3.2.4—IUCN Red List
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 3.2.4
- Level
- HL
Read Red List Status as an Extinction-Risk Judgment
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) publishes the Red List, which combines population trend, abundance, geographic range, breeding potential and known threats to judge global extinction risk.
Categories run from Least Concern (LC) through increasing levels of threat to Extinct in the Wild (EW) and Extinct (EX). Small or declining populations, narrow or fragmented ranges and low breeding potential raise vulnerability; Data Deficient means evidence is insufficient, not that risk is low.
A widespread species with stable numbers may be lower risk than a rapidly declining species with a small range, even if the latter is locally common.
Uncertainty about risk; prioritize better evidence rather than assuming safety.
A Red List category is a global risk assessment, not a direct prescription for one local action.