IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Access: Publicly available resource
Description: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on taxa that have been evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. This system is designed to determine the relative risk of extinction, and the main purpose of the IUCN Red List is to catalogue and highlight those taxa that are facing a higher risk of global extinction (i.e. those listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable). The IUCN Red List also includes information on taxa that are categorized as Extinct or Extinct in the Wild; on taxa that cannot be evaluated because of insufficient information (i.e. are Data Deficient); and on taxa that are either close to meeting the threatened thresholds or that would be threatened were it not for an ongoing taxon-specific conservation programme (i.e. Near Threatened). The list of threatened taxa is maintained in a searchable database by the SSC Red List Programme as part of the SSC's Species Information Service (SIS).
Please note that the data set does not include any species listed as Least Concern (i.e. common and not threatened species) nor any which have not yet been assessed (i.e. Not Evaluated). The only taxonomic groups, which have been comprehensively assessed, are the birds and mammals. The vast majority of plant taxa listed in the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants have not yet been evaluated against the revised Red List Criteria and are therefore not included here. To find out the conservation status of plants, users must search both this database and the UNEP-WCMC Threatened Plants database.
Coverage: Various Dates
Subject(s):
Biology, Genetics & Life Sciences
Environmental Studies
Publicly Available Resources
Related Databases
Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management
Web of Science
Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide
Related Links
Animal Info - Information on Endangered Mammals
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Other Related Links:
Online Bird Guide (Cornell University)
