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News

In this section you will find our news releases.

2023-12-12

The 2023 Red List update reveals hope for birds in crisis

As the world teeters on the precipice of environmental devastation, BirdLife’s contribution to the 2023 IUCN Red List provides a stark reminder that we are losing birds at an unprecedented rate...

Read the full article on BirdLife
2023-12-11

Freshwater fish highlight escalating climate impacts on species - IUCN Red List

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 11 December 2023 (IUCN) – Climate change threatens a growing number of species, from Atlantic salmon to green turtles, today’s update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ reveals.

Read the full article on IUCN
2023-12-11

40,000 tree species now published on the IUCN Red List

Today the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has been updated! With the publication of around 4,000 new tree assessments the total number of tree species on the IUCN Red List is over 40,000.

Read the full article on BGCI
2023-10-04

Climate change emerges as a major driver of amphibian declines globally

Habitat destruction and disease are both well-documented causes of the decline of amphibians—among the most threatened animals on the planet—but a new paper analysing two decades’ worth of data has found that climate change is emerging as one of the biggest threats to amphibians.

Read the full article on Re:wild
2023-09-21

African rhino numbers are increasing despite poaching

Ahead of World Rhino Day on 22 September 2023, African authorities have estimated that there were 23,290 rhinos across the continent at the end of 2022, 5.2% more than in 2021. Nonetheless, at least 561 rhinos were illegally killed (poached) across the continent during 2022.

Read the full article on IUCN
2023-03-30

Experts gather for first global human-wildlife conflict summit

Hundreds of representatives from conservation organisations, academia, governments, businesses and indigenous and local communities from six continents and 70 countries will meet for the International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, hosted by IUCN.

Read the full article on IUCN
2023-03-22

MSC Foundation and IUCN announce partnership to conserve coral reefs

The MSC Foundation and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) today announced a new partnership to conserve and restore threatened coral reefs.

Read the full article on IUCN
2023-03-03

IUCN SSC statement on World Wildlife Day

On World Wildlife Day the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) joins the wider IUCN in celebrating the thousands of species experts and partners who work with us around the world to protect and recover the plants, animals and fungi we share this planet with.

Read the full article on IUCN
2023-02-03

First Working Meeting for the National Red List of Greece

Working with the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency and the Hellenic Zoological and Botanical Societies, in January, IUCN provided Red List training for 47 Greek scientists in the 1st working meeting for the National Red List of Greece.

Read the full article (in Greek) on NECCA
2022-12-13

Over 90% of Papua New Guinea's endemic tree flora assessed in latest IUCN Red List Update

The 2022-2 IUCN Red List update includes 1,104 new tree species assessments, contributing to BGCI’s Global Tree Assessment initiative. As of today, the number of tree assessment available on the IUCN Red List is 38,256 assessments.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-12-09

Human activity devastating marine species from mammals to corals - IUCN Red List

The 2022-2 IUCN Red List highlights a barrage of threats affecting marine species, including illegal and unsustainable fishing, pollution, climate change and disease.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-10-12

Over one third of hoverflies threatened with extinction in Europe

The first European assessment of hoverflies highlights 37% of these essential pollinators are threatened with extinction. Intensive agriculture, harmful pesticides, unsustainable commercial forestry, urban development and climate change are the main threats.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-08-24

Rhino poaching and illegal trade decline but remain critical threats – new report

Rhino poaching rates have declined since 2018, according to a new report by the IUCN SSC African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC for the CITES Conference of the Parties meeting, which will be held in Panama in November.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-07-21

Migratory monarch butterfly now Endangered - IUCN Red List

In today’s IUCN Red List update: known for its spectacular annual journey across the Americas, the Migratory Monarch Butterfly is now Endangered; all surviving sturgeon species are now listed as threatened; and a reassessment of the Tiger reveals new population figures.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-06-20

IUCN applauds WTO Trade Ministers’ decision on fishing subsidies

IUCN welcomes with relief and gratitude the negotiated decisions on fishing subsidies made yesterday by the world’s Trade Ministers at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) MC12 Trade Ministers’ forum.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-06-07

German Development Cooperation provides €12.5 million for IUCN’s Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme

German Development Cooperation and the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) have contributed a total of €47.5 million for tiger conservation in Asia since its inception in 2014. This new contract guarantees that the programme will now run until 2027.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-05-05

Important Shark and Ray Areas news

The IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group has developed the foundations for an expert-driven innovative approach, ensuring discrete portions of critical habitats are delineated and used in site-based conservation and management initiatives.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-04-27

World’s reptiles comprehensively assessed – IUCN Red List

More than one in five of the world’s reptiles are threatened with extinction, according to the Global Reptile Assessment published on The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-04-27

