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The IUCN Red List (also known as the "Red Data List"), created in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. It is maintained by the IUCN. The most recent update was November 17, 2004. There are currently 15,503 threatened species on the list, of which 7,180 are animals, 8,321 are plants, and two are lichen.
The 2004 release lists 784 extinctions recorded since 1500 CE. This is an increase of 18 from the 766 listed as of 2000. Each year a small number of 'extinct' species are either rediscovered or reclassified as 'data deficient'. In 2002, the extinction list dropped to 759 species, but has been rising ever since.
The list is set upon precise criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies. These criteria are relevant to all species and all regions of the world.
The Red List is established upon strong scientific base, and is often recognised as the most authoritative guide to the status of biological diversity.
The Red List aims at conveying the urgency of conservation issues to the public and policy makers, as well as helping the international community to try to reduce species extinction.
Species are classified in nine groups, set through criterias such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, and degree of population and distribution fragmentation.
- Extinct
- Extinct in the Wild
- Critically Endangered
- Endangered
- Vulnerable
- Near Threatened
- Least Concern
- Data Deficient
- Not Evaluated
The older 1994 criteria had eight categories. The "Lower Risk" category contained three subcategories: Near Threatened, Least Concern, and Conservation Dependent (now merged into Near Threatened).
When discussing the IUCN Red List, the term "threatened" refers to Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.
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