IUCN Red List

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, was founded in 1964. It is an important inventory that shows the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological species. This helps people understand which animals and plants are in danger of disappearing.

The goals of the Red List are to give scientifically based information about species, to show how much biodiversity is threatened, and to influence policies and decisions that help protect nature. It also provides information to guide actions that can conserve biological diversity.

Many important organizations help assess the species on the Red List, including BirdLife International, the Institute of Zoology (the research division of the Zoological Society of London), the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, and many Specialist Groups within the IUCN Species Survival Commission. Together, they have assessed nearly half of the species listed.

The IUCN tries to re-evaluate every species at least every ten years, sometimes every five years. This is done through a peer reviewed process by experts who are responsible for certain species or areas. As of 2023, out of 150,388 species surveyed, 42,108 are at risk of extinction because of human activities like overfishing, hunting, and land development.

History

The IUCN Red List started in 1964 to help protect animals and plants that are in danger. At first, it was made for scientists and was easy to update. The first lists came out in 1966 for mammals and birds, followed by others for reptiles, amphibians, and plants.

Over the years, the Red List grew. In 2006, it included over 40,000 species. By 2007, it showed that many animals, like gorillas and orangutans, were in even greater danger. Each year, the Red List helps guide how people can work together to save threatened species around the world.

Main article: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Categories

The IUCN Red List sorts species into nine groups based on how close they are to disappearing. These groups help scientists and governments understand which animals and plants need help to survive. The groups include categories like Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient, and Not Evaluated.

Earlier versions of the Red List had fewer categories, but the current system helps clearly show which species are at the greatest risk. Some birds may be labeled as "possibly extinct" when there isn’t enough evidence to confirm they’re completely gone.

Versions

The IUCN Red List has gone through several versions since 1991. These versions include:

• 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)

Since 2001, all new assessments have used version 3.1 of the categories and criteria.

Criticism

The IUCN Red List has faced some criticism over the years. In 1997, people said the sources of its data were kept too secret or poorly documented. Because of this, the IUCN worked to improve how it shares information and to check its data more carefully. Anyone can also challenge the classifications if they think more information should be considered.

Later, in 2016, a study in Science Advances pointed out problems with how species are grouped on the list. The researchers said the methods used by the IUCN need updating and that using more data, like pictures from satellites, could help make the list even better. They believe this could mean some animals need to be listed as more at risk than they currently are.