1. For the purposes of this section, “endangered species” shall mean those species of fish, shellfish, crustacea and wildlife designated by the department, by regulation filed with the Secretary of State, as seriously threatened with extinction, “threatened species” shall mean those species of fish and wildlife designated by the department, by regulation filed with the Secretary of State, which are likely to become endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range, and “species of special concern” shall mean those species of fish and wildlife designated by the department, by regulation filed with the Secretary of State, which are found by the department to be at risk of becoming threatened in New York. Such regulation shall include, but not be limited to, endangered and threatened species as so designated by the Secretary of the Interior, provided, however, that such regulation shall take effect sixty days after it has been filed with the Secretary of State, and provided, further, that the commissioner may exclude any such species as the commissioner may determine after investigation to be no longer endangered or threatened from the restrictions of this section...
Citation: McKinney's ECL § 11-0535.
1. For the purposes of this section, “plants” shall mean species of native shrubs, trees, herbs, ferns, fern-allies and wild flowers; “endangered species” shall mean those species of plants in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the state, and requiring remedial action to prevent such extinction; “threatened species” shall mean those species of plants that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the state; “rare species” shall mean those species of plants that have small populations within their ranges in the state, and “exploitably vulnerable species” shall mean those species of plants that are likely to become threatened in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the state if causal factors continue unchecked.
Citation: McKinney's ECL § 9-1503.