IUCN Red List

File:IUCN Red List - December 2023.svgThe idea for a Red Data Book was suggested by Peter Scott in 1963.{{Cite book |title=The Road to Extinction: Problems of Categorizing the Status of Taxa Threatened with Extinction |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |year=1987 |isbn=2880329299 |editor-last=Fitter |editor-first=Richard |location=Gland |editor-last2=Fitter |editor-first2=Maisie}}

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.{{Cite book |last=Simon |first=Noel |title=Red Data Book. Volume 1. Mammalia, a compilation |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1966}}{{Cite book |last=Simon |first=Noel |title=Red Data Book. Volume 2. Aves |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1966}}

The third volume that appeared covered reptiles and amphibians. It was created by René E. Honegger in 1968.{{Cite book |last=Honegger |first=René |title=Red Data Book. Volume 3. Amphibia & Reptilia |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1968}}

In 1970, the IUCN published volume 5 in this series. This was the first Red Data List which focused on plants (angiosperms only), compiled by Ronald Melville.{{Cite book |last=Melville |first=Ronald |title=Red Data Book. Volume 5. Angiospermae, a compilation |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1970}}

The final volume created in the loose leaf style was volume 4 on freshwater fishes. This was published in 1979 by Robert Rush Miller.{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Robert |title=Red Data Book. Volume 4. Pisces: freshwater fishes |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1979}}

The first attempt to create a Red Data Book for a nonspecialist public came in 1969 with The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger.{{Cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=James |title=The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger |last2=Simon |first2=Noel |last3=Vincent |first3=Jack |publisher=Collins |year=1969}} This book covered varies groups but was predominantly about mammals and birds, with smaller sections on reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and plants.

The 2006 Red List, released on 4 May 2006 evaluated 40,168 species as a whole, plus an additional 2,160 subspecies, varieties, aquatic stocks, and subpopulations.{{Cite book |last=IUCN |url=https://www.uicnmed.org/web2007/documentos/press_release_red_list.pdf |title=Release of the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reveals ongoing decline of the status of plants and animals |date=2006 |publisher=IUCN News Release}}

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.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/extinction-crisis-escalates-red-list-shows-apes-corals-vultures-dolphins-all-danger|title=Extinction crisis escalates: Red List shows apes, corals, vultures, dolphins all in danger|access-date=25 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124083212/http://www.iucn.org/media/materials/releases/?81%2FExtinction-crisis-escalates-Red-List-shows-apes-corals-vultures-dolphins-all-in-danger|archive-date=24 January 2011|url-status=live|date=12 September 2007|publisher=IUCN}}

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.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/iucn-red-list-reveals-worlds-mammals-crisis|title=IUCN Red List reveals world's mammals in crisis|date=6 October 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009175431/http://iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/red_list/index.cfm?uNewsID=1695|archive-date=9 October 2008|access-date=9 October 2008|publisher=IUCN}}

The Red List of 2012 was released 19 July 2012 at Rio+20 Earth Summit;{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/19/world/rio-red-list-extinction-species/index.html|title=Extinction threat 'a call to world leaders' at Rio Earth Summit|author=Matthew Knight|date=19 June 2012|work=CNN |access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622011512/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/19/world/rio-red-list-extinction-species/index.html|archive-date=22 June 2012|url-status=live}} nearly 2,000 species were added,{{cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-06-19/iucn-red-list-update-nearly-2000-species-added|title=IUCN Red List update: Nearly 2,000 species added|author=Jessica Phelan|work=www.pri.org|date=19 June 2012|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116221334/https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-06-19/iucn-red-list-update-nearly-2000-species-added|archive-date=16 November 2018|url-status=live}} with 4 species to the extinct list, 2 to the rediscovered list.{{cite web|url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/iucn-2012.html#cr|title=IUCN 2012 update – 4 species extinct – 2 rediscovered – Food security waning|work=wildlifeextra.com|date=19 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042748/http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/iucn-2012.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=14 November 2018}} The IUCN assessed a total of 63,837 species which revealed 19,817 are threatened with extinction.{{cite news|url=http://planetsave.com/2012/06/20/the-red-list-of-threatened-species-annual-report-released-video/|title=The Red List Of Threatened Species, Annual Report Released|author=James Ayre|work=planetsave.com|date=20 June 2012|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110212702/http://planetsave.com/2012/06/20/the-red-list-of-threatened-species-annual-report-released-video/|archive-date=10 November 2013|url-status=live}} 3,947 were described as "critically endangered" and 5,766 as "endangered", while more than 10,000 species are listed as "vulnerable".The list is queryable at: {{Cite web|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/en|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=6 March 2020}} At threat are 41% of amphibian species, 33% of reef-building corals, 30% of conifers, 25% of mammals, and 13% of birds. The IUCN Red List has listed 132 species of plants and animals from India as "Critically Endangered".{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3551664.ece?homepage=true|title=Red list has 132 species of plants, animals from India|author=K.S. Sudhi|date=21 June 2012|work=thehindu.com|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624201524/http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3551664.ece?homepage=true|archive-date=24 June 2012|url-status=live}}

