Difference Between Endangered Species & Threatened Species

In 1973, the U.S. Congress passed the Federal Endangered Species Act, which provides protections to declining species of plants and animals that are classified as threatened or endangered. Although the species that make up either category need to be protected, what defines endangered and threatened species is actually quite different.

  1. Endangered Species

    • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service defines endangered species as "any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." These are all species of plants and animals currently at the brink of extinction. In the United States alone, 415 species of animals and 644 species of plants are endangered. Worldwide, 541 species of animals are endangered, but the Fish and Wildlife Service considers only one species of plant outside of the United States to be endangered.

    Threatened Species

    • The Fish and Wildlife Service defines threatened species as "any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range." They are species of plants and animals that are likely to be at the brink of extinction in the very near future if they are not protected and steps are not taken to preserve them. In the United States, 164 species of animals and 149 species of plants are listed as threatened by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Examples

    • Examples of endangered species within the United States include the sockeye salmon, green sea turtle, Chinook salmon, Steller sea lion, gray wolf and California tiger salamander.

      Outside of the United States, species such as the chimpanzee, the saltwater crocodile, the dugong and the leopard are currently listed as endangered.

    Protections

    • Under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, the USFWS has the authority to issue permits to take endangered species for a number of different reasons as part of its species preservation methods. Some of the reasons include taking the species for scientific purposes, to study the animal and why it is becoming endangered, or to develop methods that will enhance its propagation or survival. For threatened species, the act gives the USFWS authority to issue permits to take animals for exhibition in zoos, for educational purposes or for other special purposes as outlined by the act.