The goals of the Red List are to provide scientifically based information on the status of species and subspecies at a global level, to draw attention to the magnitude and importance of threatened biodiversity, to influence national and international policy and decision-making, and to provide information to guide actions to conserve biological diversity.[2]
The IUCN aims to have the category of every species re-evaluated at least every ten years, and every five years if possible. This is done in a peer reviewed manner through IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Groups (SSC), which are Red List Authorities (RLA) responsible for a species, group of species or specific geographic area, or in the case of BirdLife International, an entire class (Aves). The red list unit works with staff from the IUCN Global Species Programme as well as current program partners to recommend new partners or networks to join as new Red List Authorities.[3]
The number of species which have been assessed for the Red List has been increasing over time.[4]As of 2023,[update] of 150,388 species surveyed, 42,108 are considered at risk of extinction because of human activity, in particular overfishing, hunting, and land development.[5][6]
History
The percentage of species in several groups which are documented as extinct, critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable on the 2023 IUCN Red List. The data for some groups are insufficient, so the plotted percentages can be much lower than the actual rates of vulnerability.
The idea for a Red Data Book was suggested by Peter Scott in 1963.[7]
1966–1977 Red Data Lists
Initially the Red Data Lists were designed for specialists and were issued in a loose-leaf format that could be easily changed.
The first two volumes of Red Lists were published in 1966 by conservationist Noel Simon, one for mammals and one for birds.[8][9]
The third volume that appeared covered reptiles and amphibians. It was created by René E. Honegger in 1968.[10]
In 1970 the IUCN published its fifth volume in this series. This was the first Red Data List which focused on plants (angiosperms only), compiled by Ronald Melville.[11]
The final volume of Red Data List created in the older, loose leaf style was volume 4 on freshwater fishes. This was published in 1979 by Robert Rush Miller.[12]
1969 Red Data Book
The first attempt to create a Red Data Book for a nonspecialist public came in 1969 with The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger.[13] This book covered varies groups but was predominantly about mammals and birds, with smaller sections on reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and plants.
On 12 September 2007, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) released the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In this release, they have raised their classification of both the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) from endangered to critically endangered, which is the last category before extinct in the wild, due to Ebola virus and poaching, along with other factors. Russ Mittermeier, chief of Swiss-based IUCN's Primate Specialist Group, stated that 16,306 species are endangered with extinction, 188 more than in 2006 (total of 41,415 species on the Red List). The Red List includes the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) in the Critically Endangered category and the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in the Endangered category.[15]
2008 release
The 2008 Red List was released on 6 October 2008 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona and "confirmed an extinction crisis, with almost one in four [mammals] at risk of disappearing forever". The study shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction, and 836 are listed as Data Deficient.[16]
2012 release
The Red List of 2012 was released 19 July 2012 at Rio+20 Earth Summit;[17] nearly 2,000 species were added,[18] with 4 species to the extinct list, 2 to the rediscovered list.[19] The IUCN assessed a total of 63,837 species which revealed 19,817 are threatened with extinction.[20] 3,947 were described as "critically endangered" and 5,766 as "endangered", while more than 10,000 species are listed as "vulnerable".[21] At threat are 41% of amphibian species, 33% of reef-building corals, 30% of conifers, 25% of mammals, and 13% of birds.[20] The IUCN Red List has listed 132 species of plants and animals from India as "Critically Endangered".[22]
Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups,[23] specified through criteria such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, and degree of population and distribution fragmentation.[24] There is an emphasis on the acceptability of applying any criteria in the absence of high quality data including suspicion and potential future threats, "so long as these can reasonably be supported".:6[25]
Extinct (EX) – beyond reasonable doubt that the species is no longer extant.
Extinct in the wild (EW) – survives only in captivity, cultivation and/or outside native range, as presumed after exhaustive surveys.
Endangered (EN) – very high risk of extinction in the wild, meets any of criteria A to E for Endangered.
Vulnerable (VU) – meets one of the 5 Red List criteria and thus considered to be at high risk of unnatural (human-caused) extinction without further human intervention.
Near threatened (NT) – close to being endangered in the near future.
Conservation Dependent (CD) - a category whose documentation previously was absent - inferred to simply be an oversight - which has introduced into this article to preserve its 'Term - Definition' structure.
Least concern (LC) – unlikely to become endangered or extinct in the near future.
In the 2001 framework, Near Threatened and Least Concern became their own categories, while Conservation Dependent was removed and its contents merged into Near Threatened.
