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An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

Human activity is a significant cause in causing some species to become endangered.

Conservation status

The conservation status of a species indicates the likelihood that it will become extinct. Multiple factors are considered when assessing the status of a species; e.g., such statistics as the number remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, or known threats. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing and ranking system.

Over 50% of the world's species are estimated to be at risk of extinction, but the frontier between categories such as 'endangered', 'rare', or 'locally extinct' species is often difficult to draw given the general paucity of data on most of these species. This is notably the case in the world Ocean where endangered species not seen for decades may go extinct unnoticed.

Internationally, 195 countries have signed an accord to create Biodiversity Action Plans that will protect endangered and other threatened species. In the United States, such plans are usually called Species Recovery Plans.

IUCN Red List

Though labeled a list, the IUCN Red List is a system of assessing the global conservation status of species that includes "Data Deficient" (DD) species - species for which more data and assessment is required before their situation may be determined - as well species comprehensively assessed by the IUCN's species assessment process. The species under the index include: mammals, birds, amphibians, cycads, and corals. Those species of " Near Threatened" (NT) and " Least Concern" (LC) status have been assessed and found to have relatively robust and healthy populations, though these may be in decline. Unlike their more general use elsewhere, the List uses the terms "endangered species" and "threatened species" with particular meanings: "Endangered" (EN) species lie between " Vulnerable" (VU) and "Critically Endangered" (CR) species. In 2012, the IUCN Red List listed 3,079 animal and 2,655 plant species as endangered (EN) worldwide.

Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, if not the most. It houses not only the Amazon forest but the Atlantic forest, the savanna-like Cerrado among other biomes. Due to the high density of some of its well-preserved rainforests, wildlife trafficking, which along with deforestation is the one of the biggest endangerment drivers in Brazil, has become a challenge. The country has a broad legal system meant to protect the environment, including its Constitution, as well as several federal, state and local government agencies tasked with protecting the fauna and flora, fining individuals or companies linked to environmental crimes and confiscating illegally taken wildlife. Though such agencies can collect their data, each system operates relatively on its own when it comes to wildlife trafficking. However, both the agencies and the NGO's working in Brazil agree that the birds account for about 80% of trafficked species in the country.

The relation between wildlife smuggling, other environment crimes under the Brazilian law such as deforestation, and endangered species is particularly intricate and troubling since the rarer the animal or plant gets the most targeted and valuable they become in the black market, which leads to more endangered species in its turn.

Additionally, many environment experts and scientists point to the disbanding of environment agencies and the repeal of laws in Brazil under the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro as one of the reasons behind a surge in the number of endangered species. In one occasion during his presidency some fines totaling US $3.1 billion on environment criminals were revoked and at least one fine (related to illegal fishing) imposed on Bolsonaro himself was cancelled and the agent who fined him was demoted.

In the past, Brazil has successfully saved the endemic golden lion tamarin from extinction. Massive campaigns to raise awareness among people by NGO's and governments, which included printing depictions of the golden lion tamarin in the 20 reais Brazilian banknotes (still in circulation), are credited with getting the species out of the critically-endangered animals list.

In the United States

There is data from the United States that shows a correlation between human populations and threatened and endangered species. Using species data from the Database on the Economics and Management of Endangered Species (DEMES) database and the period that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been in existence, 1970 to 1997, a table was created that suggests a positive relationship between human activity and species endangerment.

Endangered Species Act

Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the United States, species may be listed as "endangered" or "threatened". The Salt Creek tiger beetle ( Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) is an example of an endangered subspecies protected under the ESA. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service are held responsible for classifying and protecting endangered species. They are also responsible for adding a particular species to the list, which can be a long, controversial process.

Some endangered species laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list and rules 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 uses of their areas; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws. Also lobbying from hunters and various industries like the petroleum industry, construction industry, and logging, has been an obstacle in establishing endangered species laws.

The Bush administration lifted a policy that required federal officials to consult a wildlife expert before taking actions that could damage endangered species. Under the Obama administration, this policy was reinstated.

Being listed as an endangered species can have negative effect since it could make a species more desirable for collectors and poachers. This effect is potentially reducible, such as in China where commercially farmed turtles may be reducing some of the pressure to poach endangered species.

