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.
A new study led by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) reveals that endangered sei whales regularly use the New York Bight as a key spring habitat, underscoring ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 6, 2026
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The butternut tree, a close relative of black walnut prized for its pale wood and wildlife value, is on the brink of disappearing from North American forests. A new study from Virginia Tech offers hope that the species could ...
Ecology
Apr 4, 2026
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Ever wondered what it might feel like to spot giant spider crabs while you're snorkeling? Or check plants for the circular holes that indicate native bees are collecting nest materials? Citizen science relies on people like ...
Ecology
Apr 2, 2026
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James Cook University researchers have tested frog housing and nursery preferences in the Wet Tropics rainforest of North Queensland, with frogs finding the thermal regulation of concrete shelters to be the perfect tropical ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 2, 2026
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Scientists have discovered a new species of miniature marsupial frog in the Peruvian Amazon that carries its young in a natural pouch on its back, a research institute reported Wednesday.
Plants & Animals
Apr 2, 2026
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Thousands of endangered species in British Columbia are not receiving the help they need to survive, according to new Simon Fraser University research. B.C. is Canada's most biodiverse province, but analysis of nearly 20 ...
Ecology
Apr 1, 2026
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The half leaf-fingered geckos (Hemiphyllodactylus) are a diverse group with more than 70 recognized species and a distribution range from southern India and Sri Lanka, through Indochina and Southeast Asia, to the western ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 31, 2026
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The UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) on Sunday approved the listing of 40 new species for international protection, including the snowy owl featured in the Harry Potter saga.
Plants & Animals
Mar 30, 2026
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Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, newly hatched sea turtles emerged on a Gabonese beach to embark on the treacherous 10-meter (33-foot) scramble across the sand to the ocean.
Ecology
Mar 27, 2026
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According to the authors of a study published in the journal Coral Reefs, fire corals may be undergoing a "silent extinction." Coral bleaching occurs when seawater temperatures rise, causing the zooxanthellae (microalgae ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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