Understanding the IUCN Conservation Red List |
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List), created in 1963 and updated in 2007, is declared on wikipedia the "world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species". I'm not sure such a claim can be proven, but for now WhatBird is adopting The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as the world's main authority on the conservation status of species. The list is global and in high standing.
The Red List system uses 7 "status" conditions for a species, ranging from least concern to extinct. The states are represented on the WhatBird species pages as a graphic defined below.
The ICUN web site is designed for fairly strong academics. A good overview of what the list means can be found at BirdLife International.
You can search on Whatbird using any of the status attbiutes at this location Search by Conservation. |
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| Least Concerned |
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| The code LC refers to the fact that the species is not losing ground as quickly as birds that are threatened. |
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| Near Threatened |
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| The code NT refers to the fact that the species is near threatened. |
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| Vulnerable |
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| The code VU means the species is vulnerable to becoming endangered. This and the next two states are all considered "threatened". |
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| Endangered |
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| The code EN refers to the fact that the species is truely endangered, we have the possibility of losing it forever as a distinct species. |
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| Critically Endangered |
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| The code CR means critically endangered, just a few steps away from extinction. |
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| Extinct in the Wild |
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| The code EW means extinct in the wild. The only kind of this species are found in zoos, labs and as caged pets. |
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| Extinct |
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| The code EX means extinct. Its the end of the entire species. Its DNA may be stored away at -80 degrees Celsius, but there are no living examples of the species left on earth. |
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