Animals in danger of becoming extinct Animals at risk of extinction Endangered animals and extinct animals have different meanings. The first means these animals still exist but there are not many of them and so they could become extinct. Extinct animals means they are no longer in existence. So, for example, tigers are endangered but dinosaurs are extinct.

The dodo is extinct. The Majorcan hare is extinct. The dinosaurs are extinct. The blue whale is not yet extinct, but it is endangered. The pyrenean ibex (bucardo) is not yet extinct, but it is endangered. The Spanish lynx (lince ibérico) is not yet extinct, but it is endangered.

Endangered species are animals facing extinction. (We don't use "in".)

Yep, when animals are 'endangered' it means there's very few of their species left. When animals are 'extinct' it means there are none of it's species left. They're either all dead (extinct), or they're are only a few left (endangered.) I also agree with Peachey's correction, Mimi's explanation, and Dan Smith gave some good examples.