Endangered Species Terms

VULNERABLE SPECIES - A species particularly at risk because of low or

declining numbers or small range, but not a threatened species.
THREATENED SPECIES a species whose population is not yet low
enough to be in immediate danger of extinction, but who certainly faces serious
problems. If the problems affecting these species arent resolved, it is probable that
the species will become endangered. The eastern indigo snake and the red
kangaroo are examples of threatened species.
ENDANGERED SPECIES a specie, plant or animal, that isin immediate
danger of becoming extinct. Its numbers are usually low, and it needs protection in
order to survive. The Siberian tiger,the southern sea otter, the snow leopard, the
green pitcher plant, and thousands of other plants and animals are endangered
worldwide.
EXTINCT SPECIES an extinct species is one that is no longer living. The
passenger pigeon, the dodo, and the Stegosaurus are examples of extinct species.
These animals no longer exist on the earth.

THE PLIGHT OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS

It is estimated over 15,000 species (plant and animal) are currently threatened
with extinction. There are now 41,415 species on the IUCN Red List and
16,306 of them are endangered species threatened with extinction.
The total number of extinct species has reached 785 and a further 65 are only
found in captivity or in cultivation. One in four mammals, one in eight birds,
one third of all amphibians and 70% of the worlds assessed plants on the
2007 IUCN Red List are in jeopardy.
In the last 500 years, human activity has forced over 800 species
into extinction.

Plants and animals hold medicinal, agricultural, ecological, commercial and

aesthetic/recreational value. Endangered species must be protected and saved so
that future generations can experience their presence and value.
Medicinal
Plants and animals are responsible for a variety of useful medications. In fact,
about forty percent of all prescriptions written today are composed from the natural
compounds of different species. These species not only save lives, but they
contribute to a prospering pharmaceutical industry worth over $40 billion annually.
Unfortunately, only 5% of known plant species have been screened for their
medicinal values, although we continue to lose up to 100 species daily.
The Pacific yew, a slow-growing tree found in the ancient forests of the Pacific
Northwest, was historically considered a "trash" tree (it was burned after
clearcutting). However, a substance in its bark taxol was recently identified as one
of the most promising treatments for ovarian and breast cancer. Additionally, more
than 3 million American heart disease sufferers would perish within 72 hours of a
heart attack without digitalis, a drug derived from the purple foxglove.
Agricultural
There are an estimated 80,000 edible plants in the world. Humans depend upon
only 20 species of these plants, such as wheat and corn, to provide 90% of the
world's food. Wild relatives of these common crops contain essential diseaseresistant material. They also provide humans with the means to develop new crops
that can grow in inadequate lands such as in poor soils or drought-stricken areas to
help solve the world hunger problem. In the 1970s, genetic material from a wild
corn species in Mexico was used to stop a leaf fungus that had previously wiped
out 15% of the U.S. corn crop.
Ecological
Plant and animal species are the foundation of healthy ecosystems. Humans
depend on ecosystems such as coastal estuaries, prairie grasslands, and ancient
forests to purify their air, clean their water, and supply them with food. When
species become endangered, it is an indicator that the health of these vital
ecosystems is beginning to unravel. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates
that losing one plant species can trigger the loss of up to 30 other insect, plant and
higher animal species.
The northern spotted owl, listed as threatened in 1990, is an indicator of the
declining health of the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest. These forests are
the home to over 100 other old-growth dependent species, which are at risk due to
decades of unsustainable forest management practices.
Pollution off the coast of Florida is killing the coral reefs along the Florida Keys,
which serve as habitat for hundreds of species of fish. Commercial fish species
have begun to decline, causing a threat to the multi-million dollar tourism industry,

ENDENGERED SPECIES

AYE-AYE
It took scientists decades to agree that the ayeaye was actually a lemur. It is truly the most bizarre
of all lemurs, and one of the most endangered.
The black, scruffy-looking aye-aye has a head too large for
its body, striking orange eyes, oversized teeth, huge
batlike ears, and uniquely elongated fingers tipped with
long claws.
The aye-aye is a nocturnal forager whose behavior
been likened to woodpeckers and raccoons. It uses its
slender middle fingers to probe for and pry out insect grubs and juicy meats from coconuts.

has

The aye-aye is so feared by the Malagasy (the people of Madagascar) that in much of the country it is
killed on sight. The aye-aye was once thought to be extinct, but recent discoveries suggest there may be
100 or more aye-ayes alive in the wild.

