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.
Much like caviar, shark fins are a luxury product and delicacy in parts of the world. And like wild caviar, demand for shark fins has posed an incredible threat to species that can't reproduce quickly enough to keep up.
Plants & Animals
Jul 31, 2026
0
19
Constant scratching, bumpy skin and tufts of lost fur. Those are just some of the signs that an animal has scabies, a severe and potentially fatal skin disease caused by tiny mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrow into the ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 30, 2026
0
6
The Canadian government is proposing sweeping changes to accelerate industrial development and reduce environmental oversight. These proposed legislative, regulatory and policy reforms could significantly diminish the government's ...
Ecology
Jul 29, 2026
0
5
Nepal's tiger population has risen by roughly 20% in the past four years to an estimated 429, officials said Wednesday, a conservation milestone despite challenges from human-wildlife conflict.
Ecology
Jul 29, 2026
0
5
The United States on Tuesday said it plans to exempt its private space sector from numerous environmental regulations to accelerate the pace of space launches and ramp up competition with China.
Space Exploration
Jul 29, 2026
1
13
If you look up invasive species in a textbook, there's a good chance you'll find a picture of a brown tree snake. Native to Australia and the South Pacific, the brown tree snake arrived on Guam sometime after World War II, ...
Ecology
Jul 24, 2026
1
373
The Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis), a marine fish species endemic to the Chinese coast and known as the "Panda of the Sea," is critically endangered and one of the few marine fish listed as a first-class protected wild ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 23, 2026
0
10
Every year, billions of migratory birds connect the world's continents, oceans and ecosystems as they undertake epic journeys between their foraging habitats and breeding grounds.
Ecology
Jul 23, 2026
0
15
As dawn breaks over Ghana's Atlantic coast, artisanal fishing boats return to shore with last night's catch—baskets of snapper, crabs, rays and a distinct-looking fish locals call "esene."
Ecology
Jul 23, 2026
0
80
Scientists working to save a coral species from extinction transported 30 pieces from nurseries off the Florida coast to a hatchery on land Wednesday, fearing that warming waters could trigger a mass bleaching event this ...
Ecology
Jul 23, 2026
0
23