Comprehensive Study of World’s Reptiles: More Than One in Five Reptile Species are Threatened with Extinction

Conservation efforts for other animals have likely helped protect many reptile species, according to a new study in Nature led by NatureServe, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Conservation International.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-04-22

New taskforce launched to protect freshwater biodiversity through harmonized macroinvertebrate sampling

Freshwater ecosystems hold a large amount of the world’s species and genetic diversity. These ecosystems and species are under threat. A newly formed IUCN SSC task force will contribute to halting this biodiversity decline.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-02-28

Request for proposals assessing tiger and prey populations in Southern Western Forest Complex, Thailand

Within the framework of the project Accelerating Tiger Recovery Along the Thailand-Myanmar Border, IUCN is pleased to announce a request for proposals for tiger conservation in the western portion of Thailand’s Western Forest Complex.

Read the full article on IUCN
2022-02-02

Wetland action to benefit both people and nature

“Wetlands Action for People and Nature” – that is the theme for World Wetlands Day this year, focusing on how to invest our human resources into ensuring the world’s wetlands are protected from further loss and restored where they are currently degraded.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-12-10

Almost two-thirds of species at deep-sea hydrothermal vents are at risk of extinction

Research from Queen’s University Belfast added assessments for 184 deep-sea molluscs endemic to hydrothermal vents to the IUCN Red List. Almost two-thirds are threatened, highlighting the urgent need to protect them from extinction.

Read the full article
2021-12-09

Dragonflies threatened as wetlands around the world disappear - IUCN Red List

IUCN Red List update: the widespread loss of marshes, swamps, free-flowing rivers and other wetland habitats, mostly driven by global expansion of unsustainable agriculture and urbanisation, is driving the decline of dragonflies worldwide.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-12-06

Endangered Caspian Seal Habitat Awarded Important Marine Mammal Area Status

Three Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) awarded for the Endangered Caspian Seal (Pusa caspica) announced as part of a tranche of 14 new IMMAs for the marine mammals of the Black Sea, Turkish Straits and Caspian Sea.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-12-02

A step further to unravel the mystery of Rüppell's vultures in the Mediterranean

A team of experts from Spain and Morocco has joined forces to tag with GPS and satellite transmitters 12 Rüppell's Vultures from the Jbel Moussa Vulture Recovery Centre (CRV) in northern Morocco, near the Strait of Gibraltar.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-11-26

Strengthening local capacity to monitor migratory waterbirds in northern Viet Nam

A new project between Viet Nature Conservation Centre and BirdLife International is building capacity of protected area staff to monitor and conserve the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Black-faced Spoonbill and other threatened migratory species.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-11-15

IUCN welcomes recognition of nature’s role at COP26 and calls for more ambition

For the first time, world leaders have clearly recognised the interlinked relationship between the global biodiversity and climate crises and the critical role that nature plays in both adaption and mitigation.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-11-12

IUCN statement to UN Climate Change Conference 2021

During the 10 November plenary session of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland (COP26), IUCN Director General Dr Bruno Oberle delivered IUCN’s statement on the many ways that nature can help address the climate crisis. Read the full statement on the IUCN website.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-11-10

Habitats of three threatened cetaceans in the Black Sea named as Important Marine Mammal Areas

Eleven habitats of threatened Black Sea harbour porpoises, bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins have been formally awarded Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA) status by the IUCN Task Force on Marine Mammal Protected Areas.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-09-07

Threats to crop wild relatives compromising food security and livelihoods

Over 70 wild relatives of some of the world’s most important crops are threatened with extinction, according to a new IUCN co-authored study launched today at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. These plants provide essential genetic resources to develop robust crops.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-09-04

IUCN World Conservation Congress opens in Marseille and online

The IUCN World Conservation Congress – the world’s largest and most inclusive environmental decision-making forum – opened yesterday in Marseille, France, with an address by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-09-04

Tuna species recovering despite growing pressures on marine life - IUCN Red List

Four commercially-fished tuna species are on the path to recovery thanks to the enforcement of regional fishing quotas over the last decade, while 37% of the world’s sharks and rays are now threatened with extinction, according to today’s update of the IUCN Red List.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-09-01

BGCI Launches the State of the World's Trees Report

The State of the World’s Trees report, published by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), reveals that 30% (17,500) of tree species are currently at risk of extinction. Over 440 species are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild.

