Extirpation- the local extinction of a species that still exists in other geographic locations.

Extirpation can occur when: a scarcity of resources exists or a major environmental event disrupts the ecosystem. In some cases, because extirpation exists on a small scale, ecologists and biologists study extirpations of species in order to garner valuable data. Endangered Species- a species that is at high risk of extinction. Since this can be quite vague, scientists use an indicator called the conservation status of a species to determine how at risk the species is. Scientists take many factors into account when assessing the conservation status of a species, including statistics such as the number remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. 51% of all of the species on Earth are considered endangered, or close to being at risk of extinction. Endemic Species- a species that is typically found exclusively in certain areas and nowhere else in the world. These animals have a high risk of extinction because they are not spread out over the world. (Think about the etymology of this word; the prefix pan- refers to the whole world, while en- refers to something on a much smaller scale.) Extinct Species- the end of a group of organisms, typically a species. The point of extinction refers to the time in which the last member of the species dies out, even if the species has lost the ability to reproduce. Scientists estimate that 99.99% of all species ever to walk on the Earth are extinct. Exotic Species- a species that lives out of its normal geographical range because humans have introduced it to an area, intentionally or accidentally. Some introduced species can have harmful effects on the ecosystem to which people introduced it, some introduced species have no effect, and others actually help the ecosystem. Species that cause harm to their new ecosystem are referred to as invasive species.