The Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) is listed as 'endangered' by the IUCN.
Endangered species, as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are species which have been categorized as very likely to become extinct in their known native ranges in the near future. On the IUCN Red List, endangered is the second-most severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after critically endangered. In 2012, the IUCN Red List featured 3,079 animal and 2,655 plant species as endangered worldwide.[1] The figures for 1998 were 1,102 and 1,197 respectively.[1]
The IUCN Red List is a list of species which have been assessed according to a system of assigning a global conservation status. According to the latest system used by the IUCN, a species can be "Data Deficient"(DD) species– species for which more data and assessment is required before their situation may be determined– as well species comprehensively assessed by the IUCN's species assessment process. A species can be "Near Threatened"(NT) and "Least Concern"(LC), these are species which are considered to have relatively robust and healthy populations, according to the assessment authors. "Endangered"(EN) species lie between "Vulnerable"(VU) and "Critically Endangered"(CR) species. A species must adhere to certain criteria in order to be placed in any of the afore-mentioned conservation status categories, according to the assessment.
"Threatened" is a category including all those species determined to be Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered.
Although in general conversation the terms "endangered species" and "threatened species" may mean other things, for the purposes of the current IUCN system, the List uses the terms "endangered" and "threatened" to denote species to which certain criteria apply. Note older or other, such as national, status systems may use other criteria.
Some examples of species classified as endangered by the IUCN are listed below:
As more information becomes available, or as the conservation status criteria has changed, numerous species have been re-assessed as not endangered, nonetheless the total number of species considered endangered has increased as more new species are assessed for the first time each year.
Criteria for endangered status
According to the 3.1 version of the IUCN conservation status system from 2001, a species is listed as endangered when it meets any of the following criteria from A to E.[3]
A) Reduction in population size based on any of the following:
1. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population size reduction of ≥ 70% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, where the causes of the reduction are reversible AND understood AND ceased, based on (and specifying) any of the following:
a. direct observation
b. an index of abundance appropriate for the taxon
c. a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence or quality of habitat
2. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population size reduction of ≥ 50% occurred over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1.
3. A population size reduction of ≥ 50%, projected or suspected to be met within the next 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years), based on (and specifying) any of (b) to (e) under A1.
4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspected population size reduction of ≥ 50% over any 10 year or three-generation period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future), where the time period must include both the past and the future, and where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1.
B) Geographic range in the form of either B1 (extent of occurrence) OR B2 (area of occupancy) OR both:
1. Extent of occurrence estimated to be less than 5,000km2, and estimates indicating at least two of a-c:
a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than five locations.
b. Continuing decline, inferred, observed or projected, in any of the following:
i. extent of occurrence
ii. area of occupancy
iii. area, extent or quality of habitat
iv. number of locations or subpopulations
v. number of mature individuals
c. Extreme fluctuations in any of the following:
i. extent of occurrence
ii. area of occupancy
iii. number of locations or subpopulations
iv. number of mature individuals
2. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than 500km2, and estimates indicating at least two of a-c:
a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than five locations.
b. Continuing decline, inferred, observed or projected, in any of the following:
i. extent of occurrence
ii. area of occupancy
iii. area, extent or quality of habitat
iv. number of locations or subpopulations
v. number of mature individuals
c. Extreme fluctuations in any of the following:
i. extent of occurrence
ii. area of occupancy
iii. number of locations or subpopulations
iv. number of mature individuals
C) Population estimated to number fewer than 2,500 mature individuals and either:
1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 20% within five years or two generations, whichever is longer, (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future) OR 2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals AND at least one of the following (a-b):
a. Population structure in the form of one of the following:
i. no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals, OR
ii. at least 95% of older individuals in one subpopulation
b. Extreme fluctuations in the number of older individuals
D) Population size estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals.
E) Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 20% within 20 years or five generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years).
Lear's macaw, also known as the indigo macaw, is a large all-blue Brazilian parrot, a member of a large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It was first described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1856. Lear's macaw is 70–75 cm long and weighs around 950 g. It is coloured almost completely blue, with a yellow patch of skin at the base of the heavy, black bill.