ASIAN ELEPHANT AND AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Throughout history, the elephant has played an important role in human economies, religion, and culture.
The immense size, strength, and stature of this
largest living land animal has intrigued people of
many cultures for hundreds of years.
In Asia, elephants have served as beasts of burden
in war and peace. Some civilizations have regarded
elephants as gods, and they have been symbols of
royalty for some. Elephants have entertained us in
circuses and festivals around the world. For
centuries, the elephant's massive tusks have been
prized for their ivory.
The African elephant once roamed the entire continent of Africa, and the Asian elephant ranged from
Syria to northern China and the islands of Indonesia. These abundant populations have been reduced to
groups in scattered areas south of the Sahara and in isolated patches in India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast
Asia.Demand for ivory, combined with habitat loss from human settlement, has led to a dramatic decline
in elephant populations in the last few decades. In 1930, there were between 5 and 10 million African
elephants. By 1979, there were 1.3 million.
In 1989, when they were added to the international list of the most endangered species, there were about
600,000 remaining, less than one percent of their original number.Asian elephants were never as
abundant as their African cousins, and today they are even more endangered than African elephants.
At the turn of the century, there were an estimated 200,000 Asian elephants. Today there are probably no
more than 35,000 to 40,000 left in the wild.

GRAY WHALE
The gray whale is known as both the friendly whale
and the fighting whale. Yupik Eskimos who hunt
the gray whale in Alaska, and 19th century
commercial whalers who hunted the gray whale in
Mexico have each called it "devil fish" because of its
reputation for fighting back and overturning boats
when attacked.
Today, gray whales are protected by law, and tourists who view
them at their breeding and calving grounds in Mexico,
regard them as friendly. The whales seem to be curious about these tourists and frequently swim up to
their boats and allow the visitors to touch their barnacle-covered backs. The experience is thrilling and
many people believe the whales enjoy it, too. The gray whale has the reputation as another kind of fighter,
a fighter against the forces that would bring about its extinction. The species has fought its way back from
the brink of extinction on two occasions. Like other large whales, gray whales were commercially hunted
and their numbers were reduced to just a few hundred at two different times.
The eastern Pacific population of gray whales has made a remarkable recovery as a result of legal
protection. In 1995, this population was removed from the endangered species list. Unfortunately the
western Pacific (Korean) population, which has not recovered at all, remains listed. The status of the
western Pacific population is relatively unknown, but it is believed to be highly endangered and close to
extinction. The gray whale is an interesting case study because one population is extinct, one is
endangered, and one is recovered.

TIGERS IN CRISIS...
Since 1900, the endangered tiger's habitat and
numbers have been reduced by up to 95 per
cent. Poachers continue to poison waterholes or
set steel wire snares to kill tigers and tiger prey,
selling their skins and body parts for use in
traditional Chinese medicine.
Despite 20 years of international conservation
efforts, we are losing ground to save the tiger as, on the endangered species list, all sub-species of
tigers are considered critically endangered species.
Of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 60 years, an average of
one every 20 years. The Bali tiger became extinct in the 1930's. The Caspian tiger was forced into
extinction in the 1970's. And the Javan tiger followed in the 1980's.
The number of tigers in the 1900's --over 100,000 -- dropped to 4,000 in the 1970's. Today, they are
a critically endangered species with the total of all the wild populations of the five remaining
subspecies (Bengal tigers, IndoChinese tigers, Siberian tigers, South China tigers,
and Sumatran tigers) is an estimated 3,000 - 3,600 tigers.
It is known that all remaining tigers live in small, isolated populations in widely scattered reserves.

KOMODO DRAGON
Imagine being shipwrecked on a remote island and finding
face-to-face with the world's largest living lizard -- a meatmonster up to 12 feet (3.6 m) long, weighing 300 pounds (136
first visitors to Komodo Island probably were terrified by
prehistoric-looking beasts.

yourself
eating
kg)! The
these

The Komodo dragon, or komodo monitor lizard, is thought to

Chinese legends of great scaly man-eating monsters, the
still featured prominently in Chinese folklore and religion.

be the source of
dragons that are

Species Description and Range

The Komodo dragon occurs only on Komodo and its few smaller outlying islands north of Australia (see
Spotlight on Island Biogeography). It probably never was more widely distributed, although maps of
ancient mariners had notations of "here be dragons" dotted throughout the islands of what is now
Malaysia and Indonesia. It was not until the early 1900s that scientists confirmed the existence of these
incredible giant lizards.
Hunting and Habitat Loss
The current population of Komodo dragons seems relatively stable at about 5,000 animals, yet scientists
are concerned that only 350 of them are breeding females. This may be a normal sex ratio; little is known
about the species. The dragon's limited distribution makes them highly susceptible to natural or humancaused events, such as storms, fire, or disease.
The primary threats to the dragon's survival include illegal hunting and loss of habitat to human
settlement. As was the case with most large, spectacular animals the world over, Komodo dragons were
sought as trophies by big-game hunters. They also are killed for skins and feet to make novelties. Early in
this century, many Komodo dragons were trapped for sale to zoos and private collectors.