Another problem with the listing species is its effect of inciting the use of the "shoot, shovel, and shut-up" method of clearing endangered species from an area of land. Some landowners currently may perceive a diminution in value for their land after finding an endangered animal on it. They have allegedly opted to kill and bury the animals or destroy habitat silently. Thus removing the problem from their land, but at the same time further reducing the population of an endangered species. The effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act - which coined the term "endangered species" - has been questioned by business advocacy groups and their publications but is nevertheless widely recognized by wildlife scientists who work with the species as an effective recovery tool. Nineteen species have been delisted and recovered and 93% of listed species in the northeastern United States have a recovering or stable population.

Currently, 1,556 endangered species are under protection by government law. This approximation, however, does not take into consideration the species threatened with endangerment that are not included under the protection of laws like the Endangered Species Act. According to NatureServe's global conservation status, approximately thirteen percent of vertebrates (excluding marine fish), seventeen percent of vascular plants, and six to eighteen percent of fungi are considered imperiled. Thus, in total, between seven and eighteen percent of the United States' known animals, fungi and plants are near extinction. This total is substantially more than the number of species protected in the United States under the Endangered Species Act.

Ever since humankind began hunting to preserve itself, over-hunting and fishing have been a large and dangerous problem. Of all the species who became extinct due to interference from humankind, the dodo, passenger pigeon, great auk, Tasmanian tiger and Steller's sea cow are some of the more well known examples; with the bald eagle, grizzly bear, American bison, Eastern timber wolf and sea turtle having been poached to near-extinction. Many began as food sources seen as necessary for survival but became the target of sport. However, due to major efforts to prevent extinction, the bald eagle, or Haliaeetus leucocephalus is now under the category of Least Concern on the red list. A present-day example of the over-hunting of a species can be seen in the oceans as populations of certain whales have been greatly reduced. Large whales like the blue whale, bowhead whale, finback whale, gray whale, sperm whale, and humpback whale are some of the eight whales which are currently still included on the Endangered Species List. Actions have been taken to attempt a reduction in whaling and increase population sizes. The actions include prohibiting all whaling in United States waters, the formation of the CITES treaty which protects all whales, along with the formation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). But even though all of these movements have been put in place, countries such as Japan continue to hunt and harvest whales under the claim of "scientific purposes". Over-hunting, climatic change and habitat loss leads in landing species in endangered species list. It could mean that extinction rates could increase to a large extent in the future.

Endangered species are addressed through Canada's Species at Risk Act. A species is deemed threatened or endangered when it is on the verge of extinction or extirpation. Once a species is deemed threatened or endangered, the Act requires that a recovery plan to be developed that indicates how to stop or reverse the species' population decline. As of 2021, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada (COSEWIC) has assessed 369 species as being endangered in Canada.

The World Wide Fund-India raises concern in the longevity of the following animal species: the Red Panda, the Bengal Tiger, the Ganges River Dolphin, the Asian Elephant.

India signed the Wildlife Protection Act and the also joined the Convention on the International Trade in 1976, to prevent poaching from harming its wildlife.

Invasive species

The introduction of non-indigenous species to an area can disrupt the ecosystem to such an extent that native species become endangered. Such introductions may be termed alien or invasive species. In some cases, the invasive species compete with the native species for food or prey on the natives. In other cases, a stable ecological balance may be upset by predation or other causes leading to unexpected species decline. New species may also carry diseases to which the native species have no exposure or resistance.

Conservation

Captive breeding

Main page: Captive breeding

Captive breeding is the process of breeding rare or endangered species in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos, and other conservation facilities. Captive breeding is meant to save species from extinction and so stabilise the population of the species that it will not disappear.

This technique has worked for many species for some time, with probably the oldest known such instances of captive mating being attributed to menageries of European and Asian rulers, an example being the Père David's deer. However, captive breeding techniques are usually difficult to implement for such highly mobile species as some migratory birds (e.g. cranes) and fishes (e.g. hilsa). Additionally, if the captive breeding population is too small, then inbreeding may occur due to a reduced gene pool and reduce resistance.

