The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Publications

The following publications related to the IUCN Red List have been produced by the IUCN Red List and its Partner organizations.

Red List Assessment Process:

  • IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1 – The current version of the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. This is the main rule-book for assessing the extinction risk of species for inclusion on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  • Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria – Detailed guidance on how to apply the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, including explanations of the terms used in the criteria and advice on applying the criteria to different taxonomic groups. These guidelines are regularly updated and assessors are strongly advised to check they have the current version of the guidelines before embarking on extinction risk assessments.
  • Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Levels – Guidance on how to apply the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria at sub-global levels for use in preparing regional or national Red Lists.

Analyses of the IUCN Red List:

  • 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A Global Species Assessment – Analysis of the data held in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Includes sections discussing extinctions in recent time, causes of threat to species, where on the planet most threatened species occur and why, and examples of conservation actions that have proven effective in rescuing species from the brink of extinction.
  • 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – Analysis of the data held in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Includes a CD-ROM version of the 2000 IUCN Red List.

Analyses of the IUCN Red List:

  • 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A Global Species Assessment – Analysis of the data held in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Includes sections discussing extinctions in recent time, causes of threat to species, where on the planet most threatened species occur and why, and examples of conservation actions that have proven effective in rescuing species from the brink of extinction.
  • 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – Analysis of the data held in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Includes a CD-ROM version of the 2000 IUCN Red List.

Red List Index:

  • Improvements to the Red List Index – paper presenting revisions to the Red List Index (RLI) to overcome some shortcomings previously identified and to improve the overall performance of the RLI making it a more robust indicator for the status of biodiversity.
  • Using Red List Indices to measure progress towards the 2010 target and beyond – Further details on the Red List Index (RLI), outlining the results of applying the RLI to birds and amphibians, with recommendations for further development of the RLI and its potential use for producing baseline data on the rate of biodiversity loss against which progress towards meeting the CBD 2010 target can be judged.
  • Measuring Global Trends in the Status of Biodiversity: Red List Indices for Birds – An introduction to the Red List Index (RLI): a method of using genuine changes in Red List status to determine true status trends for a whole taxonomic group. Here, the RLI methodology is tested using data for birds assessed between 1998 and 2004.

Other Red List Publications:

  • National Threatened Species Listing Based on IUCN Criteria and Regional Guidelines: Current Status and Future Perspectives – An examination of the extent of use of the Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Levels to prepare national threatened species lists and suggestions of improvements for the guidelines.
  • Status and Trends of Amphibian Declines and Extinctions Worldwide – Paper highlighting the findings of analyses of data from the first global assessment of the world's described amphibian species.

Links to Other Web Sites

The following web sites provide further information on some of the species listed on the IUCN Red List, information about organizations working to conserve species and their habitats, and information on conservation projects being carried out around the world. There is a wealth of information on this subject available from the World Wide Web, with new sites being created every week. If you have other suggestions for useful links, please let us know.

Please note that IUCN does not endorse any of these web sites, and does not vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the information presented on them. These are intended simply as a starting point for your own research into a variety of topics concerning species on the IUCN Red List. Please note that web site addresses frequently change, often without any forwarding links provided, so we cannot guarantee that all of the following links will work. We will try to update this list at least once each year.

Mammals:

Birds:

Reptiles & Amphibians:

Fishes:

  • Catalog of Fishes on line - Searchable database for taxonomic information on fish taxa.
  • Desert Fishes Council - Information about fish species in desert aquatic ecosystems.
  • FAO Fish Identification and Data Programme - Information on a variety of fish species.
  • FishBase - Searchable database for information about fish species.
  • FISHONLINE - Online database of the Marine Conservation Society. Gives information on UK seafood sources and catching methods.
  • Forest and Bird - Royal Forest and Bird Society of New Zealand web site – includes a link to their Best Fish Guide (printable version).
  • International Betta Congress (IBC) - Nonprofit, world-wide organization promoting the selective breeding, raising and study of the Genus Betta.
  • IBC Species Maintenance Program - Clearinghouse and resource centre for all existing available information on Betta species, promotes continued research to learn as much as we can about these species and their needs, provides stock cataloguing, breeder networking and offers judging guidance.
  • Living Earth Project - Project designed for the promotion and conservation of the biodiversity of the fish species in danger of extinction (in English, German, and Spanish).
  • Seafood Watch - A program of Monterey Bay Aquarium designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources.
  • Sturgeons in Serbia - Web site developed by the Centre for Mulitdisciplinary Studies of the Belgrade University, providing information about sturgeon species in Serbia (in Serbian and English).
  • One Fish - An online database and directory of fisheries and aquatic research and development information.
  • Project Seahorse - Project dedicated to the conservation and management of seahorses, their relatives and their habitats while respecting human needs.

