Following the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of nine endangered animal groups. They are:
1. Extinction (EX) — An extinct species no longer exists. After extensive research, scientists worldwide agree that no individuals of that species remain on Earth. Interestingly, 99% of all species that have appeared on Earth in the last 5 billion years have gone extinct. Read more and see the list of extinct species.
2. Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Species that survive only in captivity, cultivation, or outside their native range are considered “Extinct in the Wild.” For example, if a rare bird species has only 10 individuals remaining, and they all live in a zoo or a nature reserve, the IUCN would classify the species as Extinct in the Wild. Read more and see the list of extinct species in the Wild here.
3. Critically Endangered (CR) — Critically endangered species are on the verge of extinction or extinction in the wild, but have not yet met the criteria for either category. See the list of critically endangered species here.
4. Endangered (EN) — Endangered species are at very high risk of extinction or extinction in the wild. For an animal to be added to this category, it must meet specific criteria regarding population or habitat decline, which you can read about on our list of endangered species.
5. Vulnerable (VU) — Vulnerable species meet at least one of the five criteria on the Red List. They are considered to be at high risk of human extinction without intervention from conservationists. For the IUCN to add a taxonomic unit to the Vulnerable list, it must meet specific criteria relating to population or habitat decline. Read more about our list of vulnerable species here.
6. Near Threatened (NT) — A species is considered "Near Threatened" when it does not meet the criteria for "Critically Endangered," "Endangered," or "Vulnerable," but scientists believe that the species will reach one of these levels in the near future. Please see our list of Near Threatened species here.
7. Least Concern (LC) — Species in the Least Concern category are not currently facing any population or habitat decline. Please see the list of Least Concern species.
8. Insufficient Data (DD) — Species with insufficient data lack sufficient information to be correctly classified into one of the groups listed above. Please refer to the list of species with insufficient data.
9. Not evaluated (NE) — This species has not yet been assessed by the IUCN. See the list of unevaluated species.
What is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an organization that monitors the state of conservation of the world's flora and fauna and other ecological indicators. Its mission is to promote the sustainable use of the Earth's resources. Founded in Fontainebleau, France in 1948, the IUCN is the oldest global environmental advocacy organization. Today, the umbrella organization is headquartered in Grange, Switzerland, and works with more than 1,000 small nonprofit organizations, associations, and governments representing 140 countries.
How many species are there on Earth?
The IUCN monitors the world's species, which raises the question: how many species are there on Earth today? In 2016, researchers claimed they collectively believed there were over one trillion species on Earth. However, scientists have only observed and described about one-thousandth of them, or seventy to ten million. The typical lifespan of a species is ten million years. However, some have existed for hundreds of millions of years. For example, jellyfish have lived on Earth for nearly 550 million years!
What is a taxonomic unit?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) frequently uses the term "taxonomic unit." So what is it? A taxonomic unit is a group or number of species or organisms that form a single entity.
What is the Red List?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is perhaps best known for creating the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which meticulously documents the world's most vulnerable and endangered species. This list, which began in 1964, details the taxa of endangered plants and animals, categorized into several groups.
How many animals are currently on the verge of extinction?
You might be wondering: How many animals were endangered in 2020, or which animals were endangered? For the latest version of the list, IUCN researchers and scientists assessed 63,837 species. Of these, 19,817 were endangered; 3,947 were critically endangered; 5,766 were listed as endangered; and over 10,000 were listed as vulnerable.
What is the Endangered Species Act?
The Endangered Species Act, passed in 1973, is a U.S. federal law designed to protect threatened and endangered species that are at risk due to the consequences of economic growth and development that have not received adequate attention and protection. The Act aims to prevent species extinction and restore species to a state where they no longer require protection.
