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.
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
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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
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23
The critically endangered sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) appears to have found a refuge off the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, for mating and reproduction. This was revealed in a study conducted by ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 21, 2026
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12
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the reclassification of the Aʻeo, or Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act, a rare and hopeful milestone ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 21, 2026
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It's 5 a.m. when we crawl out of our tents. The catbirds are calling and the night sky is fading to dawn as we prepare to head into the wilderness. We're surrounded by the towering eucalypts of southeast Queensland in search ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 21, 2026
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5
Postdoctoral researcher Renato Borras-Chavez's area of study—pinnipeds in the Southern Ocean—often takes him far from the University of Rhode Island campus. Now, the researcher in Sarah Kienle's CEAL Lab is sharing more about ...
Ecology
Jul 20, 2026
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14
Wildlife protection frameworks in both the EU and the UK need stronger and more consistent implementation—and must recognize animals as "individuals capable of experiencing suffering," rather than mere ecological assets.
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2026
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31
The spidery wattle (Acacia araneosa) is a national treasure. The plant is named for its spidery, leaflike phyllodes and shares the same iconic golden flowers as Australia's floral emblem, the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha).
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2026
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Human-created hazards are responsible for most wildlife rescues in New South Wales, and researchers are calling for more prevention strategies to save threatened species.
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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7
Australia's largest gliding marsupial may not be the country's best glider after all, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU) that challenges a decades-old belief about how far southern greater ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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