Archived News

How can we save biodiversity if we don’t know the threats facing our species and what the priorities are? The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is going from strength to strength in providing the world with the information needed to guide conservation action from the local to global level. Far more than a list of species and their status, the Red List is a powerful tool providing information on population size and trends, geographic range and habitat needs of species. Through the Red List we can find out if a species is being over-hunted,... more

Two female western gray whales, Agent and Varvara, left the coast of Russia late last year and are now half-way across the Gulf of Alaska. For the second consecutive year, an international team of scientists successfully tagged endangered whales off Sakhalin Island and the team is now tracking the animals via satellite. The western gray whale population is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM. The estimated population size in 2010 was about 136 whales, including only around 30 mature females. Little is... more

The wildlife of Southeast Asia is beautiful and mysterious but under threat. To help raise awareness and conservation funds for selected threatened animals in Southeast Asia, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) have teamed up to launch a new campaign. The EAZA-IUCN SSC Southeast Asia campaign was initiated by EAZA in response to findings from IUCN that large animals (over 1kg) in Southeast Asia are at particular risk of decline and... more

The mysterious life of the Pygmy Hippo in the jungle of West Africa is being uncovered in an SOS-funded conservation project to save the species from extinction. Pygmy Hippos are so secretive that their very existence was regarded as a myth by western zoologists until the mid-1800s. Fewer than 3,000 are believed to survive today, scattered across the forests of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte D’Ivoire and Guinea. Numbers have declined through habitat loss and hunting. A forest legend

Unlike its gregarious larger... more

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer may be famous for guiding Santa Claus through the night sky, but reindeer do more than just pull toy-laden sleighs—reindeer are an important food source and serve many ecological functions, yet are also in need of stronger conservation strategies, according to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Reindeer, also known as Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in North America, are members of the deer family and are the only deer species of which both males and females possess antlers. One of the... more

The first ever IUCN mobile application developed together with Nokia is now available for consumer use, ready to download from the Nokia Store. The free-for-download app is the result of a partnership between Nokia and SOS (Save Our Species), a global species conservation fund to protect threatened species and their habitats. The app, “Fantastic World of Frogs,” is an image gallery of... more

If conservation action is not taken, there may come a time when no one will be able to find Nemo. One in every six species related to characters in the movie Finding Nemo is threatened by extinction, according to a new study by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Simon Fraser University. A team of marine scientists have analyzed the extinction risk and reviewed successful conservation programmes for Nemo, the charismatic clownfish, as well as more than 1,500 other species related to characters in the 2003 Disney/Pixar animated... more

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website has a brand new feature designed to facilitate the  exploration and visualization of species distribution ranges. This new ‘map browser’ allows Red List users to understand species’ distribution with the help of underlying imagery, both terrestrial and marine. Over 30,000 species maps can be explored in the browser, including all comprehensively assessed groups (such as amphibians, mammals, birds... more

Conservation leading organisations join forces to improve field research on key marine habitats and species in the Mediterranean. On 19 May 2011 in Marseille (France), the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), the French Agency of Marine Protected Areas and the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) have signed an agreement to bring together their scientific and technical knowledge, but also to put together the... more

On-the-ground efforts to save the tiger have been given a major boost from SOS (Save Our Species) — a global conservation fund implemented by IUCN, the World Bank and GEF (Global Environment Facility) — the project will improve enforcement effectiveness in protecting and recovering tiger breeding populations and therefore addressing the biggest... more

“I am proud to support the development of the European Red List of Species. Excellent work!” With these words EU Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potočnik addressed a red crowd gathered for the launch of the European Red List on 21 November at the Berlaymont building in Brussels. To show their commitment to biodiversity participants were asked to wear something red. The situation which many European species face today calls for more action to protect and conserve our precious natural heritage – so fundamental for our own survival and... more

Europe's natural heritage is showing an alarming decline, according to new research published today. The European Red List, a part of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, assessed a considerable portion of Europe’s native fauna and flora, finding that a large proportion of molluscs, freshwater fish and vascular plants now fall into a threatened category. The assessment of some 6,000 species reveals that 44% of all freshwater molluscs, 37% of freshwater fish, 23% of amphibians, 20% of a selection of terrestrial molluscs, 19% of reptiles, 15% of mammals and of... more

UK wildlife charity and IUCN Red List Partner, Wildscreen, has released a new threatened species gaming app to inspire the conservationists of tomorrow. Designed to to spark children's curiosity for the natural world and raise awareness amongst young people about the world’s most threatened animals, ‘Survival’ is packed full of stunning wildlife imagery and fascinating facts about the threatened species. Did you know, for example, that the blue whale has a heart the size of car? Or that polar bear skin is actually black? These and other intriguing facts... more

Acclaimed by the US Apple Store as ‘New and Noteworthy’, the new Species on the Edge app is a detailed guide to 365 species from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Featuring stunning photos and thought-provoking information it allows users to learn about threatened species from around the world. Inspired by the IUCN Red List Species of the Day initiative and the Species on the Edge book, this app features 365 profiles of plants, animals and fungi from the IUCN Red List. Each profile has a description of the species... more

The latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ illustrates the efforts undertaken by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and its partners to expand the number and diversity of species assessed, improving the quality of information in order to obtain a better picture of the state of biodiversity. With now more than 61,900 species reviewed, another big step forward has been made toward developing the IUCN Red List into a true ‘Barometer of Life,’ as called for by leading experts in the magazine Science in... more

Nocturnal, furry and known for their spooky reputation around Halloween, bats are not only the mysterious mammals that haunt the dark; they are also an important part of nature and in need of greater protection. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, 20% of bats are threatened.
“Bats are disappearing at an alarming rate, due largely in part to ignorance and a misunderstanding of the benefits they provide,” says Paul A. Racey, Co-Chair IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group. “We need to build capacity for bat conservation and we must... more

A study by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) predicts a dramatic reduction in polar bear habitats over the next 10 to 50 years, due largely to global warming. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assesses Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) as Vulnerable, with trends that suggest the population is decreasing. Polar Bears rely almost entirely on the marine sea ice environment for their survival, so much so that large scale changes in their habitat will have a devastating impact on the population. “Now is the... more

Six of Ireland’s 15 native fish species (40%) and one of its three amphibians (33%) have been classified as Threatened on the recently published Red List of Irish Amphibians, Reptiles and Freshwater Fish. The Irish Red List was compiled by scientists from organisations across the island, including Inland Fisheries Ireland, the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre. It provides a comprehensive assessment of Ireland’s native amphibians, reptiles and freshwater fish,... more

During a meeting held recently at the United Nations in New York, IUCN and The Nature Conservancy provided information on policy recommendations on how to improve the management of deep-sea fisheries and ecosystems. The recommendations were developed following a workshop jointly organized by TNC and IUCN. Whilst acknowledging that considerable progress has been made by States and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) on deep sea fisheries management, including areas closures and the creation of new regional management structures, full... more