Read the full article on BGCI
2021-08-31

Applying Indigenous and Local Knowledge to IUCN Red List assessments: open consultation process now underway

Applying Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) to IUCN Red List assessments: the IUCN Red List Committee and the IUCN CEESP-SSC Sustainable Use and Livelihoods (SULi) Specialist Group welcomes input from IUCN members and other experts for an open consultation process.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-08-26

IUCN welcomes IPBES decision to develop crucial biodiversity reports

IUCN welcomes IPBES-8 plenary decision to approve the scoping reports of the ‘nexus’ and ‘transformative change’ assessments, and encourages the IUCN constituency to engage actively with the assessments process.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-08-09

Average 40% increase of the tiger population within IUCN's Tiger Programme project sites between 2015 and 2021

To celebrate International Tiger Day, IUCN released the Phase I impact report of the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme, containing data and lessons learned from projects implemented in priority landscapes across six Tiger Range Countries between 2015 and 2021.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-07-28

IUCN’s New “Green Status of Species” Measures Impact of Conservation Action

A Conservation Biology paper published today outlines the first IUCN Green Status of Species assessments. From California condors to East Asian mangroves, the Green Status shows specific conservation metrics for focal species.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-07-27

IUCN engages with International Standardization Organisation’s first move in the field of biodiversity

Bringing IUCN expertise, standards, knowledge products and data into the processes and outcomes of the new ISO technical committee on biodiversity will be beneficial to the mainstreaming of biodiversity into societies.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-07-26

A conservation project in Madagascar planted nearly 33,000 trees in 2020

In the Madagascar lowlands, rainforest on Tsitola Mountain has suffered from years of burning for grazing and agriculture. With help from IUCN Save Our Species, a reforestation nursery and conservation project is encouraging the local community to replenish and protect the forest.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-05-10

Over 1,000 illegally poached Copiapoa, with an estimated market value of 1 million euro, return to their native Chile

Copiapoa cactus plants confiscated in 2020 in Italy in the largest seizure of illegally traded cacti to date are returning back to Chile.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-05-09

Unsustainable farming is challenging the survival of Mediterranean dung beetles - IUCN study

According to a new report from IUCN-Med, dung beetles are facing major losses of suitable habitats due to the decline of traditional livestock farming practices and the abandonment of rural environments, as well as chemical contamination of dung by veterinary medical products.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-05-04

Strengthening conservation and restoration through the Species Threat Abatement and Recovery metric

The STAR metric assesses the potential for conserving biodiversity and set targets compatible with the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Strategy. This ground-breaking approach has promising results for forest restoration projects.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-04-08

Transforming crop and timber production could reduce species extinction risk by 40%

Ensuring sustainability of crop and timber production would mitigate the greatest drivers of terrestrial wildlife decline, responsible for 40% of the overall extinction risk of amphibians, birds and mammals, according to a paper published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-03-25

African elephant species now Endangered and Critically Endangered - IUCN Red List

Following population declines over several decades due to poaching for ivory and loss of habitat, the African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is now listed as Critically Endangered and the African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana) as Endangered.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-03-19

IUCN unveils new guidelines for businesses committed to improving their biodiversity performance

Businesses committed to address the biodiversity risks and opportunities associated with their activities increasingly need information about the status of species and habitats found across their operations and in their supply chains.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-03-19

Six international organizations join forces to create the Mediterranean Consortium to Protect Biodiversity

This innovative partnership model aims to respond to the environmental and financing challenges of nature conservation in the Mediterranean.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-03-19

National borders threaten wildlife as climate changes

Rising global temperature drives species across national borders to find suitable habitat. But physical barriers aren’t the only complication; countries experiencing the greatest species loss may be in the worst position to protect nature.

Read the full article on BirdLife International
2021-03-03

Five projects in Uganda funded to address conservation emergencies through COVID-19 and other threats

The IUCN Save Our Species and the BIOPAMA Action Component have awarded EUR 368,939 from the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States to five organisations in Uganda to address biodiversity conservation needs.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-03-01

New IUCN-backed study finds Gray Whales at high risk from ship strikes in the North Pacific Ocean

Ships operating in the North Pacific pose a serious threat to Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus), according to the first scientific study that examines the impacts of vessel traffic on the species throughout its range.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-02-25

One-third of freshwater fish face extinction, warns new report

The ever-increasing pressure on the world’s freshwater fish species, with one in three threatened with extinction, is highlighted in a new report ‘The World’s Forgotten Fishes’ published this week by 16 global conservation organizations.

