard [i] in the world, growing to an average length of 2-3 me ... 

  • Island Night Lizard
  • Horned Lizard Horned lizard

    Horned lizards are a genus of the Phrynosomatidae [i] family of lizard [i]s. ... 

  • San Francisco garter snake San Francisco garter snake

    The San Francisco garter snake is a slender multi-colored colubrid [i] snake [i]. ... 

  • Smith's Dwarf Chameleon

Endangered amphibians Amphibian

Amphibians are a taxon [i] of animal [i]s that include all tetrapod [i]s and four-legged vertebrate [i] ... 




  • Arroyo Southwestern toad
  • Barton Springs salamander
  • California tiger salamander California Tiger Salamander

    The California Tiger Salamander is an endangered [i] amphibian [i] native to Northern California [i] ... 

  • Desert slender salamander
  • Fleischmann's Glass Frog
  • Houston toad Houston toad

    The Houston toad is an endangered species [i] of amphibian [i]. ... 

  • Italian spade-footed toad
  • Mississippi gopher frog
  • Mountain yellow-legged frog Mountain Yellow-legged Frog

    The Mountain yellow-legged frog is a small frog [i] species. ... 

  • Palmate newt Palmate Newt

    The Palmate Newt is a species of newt [i] found in parts of Great Britain [i], Western and Northern Europe [i]... 

  • Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander

    The Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander is an endangered [i] subspecies of the Long-toed Salamander [i], whi ... 

  • Shenandoah salamander
  • Sonoran tiger salamander
  • Texas blind salamander Texas Blind Salamander

    The Texas Blind Salamander, Eurycea rathbuni, is a rare cave [i] dwelling salamander [i] native to San Marcos [i] ... 

  • Wyoming toad Wyoming Toad

    The Wyoming Toad is an extremely rare amphibian [i] that exists only in captivity and within Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge [i] ... 

  • Telmatobius
  • Spotted Tree Frog
  • Baw Baw Frog
  • Wallum Sedge Frog
  • Day's Frog

Endangered fish Fish

A fish is a water [i]-dwelling vertebrate [i] with gills [i], that remains so throughout its life.... 

 


  • Asian arowana Asian arowana

    The Asian arowanas are four species of closely related freshwater [i] fish in the genus Scleropages [i] ... 

  • Bonytail
  • Chinese paddlefish Chinese Paddlefish

    The Chinese Paddlefish, also known as Chinese Swordfish, is among the largest freshwater [i] fish [i] ... 

  • Coelacanth Coelacanth

    Coelacanth is the common name for an order [i] of fish [i] that includes the oldest living lineage [i] ... 

  • Colorado pikeminnow
  • Cui-ui Cui-ui

    The cui-ui is a large sucker [i] fish [i] endemic [i] to Pyramid Lake [i] in northw ... 

  • Dwarf Pygmy Goby
  • Gambusia eurystoma, native to Mexico Mexico

    The United Mexican States, generally known as Mexico is a country [i] located in North America [i] ... 

    , due to very limited habitat
  • Humpback chub
  • June sucker
  • Moapa dace
  • Nassau grouper Nassau grouper

    The Nassau grouper is one of the large number of Perciform [i] fish [i] in the family Serranidae [i] tha ... 

  • Virgin River chub

Endangered arthropods Arthropod

Arthropods are the largest phylum [i] of animal [i]s and include the insect [i]s, arachnid [i]s, crustacean [i] ... 

 

  • San Bruno elfin butterfly San Bruno elfin butterfly

    The San Bruno elfin butterfly is a U.S.... 

     , due to limited range of habitat and development encroachment
  • Spruce-fir moss spider
  • Tooth cave spider
  • Delhi Sands flower-loving fly Delhi Sands flower-loving fly

    The Delhi Sands flower-loving fly is a mydid [i] fly in the genus Rhaphiomidas, and th ... 

     , due to severely limited range of habitat and development
  • White-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes

    Austropotamobius pallipes is an endangered  Listed as Vulnerable Europe [i]an freshwater [i] crayfish [i] ... 

     '
  • Kentucky cave shrimp '
  • Alabama cave shrimp '

Endangered mollusk Mollusca

The mollusks or molluscs are the large and diverse phylum [i] Mollusca, which includ ... 

s

  • Iowa Pleistocene Snail Discus macclintocki

    The Iowa Pleistocene Snail, or Pleistocene disc, is a tiny snail [i] living in a few specialized l ... 



Endangered plant Plant

Plants are a major group of living things [i] including familiar organism [i]s such as tree [i]s, flower [i] ... 

s

About 6% of the 300,000 identified species are endangered due to overcollection or destruction of habitat, among other causes. Pollinator decline is also a factor for some species. The following is a very small fraction of the endangered plants:

  • African violet Saintpaulia

    Saintpaulia is a genus of 20 species of herbaceous [i] perennial [i] flowering plant [i] ... 

     , due to forest clearance
  • Baishanzu fir  of southeast China China

    China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

    , three trees known on an isolated mountain summit
  • Baker's larkspur  of California California

    California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

    , due to very limited habitat
  • Chilean wine palm , due to land clearance
  • Dawn Redwood Metasequoia

    Metasequoia glyptostroboides is a fast growing tree [i] in the conifer [i] family Cupressaceae [i] ... 

     , thought to be extinct until 1941, when a small stand was discovered in China
  • Hickman's potentilla Hickman's potentilla

    Hickmans potentilla is an endangered [i] perennial [i] herb [i] of the rose family. ... 

     , thought to be extinct until rediscovery in early 1990s.
  • Kaka Beak Kaka Beak

    Kaka Beak is a woody legume [i] shrub [i] native to New Zealand [i]'s North Island [i], with striking cl ... 

      of New Zealand New Zealand

    New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean [i] consisting of two large islands and many ... 

    , due to introduced grazers and competing plants
  • King of the Paphs Orchid  of Asia Asia

    Asia is the largest and most populous continent [i] or region, depending on the definition.... 

    , due to overcollection
  • Louisiana Quillwort, of Louisiana Louisiana

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... 

, due to very limited habitat
  • Madonna lily Madonna lily

    The Madonna Lily is a plant in the genus Lilium [i], a "true lily". ... 

      of Europe Europe

    Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

    , due to overcollection
  • muiri tree  of Kenya Kenya

    The Republic of Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa [i]. ... 

     and neighboring countries, because of harvesting excessively and by improper methods
  • Pinus squamata of southwest China China

    China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

    , about 20 trees known
  • Saguaro cactus Saguaro

    The Saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus [i] species [i] in the monotypic [i] genus Carnegiea... 

      of North America North America

    North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i]... 

    , due to overcollection, slow maturing, and slow breeding
  • Saharan Cypress  of North Africa North Africa

    North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost [i] region [i] of the Africa [i]n continent [i] ... 

    , due to small population and desertification Desertification

    Desertification is the degradation [i] of land in arid [i], semi arid [i] and dry sub-h ... 

  • Santa Cruz Tarweed , of California California

    California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

    , due to limited range of habitat and encroachment by man
  • Tennessee coneflower and Pyne's ground plum of the Nashville Basin Nashville Basin

    The Nashville Basin is a geographic term used to describe the area surrounding Nashville, Tennessee [i]. ... 

     of Tennessee Tennessee

    Tennessee is a U.S. state [i] located in the Southern [i] United States [i]. ... 

    , due to limited cedar glade habitat and its destruction by urbanization.
  • Venus Flytrap Venus Flytrap

    Venus Flytrap is a carnivorous plant [i] that catches and digests animal prey. ... 

      of North America North America

    North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i]... 

    , due to land clearance and overcollection.
  • Wollemi pine Wollemi Pine

    Wollemia nobilis is a remarkable coniferous [i] tree [i] that was discovered in 1994 [i] i... 

      of Australia Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere [i] c ... 

    , also known as the 'Dinosaur Tree'. Wollemia fossils have been found in Australia, Antarctica and New Zealand. The plant was thought to be extinct until two trees were discovered in 1994. Research into the horticultural development of the Wollemi pine is being conducted at Mount Annan Botanic Garden. The plants are now available and commercially propagated.

Controversy


Some endangered species laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include: criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list, and criteria for removing a species from the list once its population has recovered; whether restrictions on land development constitute a "taking" of land by the government; the related question of whether private landowners should be compensated for the loss of use of their land; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws.

Being listed as an endangered species can backfire, since it could make a species more desirable for collectors and poachers . However, this is usually a spurious argument by those favoring loose protection laws.

Another argument against listing species is the use of the "shoot, shovel, and shut up" method of clearing endangered species from an area of land. Due to the fact that landowners currently may perceive a diminution in value for their land after finding an endangered animal on it, some owners have opted to silently kill and bury the animals, thus removing the problem from their land, but at the same time further reducing the population of an endangered species. It has also been noted that the effectivenes of the Endangered Species Act , which coined the term "endangered species", has been questioned. Only 15 species have been de-listed to date, and many of those species recovered from the stoppage of practices not related to the ESA, such as the use of DDT.

See also

  • Biodiversity Biodiversity

    Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of life [i].... 

  • Conservation status Conservation status

    The conservation status of a species [i] is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to ... 

  • Red and Blue-listed
  • Convention on Biological Diversity
  • Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
  • Extinct birds Extinct birds

    Since 1500 [i], over 100 species of birds [i] have become extinct [i], and this rate of extinction ... 

  • Endangered Species Act
  • International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
  • List of endangered animal species
  • List of extinct animals List of extinct animals

    Prepleistocene extinctions

A large number of historical orders are extinct, for example dinosaur [i]s, pterosaur [i] ... 


  • List of extinct and endangered animals of the British Isles
  • Rare species
  • Red Data Book of the Russian Federation Red Data Book of the Russian Federation

    Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, also known as Red Book or Russian Red Data Book is ... 

  • Snail darter controversy
  • Timeline of environmental events
  • Ecological Economics

References


External links

  • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. .
  • Research and Conservation of of tigers in the largest remaining mangrove forest in the world.
  • — Provided by New Scientist New Scientist

    New Scientist is a weekly international [i] science magazine [i] covering recent developments in sci ... 

    .
  • . . BBC News.
  • , from Awake! Awake!

    [i]

[i]
[i]
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magazine