How does an animal make the endangered species list?
According to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), there are several criteria for defining an endangered species. A species only has to meet one of the following conditions to qualify: • A population reduction of at least 50% over the last 10 years or three generations. • An area of occupancy estimated to be less than 500 square kilometers. • A population estimated to number less than 2500 mature individuals with clear evidence that this number is declining quickly. • A total population estimated to number less than 250 mature individuals. • Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 20% within 20 years or 5 generations. These are just the basics — for more specific definitions, check the WCMC page. For a great meta-index of pages devoted to defining endangered species, visit the Definitions Links