{{Conservation status}}

Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups,{{citation |title=Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria |publisher=IUCN |date=March 2017 |version=Version 13 |url=http://cmsdocs.s3.amazonaws.com/RedListGuidelines.pdf |access-date=4 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423191058/http://cmsdocs.s3.amazonaws.com/RedListGuidelines.pdf |archive-date=23 April 2018 |url-status=live }} specified through criteria such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, and degree of population and distribution fragmentation.{{Cite journal |last1=Mace |first1=Georgina M. |last2=Collar |first2=Nigel J. |last3=Gaston |first3=Kevin J. |last4=Hilton-Taylor |first4=Craig |last5=Akçakaya |first5=H. Resit |last6=Leader-Williams |first6=Nigel |last7=Milner-Gulland |first7=E.J. |last8=Stuart |first8=Simon N. |date=December 2008 |title=Quantification of Extinction Risk: IUCN's System for Classifying Threatened Species |journal=Conservation Biology |language=en |volume=22 |issue=6 |pages=1424–1442 |doi=10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01044.x|pmid=18847444 |bibcode=2008ConBi..22.1424M |s2cid=37234648 |doi-access=free }} 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".{{rp|6}}{{cite web|url=https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/RL-2001-001-2nd.pdf|title=IUCN RED LIST CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA Version 3.1 Second edition|publisher=2012 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources|year=2012|access-date=28 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301074755/https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/RL-2001-001-2nd.pdf|archive-date=1 March 2019|url-status=live}}

• 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.
• Critically endangered (CR) – in a particularly and extremely critical state.
• 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.
• Lower Risk (LR) – unlikely to become endangered or extinct in the near future.
• Data Deficient (DD)
• Not Evaluated (NE)

In the IUCN Red List, "threatened" embraces the categories of Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.

The older 1994 list has only a single "Lower Risk" category which contained three subcategories:

• Conservation Dependent (LR/cd)
• Near Threatened (LR/nt)
• Least Concern (LR/lc)

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.

The tag of "possibly extinct" (PE){{Cite journal |url= https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/131321#page/8/mode/1up |last1=Butchart |first1=S. H. M. |last2=Stattersfield |first2=A. J. |last3=Brooks |first3=Thomas M. |date=5 June 2006 |editor-last=Kirwan |editor-first=Guy M. |title=Going or gone: defining 'Possibly Extinct' species to give a truer picture of recent extinctions |journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club |volume=126A |pages=7–24 |via=the Biodiversity Heritage Library}} is used by Birdlife International, the Red List Authority for birds for the IUCN Red List.{{Cite web |url=http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/global_species_programme/red_list.html|title=Birds on the IUCN Red List|publisher=BirdLife International|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014153403/http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/global_species_programme/red_list.html |archive-date=14 October 2013|access-date=26 January 2007}} 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.{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2024 |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Summary Statistics |website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Summary Statistics |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics#:~:text=The%20tags%20'Possibly%20Extinct'%20(,for%20which%20confirmation%20is%20required.|access-date=June 21, 2024}}

