diff --git a/prepare_species/extract_species_data_psql.py b/prepare_species/extract_species_data_psql.py
index 3350664..3dfa314 100644
--- a/prepare_species/extract_species_data_psql.py
+++ b/prepare_species/extract_species_data_psql.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 from functools import partial
-from multiprocessing import Pool
+from multiprocessing import Pool, cpu_count
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
@@ -257,7 +257,11 @@ def extract_data_per_species(
     excludes_path: Optional[Path],
     output_directory_path: Path,
     target_projection: Optional[str],
+    processes_count: int,
 ) -> None:
+    # The limiting amount here is how many concurrent connections the database can take
+    worker_count=min(processes_count, 20)
+    logger.info("Using %d workers", worker_count)
 
     connection = psycopg2.connect(DB_CONFIG)
     cursor = connection.cursor()
@@ -293,12 +297,11 @@ def extract_data_per_species(
         if overrides_path:
             results = apply_overrides(overrides_path, results)
 
-        # The limiting amount here is how many concurrent connections the database can take
         try:
-            with Pool(processes=20) as pool:
+            with Pool(processes=worker_count) as pool:
                 reports = pool.map(
                     partial(process_row, class_name, era_output_directory_path, target_projection, presence),
-                    results
+                    results,
                 )
         except psycopg2.OperationalError:
             sys.exit("Database connection failed for some rows, aborting")
@@ -316,6 +319,7 @@ def extract_data_per_species(
     "excludes": "input.excludes",
     "output_directory_path": "params.output_dir",
     "target_projection": "params.projection",
+    "processes_count": "threads",
 })
 def main() -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Process agregate species data to per-species-file.")
@@ -357,6 +361,14 @@ def main() -> None:
         dest="target_projection",
         default="ESRI:54017"
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-j",
+        type=int,
+        required=False,
+        default=cpu_count() // 2,
+        dest="processes_count",
+        help="Number of concurrent threads to use."
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     extract_data_per_species(
@@ -364,7 +376,8 @@ def main() -> None:
         args.overrides,
         args.excludes,
         args.output_directory_path,
-        args.target_projection
+        args.target_projection,
+        args.processes_count,
     )
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/threats/threat_summation.py b/threats/threat_summation.py
index b05d38c..e095fba 100644
--- a/threats/threat_summation.py
+++ b/threats/threat_summation.py
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     threat_summation(
         args.rasters_directory,
         args.output_directory,
-        args.processes_count
+        args.processes_count,
     )
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/workflow/rules/species.smk b/workflow/rules/species.smk
index 720d353..5e6fee5 100644
--- a/workflow/rules/species.smk
+++ b/workflow/rules/species.smk
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ checkpoint extract_species_data:
         # Serialise DB access scripts - only one extraction script at a time
         # as it will make many concurrent connections internally
         db_connections=1,
+    threads: workflow.cores
     script:
         str(SRCDIR / "prepare_species" / "extract_species_data_psql.py")