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.
Researchers in Malaysia have discovered a new endemic fairy lantern plant species with fewer than 20 individuals known to exist in the wild. They have classified the species as Critically Endangered under IUCN Red List criteria.
Plants & Animals
Dec 2, 2025
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A growing exotic pet trade has conservationists calling for stronger regulations to protect the reptiles, birds and other animals in the wild that are increasingly showing up for sale on internet marketplaces and becoming ...
Ecology
Dec 2, 2025
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DNA pulled from the dung of African forest elephants has given experts a more accurate—and higher—population estimate for the elusive animal, but the species remains critically endangered, a study showed Thursday.
Plants & Animals
Nov 27, 2025
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One of the most comprehensive surveys to date of shark and other large predator fish in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) ocean finds that remote marine protected areas (MPAs)—including the Galapagos, Malpelo, Clipperton, ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 26, 2025
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Lemurs, the small primates with bushy tails and large, expressive eyes, are among the world's most endangered species. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, of the 112 species of ...
Anyone walking through the Tarumã neighborhood in Curitiba (the capital of the state of Paraná, Brazil) today may find it difficult to imagine the area as it was in the past. Between the buildings, racetrack, and the city's ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 20, 2025
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A team of Colombian botanists has issued an urgent wake-up call after discovering a remarkable new orchid species, only to project its likely extinction within decades due to climate change.
Plants & Animals
Nov 19, 2025
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A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder carries a warning for one of the Rocky Mountains' most iconic animals—the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small and fuzzy creature that often greets hikers in Colorado ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 19, 2025
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Gibbons, small apes closely related to humans, face severe threats to their survival. However, their evolutionary history has remained unclear due to their rapid diversification. A new, comprehensive genomic study of gibbons ...
Evolution
Nov 18, 2025
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A new study led by the University of St Andrews has found that critically endangered African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) are significantly more likely to forage in the same areas as commercial fishing vessels during years ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 17, 2025
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