What are threatened species?
Q: What are threatened species?
A: Threatened species are any species, including animals, plants, and fungi, that might soon become extinct.
Q: Who is considered an expert on threatened species?
A: The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is considered an expert on threatened species.
Q: How does the IUCN categorize threatened species?
A: The IUCN categorizes threatened species into three groups, each group in more danger than the next: Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically endangered.
Q: How do scientists determine how threatened a species is?
A: Scientists can determine how threatened a species is by measuring its birth and death rates.
Q: What happens when a species becomes small in numbers?
A: When a species becomes small in numbers, it can get to a critical point where there are not enough individuals left alive to continue the species, known as critical depensation.
Q: What are the groups for non-threatened species?
A: For non-threatened species, they can be put into groups of Near Threatened, Least Concern, and Conservation Dependent (no longer used).
Q: When does the IUCN not put a species on the threatened species list?
A: The IUCN does not put a species on the threatened species list when the species has not been studied, is Not Evaluated, or there is not enough information, known as Data Deficient.
Q: What is another name for threatened species?
A: Threatened species are also called "red listed" species because they are in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