There’s a growing realisation that successful conservation comes from involving the people who live with and depend on nature. In northern Kenya, IUCN and partners are helping to secure a future for the endangered Grevy’s zebra and the people who share a land with this iconic species. Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest of the three zebra species—distinguished from the more common plains zebra by its large size, narrow stripes and huge fuzzy ears. Once occurring across large tracts of thmore

Top sea turtle experts from around the globe have discovered that almost half (45%) of the world’s threatened sea turtle populations are found in the northern Indian Ocean. The study also determined that the most significant threats across all of the threatened populations of sea turtles are fisheries bycatch, accidental catches of sea turtles by fishermen targeting other species, and the direct harvest of turtles or their eggs for food or turtle shell material for commercial use. The recent report, produced by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of... more

Freshwater species in the Western Ghats, India, are being sacrificed as collateral damage in the race for rapid economic development. For the first time, comprehensive data are available on the conservation status and distribution of all freshwater fishes, molluscs, dragonflies, damselflies and aquatic plants across peninsular India. Water pollution from agricultural and urban sources, overharvesting and invasive species are the major threats that have led to 16% of freshwater species in the region for which we have sufficient data being classified as threatened with extinction on The... more

A new book, Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises is released, calling for accelerated efforts to conserve marine mammals by protecting a greater area of the ocean. Currently only 1.3% of the ocean is protected but many new Marine Protected Areas are being created. Erich Hoyt, the book’s author and IUCN’s cetacean specialist, examines current and future developments in ocean protection. “At least 300,000 whales and dolphins a year end up dead in fishing nets alone, as so-called by-catch,” says Erich Hoyt, author,... more

Why is the Javan Rhino one of the world’s most threatened large mammals? What efforts are underway to help conserve the 47 remaining Floreana Mockingbirds of Ecuador? Why is there a dramatic decline in the Globosa Mangrove? You can find answers to these and many more questions in a unique anthology, Species on the Edge of Survival, published by Collins.

The book, inspired by IUCN’s Species of the Day initiative, features a selection of 365 plants, animals and fungi listed on... more

A unique international project partnership involving IUCN Member organizations, the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, The Nature Conservancy and the US Fish & Wildlife Service is helping to restore a series of islands and seabird habitats in the Pacific by removing alien invasive rats which have wreaked havoc on native biodiversity. Introduced rats prey on seabird eggs and chicks causing severe declines in bird populations. They also compete with native species for food and degrade ecosystems by eating the seeds of native plants. The Research vessel... more

A recent study conducted for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ has determined that 20% of hagfish species are at an elevated risk of extinction*. Scientists warn that this figure could be much higher. The results of this research, carried out in association with Conservation International (CI), indicate that the primary causes of hagfish declines are the direct and indirect effects of fisheries. Hagfish represent an ancient and unique evolutionary lineage; as bottom feeders they play an important role by cleaning the ocean floor and recycling... more

A flurry of articles in influential scientific journals in recent months has questioned the urgency to address the growing threat to biodiversity from invasive species. The assertion is that the concern with invasive species derives from an unreasonable desire to maintain pristine ecosystems and exclude all alien species. Such criticism is, in fact, unfounded. Conservationists recognize that ecosystems are dynamic, that alien species enter and are introduced into natural communities, and that modified (and even degraded) ecosystems have conservation value. In... more

For the first time, all species of scombrids (tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels) and billfishes (swordfish and marlins) have been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Of the 61 known species, seven are classified in a threatened category, being at serious risk of extinction. Four species are listed as Near Threatened and nearly two-thirds have been placed in the Least Concern category.more

The first SOS Call for Proposals is now open, accepting Threatened Species and Rapid Action Grants. Deadline for applications is August 12, 2011.  SOS (Save Our Species) is a global coalition initiated by the 3 founding partners IUCN, GEF and World Bank to build the biggest species conservation fund, supporting on-the-ground field conservation projects all over the world. Grants will be allocated according to strategic directions identified in consultation with IUCN`s Species Program and... more

The regal Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx), which was hunted to near extinction, is now facing a more secure future according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Its wild population now stands at 1,000 individuals. 

“To have brought the Arabian Oryx back from the brink of extinction is a major feat and a true conservation success story, one which we hope will be repeated many times over for other threatened species,” says Ms Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Director General of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi.... more

The words ‘invasive aliens’ tend to conjure up images of little green men flying in from outer space and waging war against Earth. Granted, if this were to occur it would be a rather frightening experience, but the fact is we have a far more serious and immediate issue to tackle: the invasive aliens that are already here. Biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, with a whole host of factors contributing to the disastrous declines. Habitat destruction is well-documented as being one of the leading causes of species extinctions, but invasive... more

Africa is being given a unique opportunity to conserve its tremendous diversity of freshwater species – a critical resource for many of Africa’s poorest people. African countries can now decide to use their water resources sustainably, and avoid paying millions of dollars, as is the case in Europe, to rectify poorly planned wetland development. Decision makers across Africa are now able to benefit from an online interactive map, released by IUCN, for each of the 7,079 river and lake sub-catchments across mainland Africa that reveals information on the... more

One of the world’s largest species of bird is on the brink of extinction according to the 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for birds, just released by BirdLife International, an IUCN Red List partner.  The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) has been uplisted to Critically Endangered, the highest level of threat. Hunting, disturbance, habitat loss and fragmentation have all conspired to reduce this magnificent species to perhaps as few as 250 individuals. Standing a metre in height and weighing in at nearly 15 kg, the Great Indian... more

An international conservation project has brought together botanists and scientists from the Middle East and North Africa - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria and Tunisia - in an unprecedented bid to secure the future of the region’s wildlife. A new report published today by IUCN, Plantlife and WWF - Important Plant Areas of the south and east Mediterranean region: Priority sites for conservation - shows that there are more than 200 internationally significant areas for wild plants in the... more

Washington, D.C. — A unique and mysterious guinea-pig-sized rodent, not seen since 1898 despite several organized searches, bizarrely showed up at the front door of an ecolodge at a nature reserve in Colombia, South America. The magnificent red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis), stayed for almost two hours while two research volunteers took the first photos ever of a creature the world thought would never be seen again. more

Conservation leading organisations join forces to improve field research on key marine habitats and species in the Mediterranean. On 19 May 2011 in Marseille (France), the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), the French Agency of Marine Protected Areas and the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) have signed an agreement to bring together their scientific and technical knowledge, but also to put together the... more

Momentum is gathering behind the case for a Red List of Ecosystems which, modeled on the influential IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is hoped will generate better environmental management. Experts gathered at the Smithsonian Institution recently to develop the scientific basis for the initiative. Examples from Australia, South Africa, the United States and Venezuela of how ecosystems could be listed were discussed and the proposed criteria refined. How to make sure the ecosystems Red List is compatible with the Red List of Threatened Species was a key focus of... more

