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 started in 1964. It is a list that shows how at risk different animals and plants are of disappearing.

The goals of the Red List are to give clear information about species, to show how many kinds of life are in danger, and to help make decisions that protect nature. It also gives advice on how to save different kinds of life.

Many groups help check the species on the Red List, including BirdLife International, the Institute of Zoology (the research part of the Zoological Society of London), the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, and many groups within the IUCN Species Survival Commission. Together, they have looked at almost half of the species listed.

The IUCN checks each species at least every ten years, sometimes every five years. This is done by experts who study certain species or areas. Many species are at risk because of things people do, such as 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 puts animals and plants into nine groups. These groups show how close a species is to disappearing. They help scientists and governments know which ones need help to stay alive.

The groups are: Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient, and Not Evaluated.

Older versions of the Red List had fewer groups. The current system makes it easier to see which species are in the most danger. Sometimes birds are called "possibly extinct" if there isn’t enough proof that they are completely gone.

Versions

The IUCN Red List has had many versions since 1991. Some of these versions are:

• 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 checks have used version 3.1 of the rules.

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.