IUCN Red list of Threatened Species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. It is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity and a powerful tool for informing and catalyzing action for biodiversity conservation and policy change.

The IUCN Red List was first conceived in 1964 and has since evolved to become the most widely recognized global approach for evaluating the conservation status of species. It provides taxonomic, conservation status, and distribution information on plants, fungi, and animals that have been globally evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Objectives

The primary objective of the IUCN Red List is to provide a global context for the conservation status of species. It aims to:

• Identify and document species most in need of conservation attention
• Provide a global index of the state of change of biodiversity
• Influence national and international policy and decision-making
• Inform conservation planning and priority setting
• Raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation

Categories and Criteria

The IUCN Red List uses a set of quantitative criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of species. These criteria are based on population size, rate of decline, geographic distribution, and other factors. Species are classified into nine categories based on their risk of extinction:

• Extinct (EX): No known individuals remaining
• Extinct in the Wild (EW): Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range
• Critically Endangered (CR): Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
• Endangered (EN): High risk of extinction in the wild
• Vulnerable (VU): High risk of endangerment in the wild
• Near Threatened (NT): Likely to become endangered in the near future
• Least Concern (LC): Lowest risk; does not qualify for a higher risk category
• Data Deficient (DD): Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction
• Not Evaluated (NE): Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria

Assessment Process

The IUCN Red List assessment process is rigorous, transparent, and science-based. It involves the following steps:

• Species selection: Species are selected for assessment based on their taxonomic grouping, geographic location, or other factors.
• Data collection: Experts collect and analyze data on the species’ population size, distribution, habitat, threats, and conservation measures.
• Assessment: The data is used to evaluate the species against the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
• Review: The assessment is peer-reviewed by other experts to ensure consistency and accuracy.
• Publication: The assessment is published on the IUCN Red List website and in other formats.

The IUCN Red List is updated regularly, with new assessments added and existing assessments revised as new information becomes available.

Current Status

As of 2021, the IUCN Red List included assessments for 138,374 species, of which 38,543 were threatened with extinction (i.e., classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable). This included:

• 41% of amphibians
• 34% of conifers
• 33% of reef-building corals
• 26% of mammals
• 14% of birds

However, these figures are likely to be underestimates, as many species have not yet been assessed or have insufficient data to determine their conservation status.

Limitations and Challenges

Despite its many strengths, the IUCN Red List has some limitations and challenges. These include:

1. Data gaps: Many species have not yet been assessed or have insufficient data to determine their conservation status, particularly in developing countries and for less well-known taxonomic groups.
2. Taxonomic bias: Some taxonomic groups, such as mammals and birds, are better studied and represented on the Red List than others, such as invertebrates and fungi.
3. Scale: The IUCN Red List assesses species at a global scale, which may not reflect local or regional variations in their conservation status.
4. Resources: Conducting Red List assessments requires significant time, expertise, and financial resources, which can be a challenge for many countries and organizations.
5. Political and economic pressures: Conservation decisions based on the Red List may be influenced by political and economic factors, such as competing land use interests or the economic value of species.

Indian Context

India is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, with over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals. However, many of these species are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, climate change, and other factors.

According to the IUCN Red List, India has 1,174 threatened species, including:

• 57 mammals
• 69 birds
• 36 reptiles
• 86 amphibians
• 253 fish
• 673 plants

Some of the most critically endangered species in India include the Gharial, the Great Indian Bustard, the Kashmir Stag, the Pygmy Hog, and the Namdapha Flying Squirrel.