Poaching and illegal trade of bears, driven largely by the demand for bile, used in traditional medicine and folk remedies continues unabated across Asia on a large scale, a new report by TRAFFIC, a joint programme of IUCN and WWF, has found. Bear bile products were found on sale in Traditional Medicine outlets in all but one of the 13 countries/territories surveyed says the report entitled Pills, Powders, Vials & Flakes: The bear bile trade in Asia. The exception is Macao. Products were most frequently observed in mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia,... more

More than 40 species of marine fish currently found in the Mediterranean could disappear in the next few years. According to a study for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ on the status of marine fish in the Mediterranean Sea, almost half of the species of sharks and rays (cartilaginous fish) and at least 12 species of bony fish are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, marine habitat degradation and pollution. Commercial species like Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), Sea Bass... more

Meet Flex. Flex belongs to the highly threatened population of western gray whales. He has been tagged by satellite and tracked by scientists in the hope to discover the migration routes of the species and ways to better protect it from threats such as accidental entanglement in fishing gear, underwater noise and exposure to spilled oil. The western gray whale is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. In 2010, its estimated population size was about 136 whales, including only around 30 mature females. Western gray whales... more

Ngwe Lwin - Myanmar

It may be more common these days to hear doom and gloom stories of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, but exciting discoveries of new species do happen and give heart to conservationists the world over. While discoveries of new invertebrate or fish species may be relatively frequent, it’s not often that a new species of primate is discovered.  Ngwe Lwin, a vigilant young Burmese conservationist, was lucky enough to come across a new species of snub-nosed monkey in the Himalayan Mountains of Myanmar... more

Well-equipped, sophisticated organized crime syndicates have killed more than 800 African rhinos in the past three years - just for their horns. With the most serious poaching upsurge in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, Africa’s top rhino experts recently met in South Africa to assess the status of rhinos across the continent and to identify strategies to combat the poaching crisis. “Although good biological management and anti-poaching efforts have led to modest population gains for both species of African rhino, we are still very... more

The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita is listed on the IUCN Red List as a “Critically Endangered” species on a global scale. It was rediscovered on a remote cliff of the Syrian desert in April 2002, following clues from local hunters and Bedouin nomads, in the framework of a UN/DGCS (Italian Development Cooperation) general fauna survey of the area. It suddenly became the rarest and most threatened bird in the Middle East! It is a fascinating bird not only because of the symbolic values attached to it during millennia: it is also the... more

Without concerted conservation action, many of the planet’s turtles and tortoises, iconic survivors from the Age of Dinosaurs, will become extinct within the next few decades. That’s according to a new report from the Turtle Conservation Coalition, a global alliance of conservation groups, including the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG), which names the world’s 25 most endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles. “Turtles are in serious trouble. They are some of the world’s most... more

Concerns Raised about Species' Future as Unprecedented Search for Threatened Amphibians Finds 15 'Missing' Species — including new Rediscoveries in India & Ecuador — but Falls Short Locating Many More A glimmer of hope, but much cause for concern. Those are the reactions from teams of scientists from around the world that have returned from an unprecedented search for 100 species of "lost" amphibians — frogs, salamanders, and caecilians  that have not been seen in a decade or longer, and may now be extinct.  The Search for Lost... more

Various written accounts and artefacts indicate that the Syrian Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus), a subspecies of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), once ranged throughout the Middle East, as far south as the Sinai Peninsula. The bears were often viewed as pests or as threats to human safety, and were killed as a result. These killings, combined with the loss of suitable habitat through deforestation and subsequent desertification, led to a marked reduction in the bears’ range. Today, the Syrian Bear still ranges from Turkey to Iran, including the Caucasus Mountains of... more

Celebrations begin on Thursday 3 February 2011 to mark the Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Rabbit. However, as we enter this new cycle in the Chinese zodiac, conservationists are warning that, in spite of their reputation as prolific breeders, nearly one in four rabbits, hares and pikas - from the order known as lagomorphs - are classified as Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The IUCN SSC (Species Survival Commission) Lagomorph Specialist Group says that habitat loss, overhunting and disease are some of the main threats... more

The Rwandan government’s plans to restore the country’s lost forest lands and boost national development, show real political commitment to deal with ecosystem degradation and its impacts on the rural poor, says IUCN. IUCN urges other countries to recognize the potential of healthy forests for sustainable economic growth. Rwanda has enjoyed relatively strong economic growth recently but it still remains one of the world’s poorest and most densely populated countries with 320 people per square kilometre. Of these 85% make their living from... more

Since their initiation in 1976, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise have supported more than 30 environmental projects impacting over 60 species of rare and endangered plants and animals. On many occasions, Rolex Laureates and Associate Laureates have been supported and guided in their work by IUCN. Laureates have in some cases been members of and even led SSC Specialist Groups. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise recognize pioneers whose work contributes broadly to the betterment of humankind and the natural environment; and Rolex provides selected individuals with US$100,000... more

Development of water resources in the Eastern Himalaya region is expanding at a rapid rate and there is a serious lack of information to guide conservation and development planning. This is putting freshwater ecosystems and the species within them at risk, along with the livelihoods and economies of local communities which they support. In a recent study for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ carried out by IUCN and Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO), scientists found that 31.3% of the 1,073 freshwater species of fishes, molluscs, dragonflies and damselflies... more

As the people of Haiti mark a painful anniversary this week and slowly rebuild their earthquake-torn country, scientists from Conservation International (CI) and the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) report news they hope might become a source of pride and hope for the country’s environmental future: the surprising re-discovery of six species of globally unique frogs in the country’s severely degraded tropical forests, which had been lost to science for nearly two decades. Inspired by Conservation International’s global search for “lost... more

The world’s forests are essential to life in all its diversity and to attaining humanity’s biggest goals such as reducing poverty, curbing climate change and achieving sustainable development. Throughout 2011 IUCN will work towards making sure that forests deliver their maximum potential for human well-being and biodiversity conservation. 'Forests 2011’ will be an international celebration of the central role of people in the management, conservation and sustainable development of our world’s forests,” says Julia... more

IUCN welcomes the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly to establish a new international body designed to boost the global response to the loss of the world's biodiversity and ecosystems. The new independent body, the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) aims to bridge the gulf between the wealth of scientific knowledge about the accelerating degradation of the natural world and government action needed to reverse it. IPBES is being widely compared to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which has... more

A new species of harlequin toad has been found in Chocó, Colombia during a field project supported by the SOS-Save our Species initiative in which IUCN is a partner. IUCN Member Conservation International leads the project together with its project partner Fundación ProAves who is implementing conservation work on the ground. Protecting and restoring key sites for globally threatened amphibians is the project's main objective. “To find a new species is incredible - and very important”, says project leader Robin Moore of... more