Possibly extinct
The tag of "possibly extinct" (PE)[26] is used by Birdlife International, the Red List Authority for birds for the IUCN Red List.[27] BirdLife International has recommended PE become an official tag for Critically Endangered species, and this has now been adopted, along with a "Possibly Extinct in the Wild" tag for species with populations surviving in captivity but likely to be extinct in the wild.[citation needed]
Versions
Comparing the number of species in each category of IUCN Red List
There have been a number of versions, dating from 1991, including:[28][29]
Version 1.0 (1991)
Version 2.0 (1992)
Version 2.1 (1993)
Version 2.2 (1994)
Version 2.3 (1994)
Version 3.0 (1999)
Version 3.1 (2001)
All new IUCN assessments since 2001 have used version 3.1 of the categories and criteria.
Criticism
1994 IUCN Red List categories (version 2.3), used for species which have not been reassessed since 2001.
In 1997, the IUCN Red List received criticism on the grounds of secrecy (or at least poor documentation) surrounding the sources of its data.[30] These allegations have led to efforts by the IUCN to improve its documentation and data quality, and to include peer reviews of taxa on the Red List.[24] The list is also open to petitions against its classifications, on the basis of documentation or criteria.[31]
In the November 2002 issue of Trends in Ecology & Evolution, an article suggested that the IUCN Red List and similar works are prone to misuse by governments and other groups that draw possibly inappropriate conclusions on the state of the environment or to affect exploitation of natural resources.[32]
In the November 2016 issue of Science Advances, a research article claims there are serious inconsistencies in the way species are classified by the IUCN. The researchers contend that the IUCN's process of categorization is "out-dated, and leaves room for improvement", and further emphasize the importance of readily available and easy-to-include geospatial data, such as satellite and aerial imaging. Their conclusion questioned not only the IUCN's method but also the validity of where certain species fall on the List. They believe that combining geographical data can significantly increase the number of species that need to be reclassified to a higher risk category.[33]
↑ CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), Joint Meeting of the Animals and Plants Committees, Shepherdstown (United States of America), 7–9 December 2000, Retrieved 14 November 2012.
↑ Fitter, Richard; Fitter, Maisie, eds. (1987). The Road to Extinction: Problems of Categorizing the Status of Taxa Threatened with Extinction. Gland: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. ISBN2880329299.
↑ Simon, Noel (1966). Red data book. Volume 1. Mammalia, a compilation. International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
↑ Simon, Noel (1966). Red data book. Volume 2. Aves. International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
↑ Honegger, René (1968). Red Data Book, Volume 3, Amphibia & Reptilia. International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
↑ Melville, Ronald (1970). Red data book Volume 5: Angiospermae, a compilation. International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
↑ Miller, Robert (1979). Red data book. Volume 4. Pisces: freshwater fishes. International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
↑ Fisher, James; Simon, Noel; Vincent, Jack (1969). The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger. Collins.
Sharrock, S. and Jones, M. 2009. Conserving Europe's threatened plants – Report on the lack of a European Red List and the creation of a consolidated list of the threatened plants of Europe. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
A threatened species is any species which is vulnerable to extinction in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of critical depensation, a mathematical measure of biomass related to population growth rate. This quantitative metric is one method of evaluating the degree of endangerment without direct reference to human activity.
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and is distinct from the term endangered or threatened. Designation of a rare species may be made by an official body, such as a national government, state, or province. The term more commonly appears without reference to specific criteria. The International Union for Conservation of Nature does not normally make such designations, but may use the term in scientific discussion.
A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. They do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or conservation dependent.
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify for the threatened status.
An endangered species recovery plan, also known as a species recovery plan, species action plan, species conservation action, or simply recovery plan, is a document describing the current status, threats and intended methods for increasing rare and endangered species population sizes. Recovery plans act as a foundation from which to build a conservation effort to preserve animals which are under threat of extinction. More than 320 species have died out and the world is continuing a rate of 1 species becoming extinct every two years. Climate change is also linked to several issues relating to extinct species and animals' quality of life.
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 ICUN has many ranks that define an animal's population and risk of extinction. Species are classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient, and Not Evaluated. They formerly used a identification called lower risk to describe some animals.
The Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, is an act of the Parliament of Tasmania that provides the statute relating to conservation of flora and fauna. Its long title is An Act to provide for the protection and management of threatened native flora and fauna and to enable and promote the conservation of native flora and fauna. It received the royal assent on 14 November 1995.
A Regional Red List is a report of the threatened status of species within a certain country or region. It is based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, an inventory of the conservation status of species on a global scale. Regional Red Lists assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit and therefore may feed directly into national and regional planning. This project is coordinated by the Zoological Society of London, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and partners in national governments, universities and organizations throughout the world.
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.
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.
A not evaluated (NE) species is one which has been categorized under the IUCN Red List of threatened species as not yet having been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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. The figures for 1998 were 1,102 and 1,197 respectively.
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