File:Sizes of Red List Categories.png

File:Status iucn2.3.svg

There have been a number of versions, dating from 1991, including:{{cite web |title=2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) |url=http://www.iucnredlist.org//static/categories_criteria_3_1#introduction |publisher=IUCN |access-date=27 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627094911/http://www.iucnredlist.org//static/categories_criteria_3_1#introduction |archive-date=27 June 2014 }}{{cite web|title=Historical IUCN Red Data Books and Red Lists |url=http://www.iucnredlist.org//about/publication/historical-red-lists#red_lists |publisher=IUCN |access-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627094911/http://www.iucnredlist.org//about/publication/historical-red-lists#red_lists |archive-date=27 June 2014 }}

• 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.

In 1997, the IUCN Red List received criticism on the grounds of secrecy (or at least poor documentation) surrounding the sources of its data.{{Cite journal|last=Mrosovsky|first=Nicholas |date=October 1997|title=IUCN's credibility critically endangered |journal=Nature|volume=389|issue=6650 |pages=436|bibcode=1997Natur.389..436M|doi=10.1038/38873 |s2cid=4389685|doi-access=free}} 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. The list is also open to petitions against its classifications, on the basis of documentation or criteria.{{Cite web |url=http://www.iucnredlist.org//info/info_sources_quality |title=Information Sources & Quality |work=IUCN Red List |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917154041/http://www.iucnredlist.org/info/info_sources_quality |archive-date=17 September 2008 |access-date=19 September 2008}}

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.{{Cite journal|last1=Possingham|first1=Hugh P.|author-link=Hugh Possingham|last2=Andelman|first2=Sandy J. |last3=Burgman |first3=Mark A.|author-link3=Mark Burgman |last4=Medellı́n |first4=Rodrigo A.|author-link4=Rodrigo Medellín |last5=Master |first5=Larry L.|last6=Keith|first6=David A.|date=November 2002 |title=Limits to the use of threatened species lists|journal=Trends in Ecology & Evolution|volume=17|issue=11|pages=503–507|citeseerx=10.1.1.467.6031|doi=10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02614-9 |bibcode=2002TEcoE..17..503P }}

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.{{cite web |last=Stocks |first=Sam |title=New study claims that the IUCN Red List is inaccurate |website=Discover Wildlife |date=10 November 2016 |url=https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/new-study-claims-that-the-iucn-red-list-is-inaccurate/ |access-date=24 April 2022}}

{{portal|Ecology|Biology|World}}

• CITES
• Conservation status
• Red List Index
• Regional Red List
• Species by IUCN Red List category
• Wildlife conservation

{{reflist|2}}

{{refbegin|30em}}

• Hilton-Taylor, C. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131110214521/http://www.bdnj.org/pdf/IUCNRedListHistory.pdf A history of the IUCN DATA Book and Redlist ].Retrieved 2012–5–11.
• {{cite book|editor1-last=Walter|editor1-first=Kerry S.|editor2-last=Gillett|editor2-first=Harriet J.|title=1997 IUCN red list of threatened plants|date=1998|publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Species Survival Commission|location=Gland, Switzerland|doi=10.5962/bhl.title.44833 |isbn=9782831703282|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/44833#/summary}}
• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140627094911/http://www.iucnredlist.org//about/summary-statistics Summary Statistics]. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
• IUCN. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722073142/http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/categories-and-criteria/1994-categories-criteria 1994 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 2.3]. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
• IUCN. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140627094911/http://www.iucnredlist.org//technical-documents/categories-and-criteria/2001-categories-criteria 2001 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 3.1]. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
• Rodrigues, A. S. L., Pilgrim, J.D., Lamoreux, J.F., Hoffmann, M. & Brooks, T.M. 2006. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060529010825/http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/commons/PDF%20Background%20Documents/Value%20of%20the%20IUCN%20Red%20List%20for%20Conservation.pdf The value of the IUCN Red List for conservation]}} Trends in Ecology & Evolution 21(2): 71–76.
• Sharrock, S. and Jones, M. 2009. [http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Publications/euro_report.pdf 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.

{{refend}}

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{{Commons category|Species by IUCN Red List category}}

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Category:Species described in 1963