Creating synergies towards biodiversity conservation in Jordan was the main aim of the partnership between IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Royal Botanic Garden. This partnership was officially announced through a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed recently between both parties to jointly pursue their conservation efforts that promote equitable and ecologically sustainable use of natural resources in Jordan and the West Asia region. IUCN and RBG will work jointly to develop programmes and projects in Jordan, focusing mainly on... more

A team of scientists from Russia and the United States has successfully tagged and is tracking by satellite an individual from one of the world’s most endangered whale populations – a western gray whale - off the coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island. IUCN has been involved in the tagging and tracking process, providing scientific advice and logistical support. There are only about 130 western gray whales left. The species is listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, with perhaps only about 33... more

Governments meeting at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) have approved a step change for biodiversity: a new Strategic Plan for the next ten years to reduce the current pressures on the planet’s biodiversity and take urgent action to save and restore nature; an agreed new protocol on access and benefit sharing; and have pledged some serious new resources to bring the agreements to life.   The plan consists of 20 targets designed to tackle the extinction crisis... more

The Global Environment Facility, the World Bank, and IUCN today announced they had established the Save Our Species (SOS) initiative with more than $US10 million in financing commitments and called on businesses to help build the biggest global species conservation fund by 2015. The initiative is in response to thousands of animals and plants around the world facing extinction, with species currently disappearing at a rate of up to 1,000 times higher than normal. This loss of wild plants and animals threatens basic human economic security and way of life. Healthy... more

The most comprehensive assessment of the world’s vertebrates confirms an extinction crisis with one-fifth of species threatened. However, the situation would be worse were it not for current global conservation efforts, according to a study launched today at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD, in Nagoya, Japan.  The study, to be published in the international journal Science, used data for 25,000 species from The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, to investigate the status of the world’s... more

Status and Trends of the World’s Vertebrates Extinction rates are now fast outpacing speciation rates, resulting in the loss of entire groups of species that have evolved on this planet for millions of years.

Within the next century we stand to lose what could amount to one quarter of all vertebrates. The report ‘Evolution Lost’ has been produced by ZSL in collaboration with WWF, IUCN and SSC. It considers for the first time the current status and trends of global vertebrates in the context of human pressures, with a particular focus on... more

A global analysis of extinction risk for the world's plants, conducted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew together with the Natural History Museum, London and IUCN, has revealed that the world’s plants are as threatened as mammals, with one in five of the... more

A mission aimed at rediscovering amphibian species thought to be extinct has yielded its first results. Article by Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News Science & Environment Conservationists have turned up live specimens of two West African frogs and a cave-dwelling salamander from Mexico. The salamander was last seen in 1941, and was rediscovered by abseiling into caves deep in the forest. The expeditions are partially designed to bring attention to the plight of amphibians around the world, with a third of species at risk of... more

For the first time in more than ten years, there has been a confirmed sighting of one of the rarest and most enigmatic animals in the world, the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) from the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam. The Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (also known as Laos) has announced that in late August villagers in the central province of Bolikhamxay captured a Saola and brought it back to their village. When news of the Saola's capture reached Lao authorities, the Bolikhamxay Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office... more

BirdLife International, Cambridge. As the world’s governments prepare to meet in Nagoya, Japan, to set new targets for halting biodiversity loss, authors from BirdLife International are among a group of leading conservation scientists and practitioners calling for a fundamental shift in the way we view biodiversity. In their paper, published today in the journal Science, they argue that conservation of biodiversity is essential for the maintenance of vital ecosystem services, and ultimately for human survival. But they make clear that until governments, businesses and... more

The escalating extinction crisis shows that the diversity of nature cannot support the current pressure that humanity is placing on the planet. Every day biodiversity is being lost at up to 1,000 times the natural rate. The extinction of individual species, but also habitat destruction, land conversion for agriculture and development, climate change, pollution and the spread of invasive species are only some of the threats responsible for today's crisis. With the current biodiversity loss, we are witnessing the greatest extinction crisis since dinosaurs disappeared from our... more

Gland, Switzerland, Thursday 2 September 2010 (IUCN) – Twenty-one per cent of freshwater species in continental Africa are threatened with extinction, putting the livelihoods of millions of people at risk. With so much to lose, inland waters must be managed not just for their supply of freshwater but also to sustain the abundant life within. In the most comprehensive assessment of its kind, 5,167 African freshwater species were evaluated by 200 scientists over a five-year period for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, including all... more

IUCN Thailand has been working for three years to achieve national recognition of the endemic and threatened water lily crinum thaianum. Now, the tireless efforts of the team, led by Thailand Programme Manager Somsak Soonthornnawaphat, have paid off. The species has gone from oblivion to national recognition as among the 10 most rare and endangered plants and animals in Thailand that need protection and funding.

The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) recognized the species as an endangered plant that needs better protection. ONEP declared... more

Teams of scientists around the world have launched an unprecedented search in the hope of rediscovering 100 species of "lost" amphibians – animals considered potentially extinct but that may be holding on in a few remote places – Conservation International and the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group announced today. This search, which is taking place in 14 countries on five continents, is the first ever coordinated effort to find such a large number of "lost" creatures and comes as global amphibian populations are suffering a shocking... more

Business leaders in biodiversity-rich developing economies are concerned about losses of ‘natural capital’, a new report highlights. Over 50 per cent of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) surveyed in Latin America and 45 per cent in Africa see declines in biodiversity as a challenge to business growth. In contrast, less than 20 per cent of their counterparts in western Europe share such concerns. The findings, compiled by a study of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), indicate that those corporate chiefs who fail to make sustainable... more

IUCN and the Instituto Chico Mendes para conservação da biodiversidade (ICMBio) today signed an agreement to build the Brazilian Red List of Threatened Species.   Brazil is a mega-biodiverse country and the status of its species is an important barometer at the global level. ICMBio is the official assessor of species for the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. So far however, Red List data for Brazil does not cover comprehensively all species and does not yield data that could be easily compared internationally. Through this agreement, IUCN... more

Moscow, Russia, 29 July 2010, World Tiger Day — the Russian government has introduced measures to protect the Korean Pine, a key species found in Amur Tiger habitat in the Russian Far East.

Rising global demand for Korean Pine has led to a massive increase in logging, much of it carried out illegally, in Russia’s remaining temperate forests.