Invertebrates:

Plants:

Fungi and Algae:

General:

  • EndangeredSpecie.com - Information on endangered species in the US, reasons for their status and ways the public can help improve their situation.
  • Endangered Species Expedition - American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) endangered species expedition.
  • Animals of the Rainforest - An educational web site developed by 6th grade students at Midlakes Middle School in 1999 with the help of their science teacher Ron Kalasinskas. This site is well maintained, with colour images and links to many other sites providing additional information on the animals featured on the site.
  • ARKive - Electronic archive of photographs, moving images and sounds of endangered species and habitats.
  • Australia's threatened species - Information about Australia's threatened species. Includes lists of threatened species.
  • Bagheera - General information page on Endangered and Extinct species.
  • BiologyBrowser - Produced by BIOSIS, this site offers resources for the life sciences information community.
  • Cave Biota - A "webumentary" of cave-dwelling species.
  • Center for Biological Diversity - 2004 report on the extinction rates in the USA since the creation of the Endangered Species Act (1973).
  • Climate Ark - Climate change and renewable energy portal.
  • Committee on Recently Extinct Organisms (CREO) - Mission to foster an improved understanding of species' extinctions that have occurred in recent times.
  • CONABIO - Mexican organization aimed at promoting and developing scientifically-based activities to explore, study, protect or find a sustainable use for biological resources. The intention of these activities is to conserve Mexico's resources and to generate criteria for sustainable development (In Spanish with English translation).
  • Conservation Evidence - This web site gives access to an online peer-reviewed journal (Conservation Evidence) publishing papers documenting the effectiveness of a conservation management intervention.
  • Conservation Online - Resources for Conservation Professionals. A project of the Preservation Department of Stanford University Libraries. A full text library of conservation information, covering a wide spectrum of topics of interest to those involved with the conservation of library, archives and museum materials.
  • Countdown 2010 - Information about progress towards the European Union’s commitment to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 (in English and Russian).
  • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Illegal Imports (UK) - Highlighting health and environmental risks of introduced exotic species and diseases.
  • Earth Trends - the environmental information portal - Online source for environmental and sustainable development information.
  • Eco-Portal - An Information Gateway Empowering the Movement for Environmental Sustainability.
  • EnchantedLearning.com - Educational web site for children. Includes information on animals and habitats.
  • Endangered Species of Hawaii - Information about Hawaiian species and habitat conservation.
  • Endangered Species Link - Useful links to a wide variety of sites focussing on endangered species.
  • Environment Australia education site - Environmental Education page. Advice for consumers on how to help the environment.
  • Envirovet Networking Webumentory - A series of wildlife video films created by wildlife veterinarians, veterinary students and wildlife biologists.
  • EU Nature Conservation Home Page - Information about EU nature conservation policy.
  • European Register of Marine Species - An authoritative taxonomic list of species occurring in the European marine environment.
  • Extinct Megafauna - A look at the prehistoric detrimental effects of humans on the Earth’s large faunal species.
  • Forest Conservation Portal - Rainforest, forest and biodiversity conservation news and information.
  • FlorAnimal - Russian site with plant and animal information (in Russian).
  • GreenFacts- A Belgian non-profit organization aiming to bring complex scientific reports on health and the environment to the reach of non-specialists. This link takes users to their page on biodiversity.
  • IndFauna - Work in progress. A searchable electronic catalogue of known Indian Fauna.
  • InfoNatura - Searchable database for information about birds and mammals of Latin America (Mesoamerica).
  • I Love Parks - Web site updated daily with news about parks around the world. Helping people to connect with parks and to promote the establishment of new parks.
  • Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy - Journal addressing legal and political issues concerning human interrelationship with and management of wildlife species, and their habitats.
  • The Last Noah's Ark - An environmental programme based in Brazil (in Portuguese and English).
  • Mass extinctions - A site listing a wide variety of links to web sites concentrating on extinctions.
  • National Centre for Biotechnology Information - Resource for molecular biology information.
  • French National Sea Experience Centre (NAUSICAÄ) - Aims to raise public awareness about the need for conservation of marine environments (in French and English).
  • Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning - A network of excellence funded by the European Union acting as a platform to integrate and disseminate knowledge and expertise on marine biodiversity.
  • National Geographic - Online version of the National Geographic journal.
  • The Natural History Photographic Agency - Photo library of natural history and environmental images.
  • Overzicht van de Nederlandse biodiversiteit [Overview of the biodiversity of the Netherlands] - The Dutch Species Catalogue, providing a current and comprehensive overview of Dutch Biodiversity (in Dutch).
  • Planet Report.Net - Nature news from around the world.
  • Partner Regions - Information site, including information on environmental and threatened species issues.
  • Natural Selection - A gateway to quality evaluated Internet resources in the natural world, coordinated by The Natural History Museum, London.
  • Proquest Learning Library - Information and learning web site.
  • The Race Against Extinction: Biodiversity and Endangered Species - Information site managed by the Centre for Biological Diversity.
  • Species 2000 - Searchable databases. Indexing the world's known species.
  • Uganda National Wetlands Programme - News on Ugandan wetlands issues.
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species Program - The US FWS Endangered Species Program web site.
  • The Virtual Library of Ecology & Biodiversity - Specializes in reviewing internet information sources pertaining to ecology and biodiversity based on their educational value.
  • WildFinder - A map-driven searchable database of more than 26,000 species world-wide, allowing users to discover where species live or explore wild places to find out what species live there. their educational value.
  • WildNet Africa - Information about African issues and CITES.