In 1981, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) created a Species Survival Plan (SSP) to help preserve specific endangered and threatened species through captive breeding. With over 450 SSP Plans, some endangered species are covered by the AZA with plans to cover population management goals and recommendations for breeding for a diverse and healthy population, created by Taxon Advisory Groups. These programs are commonly created as a last resort effort. SSP Programs regularly participate in species recovery, veterinary care for wildlife disease outbreaks, and some other wildlife conservation efforts. The AZA's Species Survival Plan also has breeding and transfer programs, both within and outside of AZA - certified zoos and aquariums. Some animals that are part of SSP programs are giant pandas, lowland gorillas, and California condors.

Private farming

Whereas poaching substantially reduces endangered animal populations, legal, for-profit, private farming does the opposite. It has substantially increased the populations of the southern black rhinoceros and southern white rhinoceros. Dr Richard Emslie, a scientific officer at the IUCN, said of such programs, "Effective law enforcement has become much easier now that the animals are largely privately owned... We have been able to bring local communities into conservation programs. There are increasingly strong economic incentives attached to looking after rhinos rather than simply poaching: from Eco-tourism or selling them on for a profit. So many owners are keeping them secure. The private sector has been key to helping our work."

Conservation experts view the effect of China's turtle farming on the wild turtle populations of China and South-Eastern Asia - many of which are endangered - as "poorly understood". Although they commend the gradual replacement of turtles caught wild with farm-raised turtles in the marketplace - the percentage of farm-raised individuals in the "visible" trade grew from around 30% in 2000 to around 70% in 2007 - they worry that many wild animals are caught to provide farmers with breeding stock. The conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk noted that turtle farmers often believe that animals caught wild are superior breeding stock. Turtle farmers may, therefore, seek and catch the last remaining wild specimens of some endangered turtle species.

In 2015, researchers in Australia managed to coax southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks, raising the possibility that fish farming may be able to save the species from overfishing.

In Spanish: Especie en peligro de extinción para niños

IUCN Red List

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This page contains endangered animals facts for kids - and anyone else interested in finding out about the world's threatened species.

Here you'll find all kinds of information on endangered animals, including: who decides if a species is endangered; the different categories for endangered species; and why animals become endangered.

We'll begin with some interesting endangered animals information. We'll then discover more about threatened animals with a list of endangered animals facts for kids.

Endangered Animals Facts For Kids: What Is An Endangered Animal?

'Endangered animal' is a term used to describe a species that is in danger of becoming extinct.

More specifically, an Endangered Species is a species that has been identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being under threat of global extinction.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organisation that compiles data on endangered animals and places them into different threat categories. Their findings are presented on the IUCN Red List .

The term 'Endangered' is usually used to describe an animal's global status, rather than its local status.

For example, the number of Common Starlings is falling in Europe. However, in Asia there is no change in their numbers and in Africa the population is increasing. Therefore, Common Starlings are not considered to be endangered.

Animals can be 'locally endangered', or even 'locally extinct', without being globally endangered.

There are guidelines on how animals should be counted. How a species is categorized on the Red List (see below) depends on how fast its population is falling and how many animals have already been lost.

Extinct Animals

A species becomes extinct when the very last one of its kind dies. Animals that have become extinct include the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Terror Birds, the Dodo, and the Thylacine.

There are actually two official extinction categories, as we'll find out below.

Species go extinct in the wild all of the time naturally. It's part of nature. However, we have a duty to prevent animals becoming threatened due to human activity.

Facts About Endangered Animals: IUCN Categories

'Endangered' is one of three categories the IUCN uses for species that are threatened with extinction, and one of nine that the IUCN uses to rate all species. These categories are:

Two other categories are also used. Not Evaluated (NE) is for species that haven't yet been studied. Data Deficient (DD) means that insufficient data has been collected.
The IUCN Red List is not just for animals; plants and fungi can become endangered, and are also included on the list.
As you can see from the list above, there are two degrees of extinction.

If a species is 'Extinct in the Wild', then there are still living specimens, but they are in zoos, or in places other than where they were naturally found.
If a species is 'Extinct', there is no way back. The species will never again be seen on Earth.
Endangered Animals Facts For Kids

Below is a list of facts about endangered animals. There are several links you can follow to find out more about a particular animal. If you want to learn even more endangered animals information see our Endangered Animals List .

