An article from New York Time

[divuu.verma]

Hi ,

While reading an article in New York Times - I came across this Excerpt. I am finding it difficult to understand the Subject verb Agreement in this case.

In underlined part -
the use of ( Is still in trouble ) and ( bring it back) - do not refer to the Blanca - but refer to the <her specifies> - which is plural and hence should use are and their.

On a fog-shrouded morning in Monterey Bay, wildlife researchers are out to capture a southern sea otter named Blanca "” part of a three-year project to learn why her species, [u]hunted to near extinction a century ago, is still in trouble here despite decades of efforts to bring it back. [/u]

Could you please help me in getting it cleared?

[LazyNK]

Hi Divyu,
Your analysis that the helping worb "is" and the pronount "it" refer to "her species" is correct.
However, "species" is a collective noun and is treated as singular, and not as plural. Indeed, most of the collective nouns like "army", "orchestra", "class" etc. are treated as singular from the point of view of the verbs used with them and the pronouns which have them as antecedants.
-NK

[divuu.verma]

Thanks,

But what do you say about this -

Species are being lost globally at a rate 100 times faster than the average rate during the Earth's history, a panel of prestigious scientists today warned an international convention gathered at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. They said tens of thousands of other species are already committed to future extinction because of the recent worldwide loss of their habitats.

[LazyNK]

Hi Divyu,
Species of one type is collective noun. For example, human beings belong to one species.
However, many different species are a "collection of collective nouns". eg. Many different species such as human beings, cows and monkeys constitute mammals. i.e. here species is used as a plural of species. Unfortuntely, the singular and plural words are same here.
But, it has to be seen from the context of the sentence whether "multiple species" are intended or a "single species". Based on that, the singular or plural forms of verbs and pronouns have to be used.
-NK

[jnelson0612]

LazyNK has given you an excellent explanation! Please let us know if we can help further. :-)