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Article: Endangered Species
- Article from:
- Plant Sciences
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Endangered Species
An endangered species is a species that is in immediate danger of becoming extinct. The designation of
endangered
to a species means that there is still time to save it but once it is extinct it is gone forever. Also of concern are threatened species, species whose numbers are low or declining but not in immediate danger of extinction. A
threatened
species is likely to become endangered if it is not protected.
Most species that are endangered are found in only limited geographic areas. Because these plants or animals are not widespread to begin with, they are more likely to be affected by major or catastrophic changes in their environment. Widespread common species, ...