Amur Leopards are the most endangered big cats (not including the South China Tiger, which scientists believe may already be extinct). Amur Leopards have been categorised by the IUCN as being 'Critically Endangered'. Estimates of the number of Amur Leopards left in the wild range from around 70 to under 20.

There are two species of Orangutan: the Bornean Orangutan, and the Sumatran Orangutan. Both are on the Red List.

The Bornean Orangutan is endangered. There are only around 40,000 left in the wild.

The Sumatran Orangutan is critically endangered. Sadly only around 7,000 of these beautiful animals are left in the wild.

The main cause of Orangutans becoming endangered is habitat loss caused by deforestation.

Of the seven species of Sea Turtle found in our oceans, two (Kemp's Ridley and Hawksbill) are Critically Endangered, one (Green) is Endangered, and three (Loggerhead, Olive Ridley and Leatherback) are Vulnerable. (Insufficient data have been collected on the Flatback Sea Turtle.)

The world's Tiger population has shrunk by around 97% since the beginning of the 19th century.

Today, it is possible that there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild.

Of the six tiger subspecies, 3 are Critically Endangered, and the other 3 are endangered.

Tigers are going extinct due to deforestation and habitat loss. Even today they are still hunted for their fur and body parts.

The most endangered tiger subspecies is the South China Tiger. Some scientists believe that it is already extinct in the wild.

Near Threatened: 5,204

Vulnerable: 11,029

Endangered: 7,323

Critically Endangered: 4,898

Extinct In The Wild: 69

Several species of whale were hunted almost to extinction, including the Blue Whale. Whales were hunted for their meat and blubber. Their body parts were also used to make products including tools, ornaments, fuel, clothes and baskets.

Today, five species of whale are classed as being endangered. These are: the Sei Whale, Blue Whale, Fin Whale, North Atlantic Right Whale, and North Pacific Right Whale.

The Sperm Whale is also threatened, and is classed as 'Vulnerable'.

Other whale species may be threatened, but there isn't enough data to classify them yet.

Today's Blue Whale population is under 1% of its original size. However, due to hunting bans, the number of Blue Whales is growing. There may be as many as 12,000 Blue Whales alive today, but they are still at risk.

Endangered animals don't just live in rainforests or far-flung foreign lands. Franklin's bumblebee is a critically endangered insect found in California and Oregon. The Dusky gopher frog is found in Mississippi. Many other threatened species are found in Northern America, Europe and Australia.

It's not all bad news: the Iberian Lynx was rated Critically Endangered in 2002. In 2014 its rating was changed to 'Endangered'. However, there are still under 200 individuals left in the wild.

Thanks to conservation measures, populations of Blue Whales in some areas are approaching their original numbers. With our help, many other species around the world are making a comeback.

How Many Endangered Animals Are There In The World?

The numbers of species Listed As Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Threatened, Critically Endangered, and Extinct In The Wild on the IUCN Red List, as of February 2016, are:

Endangered Animals Activity

The plight of endangered animals such as tigers, pandas and gorillas is well-known, and each has its own charity or charities.

There are many, many other species that are not as famous but whose situation is just as serious.

Why not learn about a lesser-known endangered animal, and try to raise awareness of its situation among your family and friends? You could design posters and give a presentation about your chosen animal.

Here are some lesser-known critically endangered animals you might like to study: Great Indian bustard (a bird), Pygmy three-toed sloth, Northern bald ibis (a bird), Vaquita (a porpoise), Angel shark, Attenborough's echidna , Bulmer's fruit bat.

Endangered Animals Facts For Kids Conclusion

As an animal lover it's easy to get upset when reading about endangered animals. However, the more we know about endangered animals, the more we can help them, either directly or indirectly. Don't forget that there are many conservation success stories!

What can you do to make a difference?

Find out about some of the world's most amazing endangered animals here: List Of Endangered Animals.

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Endangered Animals Facts For Kids: Information & Pictures

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Endangered animals facts for kids and adults, with information and pictures. Why do animals become threatened and who decides if an animal is endangered?

