Least-concern species

A least-concern species is a species that has been studied and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It does not need special protection because it is still common in the wild and not in danger of disappearing soon. Such species are not considered threatened, near threatened, or (before 2001) conservation dependent.

For a species to be called "Least Concern," scientists must have looked at its numbers and where it lives. They need enough information to decide if the species could die out in the future. This helps us know which animals and plants are safe and which ones need help to survive.

Evaluation

Since 2001, species that are not in danger are called "LC". Before this, they were called "Lower Risk" with a different code. About 20% of these species still use the old code because they have not been checked again since 2000.

Number of species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists many species as "least concern." This means they are safe and do not need special help. In 2006, there were 15,636 species in this group. This includes animals, plants, and some other types. No fungi or protista are in this group. In 2008, humans were also listed as a species of least concern.

List of LC species

Further information: Category:IUCN Red List least concern species

This section lists animals and plants that are considered to be of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These animals and plants are still plentiful in the wild and do not need special protection right now. They have been checked and are not in danger of disappearing.