Endangered species are plants or animals in danger of extinction through all or a significant portion of their range as documented by biological research and inventory.
Threatened species are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.
In 1990, the Massachusetts legislature passed the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act to protect those species that are endangered or threatened within the Commonwealth. The list of species is reviewed and revised by experts in the field. There are many reasons why some species are currently rare and endangered. But, the main reason is us. Human activities, such as mining, logging, urban sprawl, agriculture, and water pollution, have caused habitat degradation and loss and have put many plants and animals in jeopardy.