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Department of the Environment and Energy

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Environment Australia, 2000

No one will ever again see a Paradise Parrot flash its rainbow colours across the sky or see the Tasmanian tiger slink through the wet Tasmanian forest. They are gone forever - they are now extinct. There are over 50 types, or species, of Australian animals and over 60 species of Australian plants that are extinct. It is very sad, but it is too late. Extinction is forever.

About 240 species of native animals and over 1160 species of native plants may become extinct in the near future. These animals and plants that are in danger of dying out completely are called threatened species.

The main reason that animals and plants become extinct or threatened is because their habitat has been destroyed or changed. Their habitat is the place where they live. It contains all that they need to survive: space, light, water, food, shelter and a place to breed.

Humans have a lot of power to change and destroy habitats. Pollution from cars and trucks, chemicals and introduced animals and plants that have gone wild all have an effect on natural environments. So does clearing native vegetation to make way for farming, building roads and cities, and damming rivers to provide water for people.

Conserve habitats

One of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals survive is to protect their habitats permanently in national parks, nature reserves or wilderness areas. There they can live without too much interference from humans. It is also important to protect habitats outside reserves such as on farms and along roadsides.

1. You can visit a nearby national park or nature reserve. Some national parks have special guided tours and walks for kids. Talk to the rangers to find out whether there are any threatened species and how they are being protected. You and your friends might be able to help the rangers in their conservation work. When you visit a national park, make sure you obey the wildlife code: follow fire regulations; leave your pets at home; leave flowers, birds' eggs, logs and bush rocks where you find them; put your rubbish in a bin or, better still, take it home.

2. If you have friends who live on farms, encourage them to keep patches of bush as wildlife habitats and to leave old trees standing, especially those with hollows suitable for nesting animals.

3. Some areas have groups which look after local bushland or nature reserves. They do this by removing weeds and planting local native species in their place. You could join one of these groups, or even start a new one with your parents and friends. Ask your local parks authority or council for information. By removing rubbish and weeds and replanting with natives you will allow the native bush to gradually regenerate. This will also encourage native animals to return.

Control introduced plants and animals

Non-native plants and animals are ones that come from outside your local area

Some parks and reserves, beaches, bushland and rivers are now infested with invasive plants, and native species often cannot compete with these plants. Many environmental weeds come from people's gardens. Sometimes, the seeds are taken into the bush by the wind or by birds.

Do not dump weeds in the bush

Plant native plants local to the area rather than introduced plants

4. Ask your parents if you can plant native plants instead of non-native ones in your garden. You don't want seeds from introduced plants escaping into the bush. Native grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees are more likely to attract native birds, butterflies and other insects, and maybe even some threatened species.

Many of the animals that people have brought to Australia, particularly foxes and cats, are very good at killing native animals. Cats climb trees or enter burrows to catch their prey.

They hunt and kill native birds, as well as other small animals such as possums, bandicoots and lizards. Aquarium fish which have escaped or been released from people's homes have gone into rivers and now cause problems for native fish and frogs. Wild rabbits eat the food of native animals and even live in their burrows.

Do not dump pets in the bush

5. If you have a pet that you no longer want, do not dump it. Fish, cats, dogs and other animals can survive and breed. They can end up in the bush or in rivers and feed on or compete with native species. Give the pet to a friend, sell it or take it to the RSPCA. If you have a native pet, contact your local wildlife authority for information on how to care for it.

Control cats

6. If you have a cat, make sure it does not catch native birds or other animals. You can do this by attaching three small bells to its collar to warn animals that it is coming, and keep the cat inside as much as possible to stop it from roaming, especially at night. Take the cat to the vet to have it desexed so that it won't have unwanted kittens.

7. If you go fishing, throw back fish that are too small. Also be careful not to lose your nets, lines, hooks and sinkers in the water. Fish and birds can get tangled up in these things and may die because they cannot breathe, move or eat.

Many things that we use or make in our lives have an effect on our native plants and animals. Building a large dam so that people in cities can have water, building roads and houses, producing plastics and metals - even growing food - takes up land that was originally habitats for native plants and animals. So we must be very careful not to waste these resources and not to create a lot of rubbish. Cities now have a big problem because people are making more and more rubbish.