EXTINCT SPECIES
THE DUSKY SEASIDE SPARROW
The dusky seaside sparrow became extinct in
1987. It is widely considered to be the most recent,
well-documented extinction of a vertebrate in the
United States.
This black and white dusky seaside sparrow lived
on the east coast of Florida and was especially
abundant on Merritt Island. The dusky seaside sparrow depended on moist
cordgrass (Spartina bakerii) habitat for nesting sites. Suitable habitat usually is found
only at 10-15 feet above sea level. Lower areas are too wet and dense for the sparrow,
while higher areas are too dry to support cordgrass.
The decline and disappearance of the dusky seaside sparrow is due entirely to the
loss of its habitat. Problems with mosquitoes breeding in the marsh area adjacent to the
Kennedy Space Center led to a mosquito control program in 1963 in which the marsh
was flooded.No attempt was made to reduce the harmful effects of the flooding on
wildlife that depended on that habitat, such as the dusky seaside sparrow.
Fortunately, another population of dusky seaside sparrows was found in a different
marsh and the US Fish and Wildlife Service was persuaded to purchase the area for a
reserve. Unfortunately, the reserve did not successfully protect the sparrows.The Florida
Department of Transportation built a highway through the marsh in order to connect
the Kennedy Space Center to Disney World. The remaining marsh eventually was
drained for real estate development.
The sparrow's cordgrass habitat could only grow in a very narrow range of moisture
conditions. When one habitat area was flooded and the other drained, there was
nowhere for the dusky seaside sparrow to live. In the mid-1970s, an effort was made
to restore natural water flow in one of the areas. While native vegetation did gradually
return, it was too late for the sparrow.
In 1979 and 1980, a captive breeding program was established. However, only
seven dusky seaside sparrows were located and they were all male. Because there
were no females left to help reproduce the species, the captive breeding program
brought in females from a closely related subspecies of sparrow.
Cross-breeding attempts, such as this, are designed to preserve some of the genetic
diversity represented by a species. The female offspring of the cross-bred pair could
then breed with the other male dusky seaside sparrows.
Through this kind of breeding, an individual with a very high percentage of dusky
seaside sparrow genes (although not 100%) could live to carry on much of the genetic

diversity that would otherwise be lost. Unfortunately, the cross-breeding attempts were
unsuccessful. The lastdusky seaside sparrow died in captivity in 1987.

