Endangered species are organisms that are at risk of becoming extinct in the near future. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation by humans. When a species becomes endangered, it means that there are very few individuals left in the wild, and their populations are declining rapidly.
In order to prevent endangered species from going extinct, they need to be protected. This means that humans need to take measures to reduce the threats that are causing the species to decline. Protection can take many forms, including habitat conservation, legislation to regulate hunting and poaching, captive breeding programs, and public education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the need to protect endangered species.
Therefore, the answer to this question is protected, as endangered species need to be protected in order to prevent them from becoming extinct.