Severe or sudden changes in Earth's atmosphere can cause entire species of animals to die. When all of the members of species die out, it is called

Extinction

Animals on the verge of extinction are considered endangered species. Some could argue that the phrasing "threatened" is synonymous to "endangered". Some classify extinction based on if the species is completely wiped out in the wild, or if the species is completely gone (both in the wild and in zoos for instance). Extinction events are not solely due to the changes in atmosphere, but also due to lack of food or habitat, among other possible factors.