Conservation & related organizations:

  • Actionbioscience.org - Site provides articles by scientists, science educators, and science students on issues related to seven biological challenges: environment, biodiversity, human genome, biotechnology, evolution, new frontiers and biology education.
  • African Wildlife Foundation - Working to ensure the conservation of wildlife and wild lands of Africa.
  • Applied Biomathematics - Research and software company specializing in ecological and environmental risk analysis.
  • ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation - Biodiversity Information Sharing Service (BISS), online database for species and protected areas in South East Asia.
  • American Bird Conservancy - Non-profit organization dedicated to protecting birds and their habitats in the Americas.
  • Audubon - National Audubon Society. Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humaity and the earth's biological diversity.
  • BirdLife International - Red List Partner organization. Global organization focussing on conservation of birds and their habitats.
  • Belize Audubon Society - Non-profit, non-governmental, membership organization dedicated to the protection of Belize's natural resources.
  • Conservation International (CI) - Red List Partner organization. Field-based, non-profit organization, working to protect the Earth's biologically richest areas and to help the people who live there improve their quality of life.
  • Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS) at CI - Red List Partner organization. CABS analyzes threats to biodiversity and opportunities for conservation to increase understanding, adopt a proactive stance, and develop long-term solutions.
  • Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History - Provides information on their mission, research, and programs dealing with local and global biodiversity and conservation issues.
  • Defenders of Wildlife - Organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.
  • The Worldwide Portal Earth & Universe - All the world in one web site! An educational information portal providing links to informative sites about life on Earth and the structure of the world (in English and Russian).
  • Endangered Species International - Organization implementing conservation science in field projects around the world and linking research and results to local, national and global policy.
  • Endangered Species Recovery Program - A cooperative research programme on biodiversity conservation in central California, administered by California State University, Stanislaus Foundation.
  • Environment Australia - Australia's Department of the Environment and Heritage.
  • Environmental Protection Agency - Allows US citizens to obtain up-to-date, comprehensive, accurate information about their communities.
  • Falklands Conservation - Organisation based in Stanley, Falkland Islands, and London, England, dedicated to protecting the unique wildlife of the Falkland Islands and the South Atlantic.
  • The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) - The Federal scientific agency for national and international nature conservation and landscape management in Germany (in German and English).
  • Fauna and Flora International (FFI) - The world’s longest established international conservation body.
  • The GLOBE Programme - Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment.
  • Humboldt Institute - The Alexander von Humboldt Biological resources Institute promotes, co-ordinates and carries out research that contributes to the sustainable use of biodiversity in Colombia.
  • The World Fish Centre - International scientific research organization working towards reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture, while conserving aquatic biodiversity.
  • International Fund for Animal Welfare - Working to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world.
  • IUCN - The World Conservation Union - Founded in 1948, The World Conservation Union brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organizations in a unique world partnership: over 980 members in all, spread across some 140 countries.
  • IUCN Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC) - The largest of the six Commissions of IUCN - The World Conservation Union. It serves as the main source of advice to the Union and its members on the technical aspects of species conservation. SSC seeks to mobilise action by the world conservation community for species conservation, particularly those species threatened with extinction and those of importance for human welfare.