You can do a lot to help solve this problem. Many things we throw away can be reused or recycled.

Reuse or recycle whatever you can

8. At home and at school, you can help sort rubbish into things that can be recycled and things that can't. Many things can be recycled, including steel and aluminium cans, glass bottles and jars, milk bottles, some plastics, paper and cardboard. If you have old books, toys or clothes in good condition that you don't want, you can give them to a charity instead of throwing them away.

Make compost

9. About one-third of your rubbish is made up of things that will rot away naturally in the garden - this is called organic or biodegradable waste. Ask your parents to help you make a compost heap where you can throw all your organic waste - fruit and vegetable matter, garden scraps and lawn clippings. When it has rotted down, put it on the garden and it will help plants grow.

Join a group

There are many community groups working on conservation activities. Join one of these groups and assist with conservation activities.

Australians are now aware of the problems facing our threatened species. We are aware that we should change the way we do things. We need to recycle, create less rubbish, use less water and not destroy the bush.

With help from everyone, Australia's threatened species have a greater chance of survival.

For general information about threatened species and threatened ecological communities contact the Department of the Environment and Heritage's Community Information Unit on 1800 803 772 or email ciu@environment.gov.au

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Department of the Environment and Energy

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Environment Australia, 2000 No one will ever again see a Paradise Parrot flash its rainbow colours across the sky or see the Tasmanian tiger slink through the wet Tasmanian forest. They are gone forever - they are now extinct. There are over 50 types, or species, of Australian animals and over 60 species of Australian plants that are extinct.

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What is an endangered animal? Learn that many species are in danger of becoming extinct. How can we help?

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Top 10 - The World's Most Endangered Animals - OneKind Planet

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For some species, time on planet Earth is running out. Here are 10 of the world's most endangered animals that urgently need our help.

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What Is An Endangered Species? | Kids Discover Online

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Species List | Endangered, Vulnerable, and Threatened Animals | WWF

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WWF is committed to saving endangered species. Learn more about the species we are working to protecting from becoming endangered or extinct.

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Learn interesting information about endangered animals for kids. Find out which animals are endangered and improve your knowledge with DK Find Out.

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An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

Human activity is a significant cause in causing some species to become endangered.

Conservation status

The conservation status of a species indicates the likelihood that it will become extinct. Multiple factors are considered when assessing the status of a species; e.g., such statistics as the number remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, or known threats. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing and ranking system.

Over 50% of the world's species are estimated to be at risk of extinction, but the frontier between categories such as 'endangered', 'rare', or 'locally extinct' species is often difficult to draw given the general paucity of data on most of these species. This is notably the case in the world Ocean where endangered species not seen for decades may go extinct unnoticed.

Internationally, 195 countries have signed an accord to create Biodiversity Action Plans that will protect endangered and other threatened species. In the United States, such plans are usually called Species Recovery Plans.

IUCN Red List

Though labeled a list, the IUCN Red List is a system of assessing the global conservation status of species that includes "Data Deficient" (DD) species - species for which more data and assessment is required before their situation may be determined - as well species comprehensively assessed by the IUCN's species assessment process. The species under the index include: mammals, birds, amphibians, cycads, and corals. Those species of " Near Threatened" (NT) and " Least Concern" (LC) status have been assessed and found to have relatively robust and healthy populations, though these may be in decline. Unlike their more general use elsewhere, the List uses the terms "endangered species" and "threatened species" with particular meanings: "Endangered" (EN) species lie between " Vulnerable" (VU) and "Critically Endangered" (CR) species. In 2012, the IUCN Red List listed 3,079 animal and 2,655 plant species as endangered (EN) worldwide.

Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, if not the most. It houses not only the Amazon forest but the Atlantic forest, the savanna-like Cerrado among other biomes. Due to the high density of some of its well-preserved rainforests, wildlife trafficking, which along with deforestation is the one of the biggest endangerment drivers in Brazil, has become a challenge. The country has a broad legal system meant to protect the environment, including its Constitution, as well as several federal, state and local government agencies tasked with protecting the fauna and flora, fining individuals or companies linked to environmental crimes and confiscating illegally taken wildlife. Though such agencies can collect their data, each system operates relatively on its own when it comes to wildlife trafficking. However, both the agencies and the NGO's working in Brazil agree that the birds account for about 80% of trafficked species in the country.