To help regulate the logging, Russia has listed the Korean Pine in Appendix III of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

The... more

The world's rarest otter has been rediscovered in Borneo, after a single individual was photographed by a camera trap set by conservation scientists. The hairy-nosed otter was pictured in the Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah. The last confirmed record of the hairy-nosed otter in the state of Sabah was more than 100 years ago, and it has not been seen in Borneo since an individual was killed by a car in 1997. The otter only occurs in a handful of locations outside of Borneo. Experts only realised they had recorded a hairy-nosed otter (Lutra... more

Globally extinct within 10 years: that has been the worst prediction for three species of vulture which have disappeared from huge swathes of southern Asia. But the latest exciting news from a conservation partnership in India reveals that all three species have now successfully reared young in a captive breeding centre, providing some long-term hope for these three Critically Endangered species, especially as the ultimate aspiration will be to return birds to the wild. Reportedly, before their population crash, Asia's vulture population extended to tens of millions of birds, but... more

Ninety-six per cent of known populations of eastern chimpanzees, that’s an estimated 50,000 individuals, could be protected with a new action plan, which puts stamping out illegal hunting and trafficking as key to saving one of man’s closest relatives. The nations of East and Central Africa have developed a 10-year plan to save the eastern chimpanzee from hunting, habitat loss, disease, the capture of infants for the pet trade and other threats, IUCN and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced today. “Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan... more

Nearly 12,000 Critically Endangered Saiga antelopes have been found dead over the last week in the Ural population in western Kazakhstan.     “This is a tragic and shocking event. It's particularly unfortunate that the population was just emerging from an unusually harsh winter, and that those struck down are mostly females and this year's calves,” said Prof. E.J. Milner-Gulland, Chair of the Saiga Conservation Alliance and a member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Antelope Specialist Group. The official 2009 estimate of the size of... more

BirdLife International announces today, in an update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for birds, the extinction of Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus. Restricted to a tiny area of east Madagascar, this species declined rapidly after carnivorous fish were introduced to the lakes in which it lived. This, along with the use of nylon gill-nets by fisherman which caught and drowned birds, has driven this species into the abyss.   “No hope now remains for this species. It is another example of how human actions can have... more

Governments have made “positive moves” towards coming up with a plan to reduce the current loss of biodiversity, which is threatening the future of our planet. Over the past two weeks, delegates at a meeting in Nairobi have been discussing the scientific and technical aspects behind a new “big plan” to save all life on earth, the planet’s biodiversity. Scientists from IUCN, who have been taking part in the discussions, say that they’re encouraged by the commitment shown by governments to develop a new Strategic Plan for the next ten years, which... more

Never has the world faced a more pressing crisis than the current loss of biodiversity, which affects every man, woman and child. The gap between the pressure on our natural resources and governments’ response to the deterioration is widening. IUCN is calling for governments to come up with a “bailout plan,” a 10-year strategy that will help countries halt and reverse this loss. “Twenty-one percent of all known mammals, 30 percent of all known amphibians,12 percent of all known birds, 35 percent of conifers and cycads, 17 percent of... more

For the first time scientists have put a figure on how much it would cost to learn about the conservation status of millions of species, some of which have yet to be identified. The price tag is US$60 million, according to a team of scientists, including those from IUCN and Conservation International, who presented their case in this week’s Science magazine in an article called “The Barometer of Life.” “Our knowledge about species and extinction rates remains very poor, and this has negative consequences for our environment and... more

More than one in six mangrove species worldwide are in danger of extinction due to coastal development and other factors, including climate change, logging and agriculture, according to the first-ever global assessment on the conservation status of mangroves for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. As a result, 11 out of 70 mangrove species (16 percent) which were assessed will be placed on the IUCN Red List. The Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, where as many as 40 percent of mangrove species are considered threatened, are particularly... more

Eighty five percent of sturgeon, one of the oldest families of fishes in existence, valued around the world for their precious roe, are at risk of extinction, making them the most threatened group of animals on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The latest update of the Red List assessed the status of 18 species of sturgeon from all over Europe and Asia and found that all were threatened.  Twenty seven species of sturgeon are on the IUCN Red List with 63 percent listed as Critically Endangered, the Red List’s highest category... more

Habitat loss is having a serious impact on Europe’s butterflies, beetles and dragonflies. The release of the European Red List, commissioned by the European Commission, shows that nine percent of butterflies, 11 percent of saproxylic beetles (beetles that depend on decaying wood) and 14 percent of dragonflies are threatened with extinction within Europe. Some species are so threatened that they are at risk of global extinction and are now included in the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. “When talking about threatened... more

2010 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar, a zodiac sign associated with power, passion and courage, yet these majestic animals remain under threat from human activity. The BBC Wildlife Finder collection of video clips highlights the Tiger's plight while celebrating the beauty and majesty of one of the world's great predators. Note: The video below may not work outside the United Kingdom.   Links: BBC Wildlife Finder Collection: Year of the... more

The IUCN Mediterranean Red List programme is pleased to announce a new regional section on the IUCN Red List website, which highlights the outcomes of the Mediterranean Red List initiative. An ongoing process that aims at assessing more than 2000 Mediterranean species according to the IUCN Regional Red Listing Guidelines, the initiative provides information on the conservation status of the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean region, an area considered as a global biodiversity hotspot at both terrestrial and marine levels. Throughout 2010 we will be celebrating... more

Mankind’s closest living relatives – the world’s apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates – are on the brink of extinction and in need of urgent conservation measures according to Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010. The report, compiled by 85 experts from across the world, reveals that nearly half of all primate species are now in danger of becoming extinct from destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade and commercial bushmeat hunting. The list includes five primate species... more

The risk of biofuel crops becoming invasive and outcompeting native species is increasing as more advanced crops are planted. This can be managed to reduce the impact on local livelihoods and the environment, according to a new report by IUCN. Ways to reduce this risk have received little or no attention until now. The report sets out recommendations for decision makers and biofuel producers to minimize the risk of crops becoming invasive, ranging from assessing potential traits of biofuel species in a given environment to effective controls when biofuel crops are... more

The Red List Web site may not be displaying or working correctly in Windows Internet Explorer 8. This problem does not occur in earlier versions of Internet Explorer, and the Red List Web site continues to be displayed correctly and to work correctly in Windows Internet Explorer 7.

