Species nearing endangerment are designated as

• A. Endangered
• B. Threatened
• C. Special Concern
• D. Not Applicable

Answer: (B)

Understanding conservation status categories helps you read how at risk a species is. When a species is likely to become endangered in the near future across all or a significant part of its range, it is designated as threatened. This label signals a step up from normal concern and indicates the population is on a trajectory toward endangerment, but it isn’t yet at the level of being endangered. Endangered means the species is currently facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Special Concern is used in some systems for species that may be at risk or are declining but don’t meet the criteria for threatened. Not Applicable isn’t a conservation status. So, for species nearing endangerment, the best designation is threatened.