Threatened Species: A threatened species is a species at risk but not yet endangered. California sea otters were classififed as a threatened species. Laws were passed to protect the otters and now they have increased their population size.
Invasive Species: One of the main causes of extinction and endangered species is the introduction of an exotic species. New exotic species are called invasive species. Invasive species can disrupt food chains, carry disease, prey on native species directly, and out-compete native species for limited resources, like food.
Extinction: If a population decreases too much in numbers, they disappear. Extinct species mean that the species has died out and no individuals left. An example of extinction: New Zealand was once home to a bird called the Giant Moa. Humans settled as their population increased the Moa population decreased. The species is now extinct.