Sanzinia madagascariensis, also known as the Madagascar tree boa or Malagasy tree boa, is a boa species endemic to the island of Madagascar. It was once considered conspecific with the Nosy Komba ground boa. Like all other boas, it is non-venomous.
Acrantophis dumerili, commonly known as Dumeril's boa, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Acrantophis madagascariensis is a species of boid snake in the subfamily Sanziniinae that is endemic to the island of Madagascar. Its common names include the Madagascar ground boa and Malagasy ground boa.
Montivipera albizona, the central Turkish mountain viper, is a viper species endemic to the mountainous regions of central Turkey. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Vipera kaznakovi, also known as the Caucasus viper, Kaznakow's viper, Kaznakov's viper, and by other common names, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Turkey, Georgia, and Russia. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
An IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of the 157,190 species currently on the IUCN Red List, 9,760 of those are listed as Critically Endangered, with 1,302 being possibly extinct and 67 possibly extinct in the wild.
The Warner sucker is a rare species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Catostomidae. Native to Oregon in the United States and found only in the Warner Basin, its distribution extends just into Nevada and California. It is a federally listed threatened species. Its other common name is redhorse. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated this fish as an endangered species because of its small extent of occurrence, the small number of locations in which it is found, and the extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy resulting from drought and water abstraction. Conservation efforts have been put in place.
Garcinia rubroechinata, commonly known as malamkongu and sometimes known as Garcinia rubro-echinata, is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae. It is a tree which grows to 20 meters tall. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southern India.
Lemurophoenix halleuxii is a species of palm tree, the only species in the genus Lemurophoenix. It is found only in Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss and overcollection. There are perhaps 300 mature individuals remaining in the wild.
Bothrops pirajai is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to Brazil. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Heterodon simus, commonly known as the southern hog-nosed snake, is a harmless snake species endemic to the southeastern United States. No subspecies are currently recognized.
A vulnerable species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction improve.
Canarium elegans is a species of tree in the family Burseraceae. It is native to Madagascar.
Podonephelium subaequilaterum is a tree species endemic to the sclerophyllous forests of New Caledonia. This species of trees suffers from forest reduction and fragmentation due to agriculture on the west coast of the country. The main threat to the species comes from habitat destruction due to the Javan rusa deer and uncontrolled forest fires. Its area of occupancy (AOO) is estimated to be 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) and its extent of occurrence (EOO) is around 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi). The species is observed to be in a continuing decline of its quality of habitat, number of subpopulations, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy and the number of mature individuals.
Photuris bethaniensis, also known as the Bethany Beach firefly, is a species of firefly in the genus Photuris. It is found in interdunal swale habitats along a 25 kilometre stretch of shoreline in Sussex County, Delaware. It is extremely rare and in decline. The main threats to this species include habitat loss due to coastal development, sea level rise, light pollution, and the lowering of groundwater aquifers. This species has an estimated extent of occurrence of 33 km2, and the entire population occurs within one location, as the main threat will probably impact all sites within the current known distribution by the end of the century. Various historical collection sites no longer contain this species, and the occurrence locality thought to hold the largest number of individuals, has recently been lost to a housing development. Therefore, continuing decline in the area of occupancy has been observed; continuing decline in the extent of occurrence is projected, as all remaining occurrences contain few individuals and face myriad threats; continuing decline in the area, extent, and quality of habitat has been observed; continuing decline in locations is projected as the sea level rises; and, as a result of the recent loss of a site, a decline in the number of mature individuals is inferred. As such, this species is listed as Critically Endangered under criteria B1ab.
Quercus mulleri is a rare Mexican species of oak. It has been found only in a small area of the Sierra de Miahuatlán, a sub-range of the Sierra Madre del Sur in southern Oaxaca state.
Hernandia voyronii, commonly known as Hazomalany, is a species of plant in the Hernandiaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.
Quercus kotschyana is a species of oak endemic to the mountains of Lebanon. It is placed in subgenus Quercus, section Quercus.
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