The number of plant and animal species found in Santa Barbara County that are recognized by the Federal Government as Endangered or Threatened. This measure does not reflect the Special Status plants and animals recognized on the State of California level.

In almost all cases, the population of a plant or animal species within a community declines due to anthropogenic causes. Major factors contributing to a species' decline are habitat destruction and environmental toxicity. As communities sprawl, those habitats that are not destroyed physically with bulldozers and concrete, become polluted with urban runoff and air pollution from motorists and industry. These anthropogenic stresses on the environment create problems for species, limiting their viability. A sustainable community ensures that sensitive habitats are protected from anthropogenic problems. By doing so, they preserve the biodiversity found within their community.
The Federal Government and State of California have several designations for species they consider to have Special Status. These designations include Species of Concern, Rare, Threatened and Endangered. In this project our measure only includes species recognized by the Federal Government as Endangered or Threatened. It should be noted however, that there are many different organizations, such as the Native Plant Society, with projects to catalog and describe species they endangered or threatened species in Santa Barbara County. Depending on who you ask, the number of species to be included in this type of count varies dramatically.

According to the California Department of Fish and Game's Natural Diversity Database, there are 41 species recognized by the Federal Government as Threatened (6) or Endangered (35). In total, there are 103 species with Special Status designation, on either Federal and/or State level, found in Santa Barbara County. These include species of vascular plants, snails and slugs, beetles, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Since January of 2000, four new species have been added to the Federal Endangered Species list. These include three plant species: La Graciosa Thistle Cirsium loncholepis, Lompoc Yerba Santa Eriodictyon capitatum, and Gaviota Tarplant Hemizonia increscens ssp. Villosa. Also added in 2000 was the California Tiger Salamander Ambystoma californiense.