The relation between wildlife smuggling, other environment crimes under the Brazilian law such as deforestation, and endangered species is particularly intricate and troubling since the rarer the animal or plant gets the most targeted and valuable they become in the black market, which leads to more endangered species in its turn.

Additionally, many environment experts and scientists point to the disbanding of environment agencies and the repeal of laws in Brazil under the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro as one of the reasons behind a surge in the number of endangered species. In one occasion during his presidency some fines totaling US $3.1 billion on environment criminals were revoked and at least one fine (related to illegal fishing) imposed on Bolsonaro himself was cancelled and the agent who fined him was demoted.

In the past, Brazil has successfully saved the endemic golden lion tamarin from extinction. Massive campaigns to raise awareness among people by NGO's and governments, which included printing depictions of the golden lion tamarin in the 20 reais Brazilian banknotes (still in circulation), are credited with getting the species out of the critically-endangered animals list.

In the United States

There is data from the United States that shows a correlation between human populations and threatened and endangered species. Using species data from the Database on the Economics and Management of Endangered Species (DEMES) database and the period that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been in existence, 1970 to 1997, a table was created that suggests a positive relationship between human activity and species endangerment.

Endangered Species Act

Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the United States, species may be listed as "endangered" or "threatened". The Salt Creek tiger beetle ( Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) is an example of an endangered subspecies protected under the ESA. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service are held responsible for classifying and protecting endangered species. They are also responsible for adding a particular species to the list, which can be a long, controversial process.

Some endangered species laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list and rules 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 uses of their areas; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws. Also lobbying from hunters and various industries like the petroleum industry, construction industry, and logging, has been an obstacle in establishing endangered species laws.

The Bush administration lifted a policy that required federal officials to consult a wildlife expert before taking actions that could damage endangered species. Under the Obama administration, this policy was reinstated.

Being listed as an endangered species can have negative effect since it could make a species more desirable for collectors and poachers. This effect is potentially reducible, such as in China where commercially farmed turtles may be reducing some of the pressure to poach endangered species.

Another problem with the listing species is its effect of inciting the use of the "shoot, shovel, and shut-up" method of clearing endangered species from an area of land. Some landowners currently may perceive a diminution in value for their land after finding an endangered animal on it. They have allegedly opted to kill and bury the animals or destroy habitat silently. Thus removing the problem from their land, but at the same time further reducing the population of an endangered species. The effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act - which coined the term "endangered species" - has been questioned by business advocacy groups and their publications but is nevertheless widely recognized by wildlife scientists who work with the species as an effective recovery tool. Nineteen species have been delisted and recovered and 93% of listed species in the northeastern United States have a recovering or stable population.

Currently, 1,556 endangered species are under protection by government law. This approximation, however, does not take into consideration the species threatened with endangerment that are not included under the protection of laws like the Endangered Species Act. According to NatureServe's global conservation status, approximately thirteen percent of vertebrates (excluding marine fish), seventeen percent of vascular plants, and six to eighteen percent of fungi are considered imperiled. Thus, in total, between seven and eighteen percent of the United States' known animals, fungi and plants are near extinction. This total is substantially more than the number of species protected in the United States under the Endangered Species Act.

Ever since humankind began hunting to preserve itself, over-hunting and fishing have been a large and dangerous problem. Of all the species who became extinct due to interference from humankind, the dodo, passenger pigeon, great auk, Tasmanian tiger and Steller's sea cow are some of the more well known examples; with the bald eagle, grizzly bear, American bison, Eastern timber wolf and sea turtle having been poached to near-extinction. Many began as food sources seen as necessary for survival but became the target of sport. However, due to major efforts to prevent extinction, the bald eagle, or Haliaeetus leucocephalus is now under the category of Least Concern on the red list. A present-day example of the over-hunting of a species can be seen in the oceans as populations of certain whales have been greatly reduced. Large whales like the blue whale, bowhead whale, finback whale, gray whale, sperm whale, and humpback whale are some of the eight whales which are currently still included on the Endangered Species List. Actions have been taken to attempt a reduction in whaling and increase population sizes. The actions include prohibiting all whaling in United States waters, the formation of the CITES treaty which protects all whales, along with the formation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). But even though all of these movements have been put in place, countries such as Japan continue to hunt and harvest whales under the claim of "scientific purposes". Over-hunting, climatic change and habitat loss leads in landing species in endangered species list. It could mean that extinction rates could increase to a large extent in the future.