  • Japan Committee of IUCN - Japanese site explaining the work of IUCN. Includes a Red List users enquiry page (in Japanese)
  • Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - UK Government's wildlife adviser. Involves English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales and includes national status information for UK species.
  • The Linnean Society of London - This society plays a central role in documenting the world’s flora and fauna.
  • National Wildlife Federation - A member-supported conservation group.
  • Natural History Museum, London - Measuring biodiversity, rarity and conservation priority and selecting priority areas for conservation.
  • Nature Conservation Society of Japan - The mission of NACS-J is to insure the conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity.
  • NatureServe - Red List Partner organization. Site includes a searchable database for general information about species in the United States and Canada.
  • The Ocean Conservancy - Formerly the Centre for Marine Conservation (CMC), this is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the world's ocean life and their habitats.
  • Planta Europa - Network of independent organizations, non-governmental and governmental, working together to conserve European wild plants and fungi.
  • Predator Conservation Alliance - Working to conserve and restore America's ecosystem integrity by protecting predators and their habitats.
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
  • Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) - Organization dedicated to the conservation nof the wildlife of the Sahara and its bordering Sahelian grasslands.
  • Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) - An interdisciplinary body of natural and social science expertise focused on global environmental issues.
  • Society for Conservation Biology - International professional organization promoting scientific study of biological diversity.
  • Swedish Species Information Centre - Focal point for information on threatened species and biodiversity in Sweden (in Swedish and English).
  • The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - The world's largest private international conservation group.
  • TRAFFIC - Joint wildlife trade monitoring programme of WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature and IUCN-The World Conservation Union.
  • Tropical Sierra Foundation (TSF) - Foundation dedicated to replenishing nature through educational programmes and reforestation of tropical regions.
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) - Provides information for policy and action to conserve the living world.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Wetlands International - Non-profit organization dedicated solely to wetland conservation and sustainable management.
  • The Wilderness Society
  • Wildlife Conservation Society - Environmental education organization.
  • WWF International - Independent organizations dedicated to the conservation of nature.

International Conventions:

  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - The Convention on Biological Diversity's objectives are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - International agreement between governments aiming to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Web site includes searchable databases.
  • The RAMSAR Convention on wetlands - An intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
  • Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - This intergovernmental treat (also known as the Bonn Convention) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. A closely related site is the:
  • Global Register for Migratory Species (GROMS) - This provides a searchable database and interactive maps.
  • African-Eurasian Migratory (Water Bird) Agreement (AEWA) - AEWA is the largest agreement developed so far under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), came into force on 1 November 1999.
  • World Heritage Convention - UNESCO's World Heritage seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in the Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (i.e., the World Heritage Convention).

IUCN/SSC Specialist Groups:

National/Regional Red Lists & Red Data Books: