## Step 1 - Speaking

Speaking
Let’s consider conservation status of animals.
Write down the aspects that you think contribute to it.

- Number remaining
- Overall increase or decrease of population
- Breeding success rates
- Diet
- Known threats

Species populations are loosely grouped into six major categories.
The four categories of endangered species are:

- vulnerable
- endangered
- critically endangered
- extinct in the wild

| Population | Geographic Range | Population Size | Population Restrictions | Extinction Probability
|  | Extent of Occurence | Area of Occupancy |  |  |
Least Concern | A species that has a widespread an abundant population
Near Threatened | A species that is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
Vulnerable Species | 30-50% population decline | < 20,000 km2 | < 2,000 km2 | < 10,000 mature individuals | < 1,000 mature individuals or an area of occupancy of < 20 km2 | at least 10% within 100 years
Endangered Species | 50-70% population decline | < 5,000 km2 | < 500 km2 | < 2,500 mature individuals | < 250 mature individuals | at least 20% within 20 years or 5 generations
Critically Endangered | ≥80-90% population decline | < 100 km2 | < 10 km2 | < 250 mature individuals | < 10 mature individuals | at least 50% within 10 years or 3 generations
Extinct in the Wild | Only survives in cultivation (plants), in captivity (animals), or as a population well outside its established range.
Extinct | No remaining individuals of the species.

Look at the animals in this exercise.
What do you think their conservation status is?

Discuss these questions with your classmate:

- How useful is it to classify animals in this way?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages?

| #### Answers