Endangered species are addressed through Canada's Species at Risk Act. A species is deemed threatened or endangered when it is on the verge of extinction or extirpation. Once a species is deemed threatened or endangered, the Act requires that a recovery plan to be developed that indicates how to stop or reverse the species' population decline. As of 2021, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada (COSEWIC) has assessed 369 species as being endangered in Canada.

The World Wide Fund-India raises concern in the longevity of the following animal species: the Red Panda, the Bengal Tiger, the Ganges River Dolphin, the Asian Elephant.

India signed the Wildlife Protection Act and the also joined the Convention on the International Trade in 1976, to prevent poaching from harming its wildlife.

Invasive species

The introduction of non-indigenous species to an area can disrupt the ecosystem to such an extent that native species become endangered. Such introductions may be termed alien or invasive species. In some cases, the invasive species compete with the native species for food or prey on the natives. In other cases, a stable ecological balance may be upset by predation or other causes leading to unexpected species decline. New species may also carry diseases to which the native species have no exposure or resistance.

Conservation

Captive breeding

Main page: Captive breeding

Captive breeding is the process of breeding rare or endangered species in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos, and other conservation facilities. Captive breeding is meant to save species from extinction and so stabilise the population of the species that it will not disappear.

This technique has worked for many species for some time, with probably the oldest known such instances of captive mating being attributed to menageries of European and Asian rulers, an example being the Père David's deer. However, captive breeding techniques are usually difficult to implement for such highly mobile species as some migratory birds (e.g. cranes) and fishes (e.g. hilsa). Additionally, if the captive breeding population is too small, then inbreeding may occur due to a reduced gene pool and reduce resistance.

In 1981, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) created a Species Survival Plan (SSP) to help preserve specific endangered and threatened species through captive breeding. With over 450 SSP Plans, some endangered species are covered by the AZA with plans to cover population management goals and recommendations for breeding for a diverse and healthy population, created by Taxon Advisory Groups. These programs are commonly created as a last resort effort. SSP Programs regularly participate in species recovery, veterinary care for wildlife disease outbreaks, and some other wildlife conservation efforts. The AZA's Species Survival Plan also has breeding and transfer programs, both within and outside of AZA - certified zoos and aquariums. Some animals that are part of SSP programs are giant pandas, lowland gorillas, and California condors.

Private farming

Whereas poaching substantially reduces endangered animal populations, legal, for-profit, private farming does the opposite. It has substantially increased the populations of the southern black rhinoceros and southern white rhinoceros. Dr Richard Emslie, a scientific officer at the IUCN, said of such programs, "Effective law enforcement has become much easier now that the animals are largely privately owned... We have been able to bring local communities into conservation programs. There are increasingly strong economic incentives attached to looking after rhinos rather than simply poaching: from Eco-tourism or selling them on for a profit. So many owners are keeping them secure. The private sector has been key to helping our work."

Conservation experts view the effect of China's turtle farming on the wild turtle populations of China and South-Eastern Asia - many of which are endangered - as "poorly understood". Although they commend the gradual replacement of turtles caught wild with farm-raised turtles in the marketplace - the percentage of farm-raised individuals in the "visible" trade grew from around 30% in 2000 to around 70% in 2007 - they worry that many wild animals are caught to provide farmers with breeding stock. The conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk noted that turtle farmers often believe that animals caught wild are superior breeding stock. Turtle farmers may, therefore, seek and catch the last remaining wild specimens of some endangered turtle species.

In 2015, researchers in Australia managed to coax southern bluefin tuna to breed in landlocked tanks, raising the possibility that fish farming may be able to save the species from overfishing.

In Spanish: Especie en peligro de extinción para niños

IUCN Red List