When an animal species is considered endangered, it means

that the International Union for Conservation of

Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means
that a significant portion of its range has already died off and
the rate of birth is lower than the species' death rate.
conservation efforts around the world are bent on helping
these endangered animals revitalize their dwindling
populations through a variety of humanitarian efforts,
including curtailing illegal poaching, halting pollution, and
habitat destruction, and curtailing the introduction of exotic
species into new habitats.
Habitat Destruction and Pollution

Introduction of Exotic Species Destroys Delicate Food Systems

Illegal Hunting Can Endanger Species

Of course, species endangerment and extinction can happen

without human interference. Extinction is a natural part of
evolution. Fossil records show that long before people came
along, factors such as overspecialization, competition, sudden
climatic change, and catastrophic events like volcanic
eruptions and earthquakes drove the decline of numerous
species.