For example, you may experience any of the following symptoms in Internet Explorer 8: Menus, images, or text are in the wrong positions (often on top of each other). Some Web site features do not work. You receive script error messages on the Web site. ... more

Invasive Alien Species, ranging from disease and plants, to rats and goats, are one of the top three threats to life on this planet, according to a new publication coordinated by the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP), of which IUCN is a partner. Most countries have made international commitments to tackle this threat, but only half have introduced relevant legislation and even fewer are taking adequate action on the ground.
  The publication, “Global indicators of biological invasion: species numbers, biodiversity impact and policy... more

The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). Biodiversity is the backbone of all life on Earth, and its conservation lies at the very core of IUCN’s work. With mounting scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis, it’s time to take action. “The latest analysis of the IUCN Red List shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met,” says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “It’s time for governments to get... more

Copenhagen, Denmark, IUCN - World leaders in Copenhagen have taken a first and useful step to slow the course of climate change – a threat that is already affecting people, ecosystems and biodiversity in many parts of the world. A global, legally-binding climate change treaty must be the next step. Although the Copenhagen Accord goes some way to address some of the critical issues that have been on negotiators’ agenda for the past two years, such as a financing package of US$ 100 billion per year by 2020 to assist developing countries to adapt to climate... more

Tokyo, Japan (Wild Salmon Centre) – Japan's largest paper company and the Wild Salmon Center move to protect one of the country's last wild salmon rivers.   Oji Paper, the largest paper company in Japan, has made a landmark commitment to create a protected area on private timber lands surrounding the Sarufutsu River, one of the last wild and free-flowing rivers in Japan. The protected area will safeguard critical habitat for the endangered sea run taimen, the largest fresh water fish in... more

The Arctic Fox, Leatherback Turtle and Koala are among the species destined to be hardest hit by climate change, according to a new IUCN review. The report, Species and Climate Change, focuses on 10 species, including the Beluga Whale, Clownfish, Emperor Penguin, Quiver Tree, Ringed Seal, salmon and staghorn corals, which all highlight the way climate change is adversely affecting marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats. “Humans are... more

Copenhagen, Denmark – Deep and immediate cuts in emissions are needed to stall ocean acidification and prevent mass extinction of marine species, food insecurity and serious damage to the world economy, according to IUCN. Released today at UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen, ‘Ocean acidification – the facts’ takes stock of the latest science on oceans acidification and spells out the steps that are urgently needed to stop its acceleration. Increased release of CO₂ in the atmosphere is making seawater more acidic and is threatening ecosystems... more

Copenhagen, Denmark –  Protected Areas offer a cost effective solution to the impacts of climate change, according to a new book from IUCN, The Nature Conservancy, the United Nations Development Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Bank and WWF. “This book, Natural Solutions: protected areas helping people cope with climate change, clearly articulates for the first time how protected areas contribute significantly to reducing the impacts of climate change and what’s needed for them to achieve even... more

Copenhagen, Denmark, 7 December 2009 (IUCN) - It’s now time for governments to make robust commitments and a timeline towards achieving a post-2012 deal on climate change. IUCN urges leaders meeting at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, 7-18 December, to include nature’s solutions to reduce emissions and cope with climate change impacts in a post-2012 deal.  “Managing nature will play a key role in our ability to cope with the changing climate and reduce emissions,” says Julia... more

This week, the world's governments are meeting at the United Nation's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark to attempt to agree action to tackle climate change. The outcomes of this will have resounding consequences for biodiversity. Studies by the BirdLife Partnership show that climate change is already having multiple impacts on birds and their habitats, and is exacerbating many of the factors which have put one in eight of the world's birds at risk of extinction. Many species may have to shift their ranges to survive, and considerably more losers than... more

Rhino poaching worldwide is on the rise, according to a new report by TRAFFIC and IUCN. The trade is being driven by Asian demand for horns and is made worse by increasingly sophisticated poachers, who now are using veterinary drugs, poison, cross bows and high caliber weapons to kill rhinos, the report states. Since 2006 the majority (95 percent) of the poaching in Africa has occurred in Zimbabwe and South Africa, according to new data. “These two nations collectively form the epicentre of an unrelenting poaching crisis in southern Africa,”... more

The Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) have added the three North Pacific species of albatross, Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus, Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis and Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes to Annex 1 of the Agreement. ACAP is a legally binding international treaty which requires... more

The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction. The results confirm that 21% of all known mammals, 30% of all known amphibians, 12 per cent of all known birds and 32% of all known gymnosperms (conifers and cycads) are threatened with extinction. Results for other species-groups that have not yet been comprehensively assessed such as freshwater fishes and dragonflies, indicate similar high levels of threat. “The scientific... more

Two field trips were made to Yemen to look for signs of remaining Arabian leopards, to train local scientists, and to develop a national leopard survey strategy. Yemen is a key site for conservation of the Arabian leopard because it contains a large part of the species’ former range. The main obstacle to an effective conservation programme is the lack of information on its current status. December 2007 saw the launch of a collaborative project between the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, University of Sana’a, Environmental Protection Agency in Yemen... more

On the eve of 2010, International Year of Biodiversity, the National Museum of Natural History and Pro-Natura International are working in partnership with IUCN to launch “Our Planet Reviewed”, an unprecedented programme of naturalist expeditions. The expeditions will span ten years to conduct a massive inventory of biodiversity in geographical areas which, up until now, have been little explored. The objective is to accelerate the scientific discovery of new species, by focusing our efforts on the regions of the planet which are considered a priority in... more

One fifth of Mediterranean dragonflies and damselflies are threatened with extinction at the regional level as a result of increasing freshwater scarcity, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Climate change and habitat degradation, due to the way land is managed, are also affecting the insects, says the report. The assessment of 163 Mediterranean dragonflies and damselflies shows five are Critically Endangered, 13 are Endangered, another 13 are Vulnerable, 27 are Near Threatened, 96 are Least Concern and six are Data Deficient, meaning there is... more

One of the world’s most enigmatic mammals, the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), could be on the brink of extinction, according to a group of experts who held an emergency meeting in Lao PDR to try to save the animal. The Saola, which was only discovered to world science in 1992, resembles the desert antelopes of Arabia, but is more closely related to wild cattle. It lives in the remote valleys of the Annamite Mountains, along the border of Lao PDR and Vietnam. “We are at a point in history when we still have a small but rapidly closing window of... more

The world’s leading amphibian experts have come together and for the first time identified two major conservation initiatives to stop amphibians going extinct. A new coalition of organizations, the Amphibian Survival Alliance, will be set up to focus on containing the spread of the amphibian chytrid fungus and protecting habitats which are home to amphibians that occur nowhere else in the world. Amphibians are the most threatened group of animals in the world, with one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species at risk of... more

On 31 July 2009, 50 captive-bred Philippine Crocodiles were released into the wild in Dicatian Lake, Barangay Dicatian, Municipality of Divilacan, Isabela Province, Luzon Island. The Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), which is endemic to the Philippines, is one of the most severely threatened crocodile species in the World. Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, the total population surviving in the wild is estimated at only 100 mature individuals found only in northern Luzon and southwest Mindanao. Philippine Crocodiles... more

Rising demand for pangolins, mostly from mainland China, compounded by lax laws is wiping out the unique toothless anteaters from their native habitats in Southeast Asia, according to a group of leading pangolin experts. Illegal trade in Asian pangolin meat and scales has caused the scaly anteaters to disappear from large swathes of Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, concluded a panel of experts whose findings were announced today by the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC, a joint programme between IUCN and WWF. “China has a long history of consuming... more

Geneva, Switzerland (IUCN/WWF/TRAFFIC) – Rhino poaching worldwide is poised to hit a 15-year-high driven by Asian demand for horns, according to new research. Poachers in Africa and Asia are killing an ever increasing number of rhinos—an estimated two to three a week in some areas—to meet a growing demand for horns believed in some countries to have medicinal value, according to a briefing to a key international wildlife trade body by WWF, IUCN and their affiliated wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC. An estimated three rhinos were illegally... more