THE TASMANIAN WOLF

Was Thylacinus cynocephalus a wolf or a tiger? It was neither.
This remarkable animal looked like wolf with tiger stripes on its
back and tail, but it was more closely related to kangaroos than
to either tigers or wolves. The Tasmanian tiger-wolf was
a marsupial; it had a pouch for its young just like a kangaroo.
Marsupials are found almost exclusively in Australia and certain
surrounding islands such as Tasmania. They died out in most of
the rest of the world. On thing the Tasmanian tiger-wolfdoes
share with its tiger and wolf namesakes is vigorous persecution by human beings. TheTasmanian
tiger-wolf is now extinct.Despite its similar name, the Tasmanian tiger-wolf is not the same creature
as the cartoon-famous Tasmanian devil. There really is an animal called the Tasmanian devil, and like the
Tasmanian tiger-wolf, it is a carnivorous (meat-eating) marsupial.
Although Tasmanian devil populations were reduced by disease at one time, they have recovered, and
there probably are more Tasmanian devils now than there were at the time of European settlement. One
possible reason for this is that the Tasmanian devil no longer has to compete for food sources with the
extinct Tasmanian tiger-wolf.
The Tasmanian tiger-wolf became extinct on the mainland of Australia long ago because it could not
compete for food with an introduced species, the dingo, a kind of wild dog.Tasmanian tigerwolves continued to thrive on the dingo-free island of Tasmania off Australia's south coast until
Europeans arrived in the region. At that time, settlers began clearing the tiger-wolf's habitat for sheep
farming. Habitat destruction reduced the natural prey available to tiger-wolves.
With its natural prey base reduced, the Tasmanian tiger-wolf began to kill domestic sheep for food,
much to the dismay of the local farmers. The farmers mounted a campaign to destroy the carnivores who
were preying on their livestock. In the mid-1800's, landowners paid a bounty for killing Tasmanian
tiger-wolves, and the government introduced an even larger bounty in 1888.
The programs were quite successful and the Tasmanian tiger-wolf was poisoned, shot, snared, hunted
with dogs, trapped, and otherwise exterminated through the early 1900s. An unknown disease decimated
the remaining population in 1910. By 1933 it was believed that the species had become extinct in the wild.
In 1936, the last known Tasmanian tiger-wolfdied in captivity.
Although the species was believed extinct, reports of tiger-wolves in the wild continued. The species
received protection from the Australian government, and the search to find any remaining tiger-wolves
began. Expeditions in the 1930s, 40s and 60s found no Tasmanian tiger-wolves.
However, possible evidence that the species was not extinct surfaced when it was claimed that a young
male Tasmanian tiger-wolf had been accidentally killed on the west coast of Tasmania in 1961. Had
the Tasmanian tiger-wolves survived in the wild all those years? Was this young male the last of his
kind, or were there more survivors?
Five years later, 1.6 million acres in Tasmania were declared a sanctuary for any remainingTasmanian
tiger-wolves. However, whether there were any Tasmanian tiger-wolves to inhabit the sanctuary
area remained an open question. The most comprehensive search yet for remaining Tasmanian tigerwolves was completed in the 1980's. No tiger-wolves were found.

THE PASSENGER PIGEON

How could the passenger pigeon be extinct when it was the most abundant bird species on Earth no so
long ago?
It is almost impossible to imagine that the passenger pigeons' population,
the early 1800's contained more individuals than all other
American birds combined, was reduced to just one individual,
who died in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.

which in
North
Martha,

Before their decimation, a single flock of passenger

pigeons could have 2 billions birds or more, and there
were multiple flocks of birds in the United States.
When John J. Audubon observed a migrating flock over Kentucky in 1813, he reported that the sky was
"black with birds" for three days. The nesting colonies of the passenger pigeon in northeastern
deciduous forests could be 20 miles across, with so many birds per tree that the branches broke from their
weight. Yet, there is not a single passenger pigeon left for us to observe today.
The passenger pigeon was driven to extinction by uncontrolled commercial hunting for their meat,
which was desired by Euroamerican settlers. The passenger pigeons' migration and nesting behavior
made them easy to hunt in large numbers. They were netted, shot and smoked out of trees with sulfur
torches. Special firearms, including a forerunner of the machine gun, were used to harvest these birds in
quantity.
The growth of commercial enterprises was facilitated by the railroads, which made it possible (and
profitable) to transport the meat quickly to urban centers. By 1850, several thousand people were
employed in the passenger pigeon industry. In New York, one operation processed 18,000 pigeons
each day in 1855. In one year in Michigan alone, a billion birds were harvested.
Not surprisingly, the population collapsed. Although several thousand birds survived in 1880, it was no
longer profitable to hunt them since they were widely dispersed across the continent. Ironically, this
scattered distribution, which saved a large core population for the post-commercial era, may also have
contributed to the passenger pigeon's ultimate demise by interfering with breeding abilities.
The reasons that the passenger pigeon was unable to recover from the period of overexploitation are
not fully known. Some species have been able to recover from a low number of individuals, but
the passenger pigeon continued to decline and was extinct in the wild by 1900. Captive breeding efforts
were not successful and the last individual died in 1914.
One theory explaining the passenger pigeon's inability to recover is that their breeding patterns
required a community of numerous individuals to stimulate the necessary cycles or behaviors. Previously,
the large colonies had provided the necessary conditions, but the scattered populations after 1880 may
not have had a large enough concentration in any one area to stimulate breeding behaviors.
The passenger pigeon's inability to recover may also have been influenced by the scattered distribution
of remaining individuals by making it more difficult to find suitable mates. Without their swarming flocks,
the passenger pigeons also may have had trouble competing with other birds for nest sites, and nest
sites may have been fewer as the deciduous forests were cut down.

Whatever the reason, it is clear that the passenger pigeon did not have a viablepopulationwhen
commercial hunting ceased. Although commercial hunting did not directly kill the last passenger
pigeon, it sent the species into an extinction vortex from which it could not recover.