IUCN Red List – Geography Notes PDF in English & Hindi for all Competitive Exams
IUCN Red List: The IUCN Red List is a critical resource for tracking the status of global biodiversity and informing conservation action. It helps in identifying species that are in need of protection and in measuring the effectiveness of conservation measures. The Red List also contributes to our understanding of the health of ecosystems and the impact of human activities on the natural world.
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List), founded in 1964, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species (Animal, fungus and plant species). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, often referred to simply as the IUCN Red List, is a comprehensive database and assessment tool that provides information on the conservation status of various species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. The Red List is widely recognized and respected by scientists, conservationists, policymakers, and governments as a crucial resource for assessing the extinction risk and conservation needs of species worldwide.
Key features and components of the IUCN Red List include:
- Assessment Categories: The Red List classifies species into several categories based on their conservation status. These categories are as follows:
- Least Concern (LC): Species that are not currently at high risk of extinction.
- Near Threatened (NT): Species that are close to qualifying for a threatened category but do not yet meet the criteria.
- Vulnerable (VU): Species that are at high risk of becoming endangered unless conservation efforts are implemented.
- Endangered (EN): Species that are at a very high risk of extinction in the near future if threats continue.
- Critically Endangered (CR): Species that face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
- Extinct in the Wild (EW): Species that no longer exist in their natural habitats but may survive in captivity.
- Extinct (EX): Species that are believed to be extinct, with no known surviving individuals.
- Data Deficient (DD): Species for which there is insufficient information to assess their conservation status.
- Criteria for Assessment: The Red List uses specific criteria to evaluate the risk of extinction, including population size, trends, distribution, and threats to each species.
- Extensive Database: The IUCN Red List maintains a vast database of species assessments, which are continually updated as new data become available.
- Publication and Online Database: The Red List publishes regular reports and maintains an online database that is accessible to the public and conservation organizations.
- Role in Conservation: The Red List is a valuable tool for conservation efforts by helping to prioritize and focus resources on the most endangered species and habitats. It also raises awareness about the state of the world’s biodiversity.
- IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: The Red List Categories and Criteria provide a standardized framework for assessing species. These criteria include considerations like population reduction, geographic range size, and rate of population decline.
IUCN Red List Users
The IUCN Red List provides accurate data on the status of different species on the Earth. This information is used by various departments, institutes, and organizations.
The users of the IUCN Red List are given below:
- Government agencies (National & International)
- Wildlife organizations and departments
- Conservation-related NGOs
- Natural resource planners
- Educational organizations
- Zoos and aquariums
- Media
- Business communities
Categories in the IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List categories, from least concern to the most critical, are as follows:
- Least Concern (LC): Species in this category are not currently at high risk of extinction. They have stable populations and are not facing significant threats.
- Near Threatened (NT): Species in this category are close to qualifying for a threatened category but do not yet meet the criteria for being labeled as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. They may be at risk of becoming threatened in the near future.
- Vulnerable (VU): Vulnerable species are at high risk of becoming endangered unless conservation efforts are implemented. They face specific threats or have experienced significant population declines.
- Endangered (EN): Endangered species are at a very high risk of extinction in the wild. They have experienced significant population declines, and their survival is in jeopardy if threats continue.
- Critically Endangered (CR): Critically Endangered species are at an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Immediate and intensive conservation actions are required to prevent their extinction.
- Extinct in the Wild (EW): Species in this category no longer exist in their natural habitats but may survive in captivity. They are considered extinct in their native range.
- Extinct (EX): Species that are believed to be extinct with no known surviving individuals. They no longer exist in the wild or in captivity.
- Data Deficient (DD): Species for which there is insufficient information to assess their conservation status. More research and data are needed to make an accurate assessment.
Latest Updates about IUCN Red List
- African Elephants species has African Forest Elephant and African Savannah Elephant. IUCN has recently updated the status of both the elephants in the IUCN Red List.
- African Forest Elephant – Critically Endangered
- African Savannah Elephant – Endangered
- Note – Earlier, these two elephants were treated as a single species and were listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.
- The IUCN Red List now includes 134,425 species of which 37,480 are threatened with extinction.
Download IUCN Red List Notes PDF in Hindi
Download IUCN Red List Notes PDF in English
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