Which statement best describes the difference between endangered and threatened species?

Which statement best describes the difference between endangered and threatened species?

• A. Endangered means in danger of extinction; Threatened means likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future
• B. Endangered means likely to become extinct; Threatened means not at risk
• C. Endangered means rare; Threatened means common
• D. Endangered means plants only; Threatened means animals only

Answer: (A)

These categories describe how close a species is to disappearing. An endangered species is currently in danger of extinction, meaning its numbers are very low or its decline is so steep that it could vanish from the wild across a significant part of its range in a short time. A threatened species isn’t extinct or in immediate danger yet, but its situation is deteriorating and it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future if conditions don’t improve. The term “foreseeable future” is a time frame used to judge future risk, typically spanning several years into the future. So, the key difference is current risk of extinction versus risk of becoming endangered soon. The other statements aren’t accurate because they either reverse the risk, claim there’s no risk, imply mere rarity as the criterion, or limit the categories to plants or animals only.

These categories describe how close a species is to disappearing. An endangered species is currently in danger of extinction, meaning its numbers are very low or its decline is so steep that it could vanish from the wild across a significant part of its range in a short time. A threatened species isn’t extinct or in immediate danger yet, but its situation is deteriorating and it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future if conditions don’t improve. The term “foreseeable future” is a time frame used to judge future risk, typically spanning several years into the future. So, the key difference is current risk of extinction versus risk of becoming endangered soon. The other statements aren’t accurate because they either reverse the risk, claim there’s no risk, imply mere rarity as the criterion, or limit the categories to plants or animals only.