An endangered species is a taxonomic group (typically at the species level) that faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future across all or a significant portion of its range, as determined by quantitative assessment criteria such as population size, rate of decline, geographic range, and degree of habitat fragmentation. In conservation biology and environmental policy, endangered status guides prioritization of management actions, legal protections, and resource allocation. Scientific evaluation commonly uses standardized frameworks (e.g., formal Red List–type criteria) based on demographic trends, reproductive rates, and known or projected threats, including habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change.
Kemp's ridley sea turtles are among the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world. They reside along the east and Gulf coasts of North America, alongside some of the world's most active shipping lanes. While the ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 3, 2026
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If you've ever been for a walk in the forest or poked around your local park, you're probably familiar with seeing mushrooms popping up as the weather turns cooler. But you're not the only one.
Plants & Animals
Feb 3, 2026
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Less than a year ago, United States company Colossal Biosciences announced it had "resurrected" the dire wolf, a megafauna-hunting wolf species that had been extinct for 10,000 years.
Ecology
Feb 2, 2026
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A comprehensive new review paper reveals the staggering loss of biodiversity among island land snails globally. Lead author Robert Cowie of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 30, 2026
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On Jan. 27, California lawmakers took initial steps toward addressing the public safety concerns posed by the state's growing populations of wolves, mountain lions and other predators—issues the state's top environmental ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 29, 2026
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Thailand has given a contraceptive vaccine to wild elephants for the first time in an effort to control their ballooning population, a conservation official said on Wednesday.
Plants & Animals
Jan 28, 2026
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Research in the Journal of Applied Ecology has identified threats to endangered plants in an urban area, generating information that can be used to guide effective conservation strategies across major cities. Investigators ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 28, 2026
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Shortly after her arrival last fall, Amelia Gray met Hudson, and the pair hit it off immediately. They touched their noses together in greeting and chuffed—a soft, breathy, snorting sound that signals affection or reassurance. ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 27, 2026
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Extreme heat is forcing Western Australia's critically endangered western ringtail possum (Ngwayir) to cut back on vital activity and feeding, new research shows.
Plants & Animals
Jan 27, 2026
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61
It might be less visible than dwindling lion populations or vanishing pandas, but the quiet crisis of small mammal extinction is arguably worse for biodiversity. These species are crucial indicators of environmental health, ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 27, 2026
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