Life on Earth is under serious threat, despite the commitment by world leaders to reverse the trend, according to a detailed analysis of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The IUCN analysis, which is published every four years, comes just before the deadline governments set themselves to evaluate how successful they were in achieving the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss. The IUCN report, Wildlife in a Changing World, shows the 2010 target will not be met. "When governments take action to reduce biodiversity loss there are some conservation... more

The first study to determine the global conservation status of 64 species of open ocean (pelagic) sharks and rays reveals that 32 percent are threatened with extinction, primarily due to overfishing, according to the IUCN Shark Specialist Group. The percentage of open ocean shark species threatened with extinction is higher for the sharks taken in high-seas fisheries (52 percent), than for the group as a whole. "Despite mounting threats, sharks remain virtually unprotected on the high seas," says Sonja Fordham, Deputy Chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group... more

According to a new publication by Wetlands International, more than half the populations of waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa are declining at an accelerating rate. Waders are a group of relatively small waterbirds including species like lapwings, plovers, godwits, curlews and sandpipers. Many of them undertake long distance migrations from their Arctic breeding grounds to wintering areas as far away as southern Africa. Some concentrate in huge numbers at just a few sites, making these wetlands critical for their survival. The new 'Wader Atlas' is the first... more

International Biodiversity Day, celebrated each year on May 22, pays tribute to the global importance of biodiversity, both as an asset for posterity and a vital resource for people and their livelihoods. This year, International Biodiversity Day focuses on alien invasive species as major threats to biodiversity. Biological invasions are the result of species that are introduced to a new ecosystem in which they are not indigenous. They often cause great harm to their new environments. These invasions are high on the list of current threats to biodiversity, ecosystems,... more

One fifth of Europe's reptiles and nearly a quarter of its amphibians are threatened, according to new studies carried out by IUCN for the European Commission. The studies, released on International Biodiversity Day, are the first European Red Lists for amphibians and reptiles, and reveal alarming population trends. More than half of all European amphibians (59 percent) and 42 percent of reptiles are in decline, which means that amphibians and reptiles are even more at risk than European mammals and birds. For 23 percent of amphibians and 21 percent of reptiles the... more

Conservationists report that the world's smallest and rarest pigs are "thriving" following their release into the wild last year. Camera-trap footage and surveys suggest that the captive-bred pygmy hogs have adapted well to their new home in the grasslands of Assam in India. The team now plans to reintroduce more of the little pigs to this habitat. In 1996, conservationists began a captive-breeding programme in a bid to boost the pigs' numbers, and in May 2008, 16 of these pygmy hogs (seven males and nine females) were released into the Sonai Rupai wildlife... more

The Philautus poppiae frog is native to Sri Lanka and lives in closed canopy cloud forest. It is classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ due to the ongoing decline in the quality and extent of its forest habitat. Nineteen species of frogs native to Sri Lanka have gone extinct due to continuing habitat loss essentially caused by smallholder farming activities and logging. Drought and the use of agrochemicals in cardamom cultivation are additional threats. No other country in the world has more documented amphibian extinctions. Therefore, it... more

An independent panel of scientists has recommended a moratorium on all activities by oil and gas companies in eastern Russia that could adversely affect the Western Gray Whale population. The Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel, set up by IUCN in 2005, said it is extremely concerned by observations in 2008 suggesting whale distribution and behaviour have changed. The panel has therefore concluded that all activities planned for 2009, including Sakhalin Energy’s seismic survey, should be postponed until the Western Gray Whale population has been fully monitored and... more

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously to ban the commercial harvest of freshwater turtles throughout the state on Wednesday, April 15. The move comes after several of the world’s leading turtle scientists called on Florida's Governor Charlie Crist to end the commercial hunting of turtles which supplies eastern Asia. The experts, brought together by the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission, alerted the Governor that the state's turtles were at high risk of being wiped out by the expanding... more

Many freshwater fish, crabs, dragonflies, molluscs and aquatic plants are at risk of extinction in southern Africa if its rivers and lakes are not protected from developers, according to IUCN. The study by the IUCN Species Programme, in collaboration with the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, shows that seven percent of species are known to be regionally threatened or extinct. But this figure will skyrocket unless freshwater species conservation is considered in development planning. These species provide... more

The Yellow Presba is a rare dragonfly from the fast flowing mountain rivers of Southern Africa. Its conservation status is Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ because of the spread of introduced trees throughout its native habitat. The Yellow Presba (Syncordulia legator) is one of many Southern African dragonflies currently under threat. Others have also suffered catastrophic declines because of human related problems like pollution, habitat loss to farming and the introduction of non-native trees. The spread of invasive species is now recognized as... more

A quarter of all antelope species are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The results, compiled by the Antelope Specialist Group of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission, show that out of 91 species of antelope, 25 are threatened with extinction. The status of several species has become worse since the last complete assessment of all antelopes in 1996. “Unsustainable harvesting, whether for food or traditional medicine, and human encroachment on their habitat are the main threats facing antelopes,” says Dr... more

In some parts of the world they thrive, to the extent they are regarded as pests, yet in their native range on the Iberian Peninsula rabbits are Near Threatened with extinction, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Their decreasing numbers have also had alarming impacts on the Critically Endangered Iberian Lynx and the Spanish Imperial Eagle. The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was introduced to Western Europe by man as early as the Roman period, and since then to South America and Australasia. Only Spain, Portugal and areas of North Africa are... more

French wildlife artist Thierry Bisch is developing a project with IUCN to deliver a powerful message about the need to protect threatened species. Called “Les Murs de l’Arche” (the Ark’s Walls), the project would create awareness by painting large murals of animals on buildings and outside walls in city centres. Bisch plans to use his talent to serve a cause close to his heart. “I’ve been painting animals for many years and sharing my appreciation for their beauty and dignity with a wide public,” said the artist. “Now is the... more

Many native Australian bird species are declining. Birds of garden, water, scrub and woodland are showing marked falls in their populations says a new report by Birds Australia (BirdLife in Australia). The encouraging news is that the status of some species is improving as a result of conservation action. This is the sixth 'the state of Australia's birds' report, and presents an up-to-date overview of the health of bird populations in Australia and the main challenges to their sustainability. This 2008 report focuses on trends in bird populations revealed by around 50 long-term... more

Unregulated trade—at 10 to 100 times legal levels—has caused Southeast Asian Box Turtles almost to vanish from parts of Indonesia, where once they were common,according to a new report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. The turtles are used for meat and in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with major markets in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Malaysia, mostly supplied from Indonesia. Animals are also exported as pets, mainly to the US, Europe and Japan. The study found at least 18 traders operating in Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra and Kalimantan dealing... more

