"Endangered Species" are species that are facing a threat of imminent extinction. Extinct species are species that no longer exist. They require direct human protection for survival. There are many causes of how species become endangered. In the past, uncontrolled hunting was a major cause of the extinction or near-extinction of many North American wildlife. Today, the destruction of plant and animal species habitats is a major threat. The development of land for various projects (such as homes, farms, industries and transportation) can leave fewer areas where wild plants and animals can live, or, feed and breed. Pollution can also damage wildlife homes. Chemicals from sewage, industreal waste, fertilizers, and pesticides can cause build-up in the water and the soil; it can also collect in the tissues of plants and animals. When the words "designation year" for a species, it means the years that the species was declared endangered, extinct, threatened, or at risk, etc.

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