Question

what is the major difference between a threatened and endangered species?
an endangered species is heavily protected
a threatened species has gone extinct

Explanation:

Based on biological conservation definitions, the key lies in the level of risk of extinction. Endangered is a higher risk category than threatened.

Answer:

The major difference is that an endangered species is at a very high - risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, while a threatened species is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. An endangered species is more severely imperiled and often has more intensive protection measures in place. The statement "a threatened species has gone extinct" is incorrect as extinct means no individuals of the species remain, and threatened means there are still individuals but with a high - risk trajectory. And while endangered species are heavily protected, that's not the fundamental difference in their definitions.