Very little is known about oceans. That's why very little - less than one percent - of the Earth's oceans are protected, compared to 12 percent of the land surface. 'Ocean in Google Earth', launching today, lets virtual voyagers find out what marine species live where and discover marine protected areas, one of the best tools for protecting our oceans. Internet users can now travel in 3D through the vast and largely unknown underwater world of the planet’s oceans, allowing visitors to fly over and around underwater seamounts or follow scientific research expeditions as they... more

News in Brief report from the journal Nature 457, 523 (2009): The South Nguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania are home to this ornate toad (pictured), a still-unnamed member of the genus Nectophrynoides reported last month (see link below). It was among 15 amphibian species new to science that were discovered between 2004 and 2006 during surveys by a team led by Nisha Owen of the Frontier Tanzania Forest Research Program in Dar es Salaam. The palm-sized toad's distinctive orange protuberances are glands, which may also be yellow and green or red. The... more

News Release from BirdLife International A new species of babbler has been described from Guangxi province in southwest China close to the border with Viet Nam. Named Nonggang Babbler Stachyris nonggangensis, after the reserve at which it was discovered, this new species is closely related to Sooty Babbler S. herberti but is larger and has white crescent patches behind the ear coverts and dark spots on the upper breast and throat. Ornithologists, Zhou Fang and Jiang Aiwu from Guangxi University first sighted the birds in surveys during 2005 and confirmed... more

Space may be the final frontier, but scientists who recently discovered a hidden forest in Mozambique show the uncharted can still be under our noses. BirdLife were part of a team of scientists who used Google Earth to identify a remote patch of pristine forest. An expedition to the site discovered new species of butterfly and snake, along with seven globally threatened birds. The team were browsing Google Earth – freely available software providing global satellite photography – to search for potential wildlife hotspots. A nearby road provided the first glimpses of a... more

A new study, published in BirdLife International's journal, Bird Conservation International, has revealed that the Northern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes moseleyi – which is principally found on UK territories in the South Atlantic – has declined by 90% over the last 50 years. Historical records estimate that millions of penguins used to occur on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, but, declines (of more than 90%) have dramatically reduced their numbers in the last half century. Links: more

The Malayan Box Turtle is disappearing across Malaysia despite a ban on its export, finds a new report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network and a joint programme between IUCN and WWF. The turtles are in high demand in East Asia for their meat and for use in traditional Chinese medicine. The Malayan Box Turtle is a subspecies of the widespread South Asian Box Turtle (Cuora amboinensis), which is considered the commonest freshwater turtle in Southeast Asia, but despite this, and even its tolerance of man-made artificial habitats, the species is in peril due to... more

Several of the world's leading turtle scientists have called on the Governor of Florida to end the commercial hunting of turtles which supplies eastern Asia. The experts, brought together by the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission, made their plea in a letter to Governor Charlie Crist. "Florida's freshwater turtles are being harvested at an unsustainable rate to supply East Asian food and medicinal markets," the letter said. "New rules recently implemented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation... more

India is a hub of the wild-collected plant medicine industry in Asia, but key species have declined due to over-collection to supply domestic and foreign medicinal markets, according to IUCN and TRAFFIC researchers. The report focuses on seven plant species of conservation concern protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Wild plant species form the foundation of healthcare practices throughout much of Asia, particularly traditional practices, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha,... more

Scientists battle to save the world's rarest wolf from rabies by creating 'barrier' of vaccinated wolf packs. A dedicated team of conservationists are hard at work in the remote Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia in a race to conserve less than 500 remaining Ethiopian Wolves. The species Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis), is classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The intervention against this deadly disease is endorsed by the IUCN SSC Canid Specialist Group and the IUCN SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group. Links: ... more

The release of the first ever IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ assessment of northeast Atlantic sharks, rays and chimaeras reveals that 26 percent are threatened with extinction and another 20 percent are in the Near Threatened category. The total number of threatened species may well be higher as there was insufficient information to assess more than a quarter (27 percent) of the species. The report, released by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG), reveals that shark, ray and chimaera species are much more threatened in the northeast Atlantic than they are... more

It's time to wake up and take action to protect the planet's natural wealth, that's the message of the first part of IUCN's World Conservation Congress. More than 8,000 specialists from the conservation community, governments, NGOs, academia, private sector, women and indigenous groups have gathered in Barcelona to discuss the most pressing issues of our time. "In the last four days the call to protect the planet has been heard from both government leaders and the NGO community," says Valli Moosa, President of IUCN. "Environmental concerns are now... more

One-third of the reef building corals are threatened with extinction. What can be done to protect our oceans and the marine ecosystems on which the health of our planet depends. HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan announced the launch of a three-year expedition and gave an exclusive interview for IUCN web TV. Links: Interview... more

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is long established as the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of plants and animals. This week a new publication entitled "Review of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™" was released at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Each section explores a different aspect or biodiversity realm of the IUCN Red List, including: - The IUCN Red List: a key conservation tool - Freshwater biodiversity: a hidden resource under threat - Status of the world's... more

Barcelona, Spain – The most comprehensive assessment of the world's mammals has confirmed an extinction crisis, with almost one in four at risk of disappearing forever, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, revealed at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona. The new study to assess the world's mammals shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction. At least 76 mammals have become extinct since 1500. But the results also show conservation can bring species back from the brink of extinction, with... more

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ announced on Monday that the world's mammals face an extinction crisis, with almost one in four at risk of disappearing forever. The paper summarizing this comprehensive assessment is published today in the esteemed journal Science. The new study to assess the world's mammals shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction. At least 76 mammals have become extinct since 1500. But the results also show conservation can bring species back from the brink of extinction, with five percent... more

For the first time, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals is monitoring the world’s plants and animals using the IUCN Red List Index. Until now, the seventh Millennium Development Goal, to ensure environmental sustainability, has not included any mention of biodiversity or the need to save species as a critical contribution to human development. But with the launch of the latest Annual Report on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, in advance of the High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals at UN Headquarters in New York on 25... more

Common birds are in decline across the world, providing evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life. All the world’s governments have committed themselves to slowing or halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. But reluctance to commit what are often trivial sums in terms of national budgets means that this target is almost certain to be missed. These are some of the stark messages from State of the Worlds Birds, a new publication and website (www.birdlife.org/sowb) launched today at BirdLife... more

The most comprehensive update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ will be unveiled at IUCN's World Conservation Congress in Barcelona on Monday, October 6, 2008. The IUCN Red List is now expected to cover more than 45,000 species. Not all the world’s species have been assessed, but coverage is increasing every year. This year's update will include the results of the Global Mammal Assessment covering 5,490 mammals. An in-depth analysis of the latest IUCN Red List will be released with The 2008 review of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. In... more