Read the full article on IUCN
2021-01-11

IUCN-KfW announce a Third Phase of the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme

The Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) was initiated in 2014 with €20 million. From this, 12 projects were established across six Tiger Range Countries. With Phase 3 of the Programme, ITHCP will operate until the end of 2024, more than 10 years in total.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-12-23

Establishment of the Global Gibbon Network Initiative

The IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes and the International Collaboration to Conserve Gibbons and Siamang have joined forces with The Hainan Institute of National Parks and Eco Foundation Global to establish the Global Gibbon Network Initiative.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-12-14

The show must go on: Online Red List Assessor Training Workshop for experts in Republic of Korea

Together with the Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Biological Resources of the Republic of Korea (ROK), IUCN has launched the IUCN-Republic of Korea Global Red List Partnership.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-12-10

European bison recovering, 31 species declared Extinct – IUCN Red List

The European bison has moved from Vulnerable to Near Threatened thanks to continued conservation efforts, according to today’s update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Thirty-one species also move into the Extinct category and all freshwater dolphins are now threatened.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-12-02

Climate change now top threat to natural World Heritage – IUCN report

Climate change is now the biggest threat to natural World Heritage, according to a report published today by IUCN. A third of natural World Heritage sites are threatened by climate change, including the Great Barrier Reef, assessed as having a “critical” outlook for the first time.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-10-24

New conservation action to save four threatened gibbon species

On International Gibbon Day, IUCN Save Our Species announces it is launching a new Gibbon conservation initiative this year to save four Critically Endangered and Endangered gibbon species.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-10-07

Nations fall short on biodiversity despite protected area growth – IUCN co-authored study

National governments have fallen short on delivering conservation commitments for protected and conserved areas under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, despite expansion in protected areas over the last decade, according to a new publication in Nature.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-09-23

IUCN mourns the loss of leading conservationist Georgina Mace

IUCN is deeply saddened by the passing of eminent conservationist Professor Dame Georgina Mace – a leader in the fight against global biodiversity loss, who made key contributions to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Union at large.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-08-14

Action for snow leopards

The snow leopard is facing extinction, with around 7,500 indivduals left in the wild according to recent estimates. Conservationists and local communities are commited to preventing the extinction of this 'ghost of the mountains' within Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-08-03

13 Important Marine Mammal Areas approved in the Southern Ocean, one of the world’s richest marine mammal areas

The IUCN SSC/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force (“the Task Force”) today announces the approval of thirteen new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the Extended Southern Ocean Region.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-08-03

Six million Euros made available for conservation action to counter COVID-19 impacts

A total of six million Euros in emergency relief funding to address biodiversity conservation needs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is being made available for distribution through two complementary programmes managed by IUCN.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-07-15

Statement of the IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group on elephant deaths in Botswana

The IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group expresses its concern about the reported mysterious mass die-off of African elephants (Loxodonta africana). It is estimated that over 250 elephants have died in the Okavango Panhandle of Botswana since March 2020.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-07-09

Almost a third of lemurs and North Atlantic Right Whale now Critically Endangered – IUCN Red List

Almost a third (31%) of all lemur species in Madagascar are now Critically Endangered, with 98% of them threatened, according to the update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM.  The update also lists the North Atlantic Right Whale and European Hamster as Critically Endangered.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-03-19

Conservation efforts bring cautious hope for African rhinos

The African Black Rhino remains Critically Endangered, but its population is slowly increasing as conservation efforts counter the persistent threat of poaching, according to today’s update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM.

Read the full article on IUCN
2020-02-21

IUCN-Toyota Red List Partnership: Red List recognised as a crucial tool to tackle the nature emergency

At the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species, IUCN, Toyota and the Government of India hosted a panel discussion highlighting the importance of the Red List and private sector engagement for catalysing urgent species conservation action.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-12-10

Species recoveries bring hope amidst the biodiversity crisis

Conservation efforts have led to improvements in the status of ten species, according to today’s update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. This includes the recovery of the Guam Rail, a bird previously listed as Extinct in the Wild.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-09-27

Over half of Europe’s endemic trees face extinction

Over half (58%) of Europe’s endemic trees are threatened with extinction. The introduction of invasive species, unsustainable logging and urban development are key threats causing the decline of tree species, such as the horse-chestnut across Europe.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-08-02

Online IUCN Red List Training Course temporarily unavailable

In August 2019, ConservationTraining.org will be migrating all of its online courses to a new Learning Management System. During this period, the online Red List Training course will be unavailable. We expect the course to be back online on 19th August.

Online Red List Training course
2019-07-29

International Tiger Day: Celebrating an integrated approach for tiger conservation

Between 1910 and 2010, tiger populations plummeted dramatically. On International Tiger Day, we celebrate just some of the successes that an integrated, global approach for tiger conservation has facilitated to save this charismatic species from extinction.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-07-24

New technology can help map species on The IUCN Red List

A novel method incorporating remote sensing data into species mapping demonstrates how the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species continues to evolve, increasing in accuracy and impact as new technologies emerge.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-07-18

Unsustainable fishing and hunting for bushmeat driving iconic species to extinction – IUCN Red List

Overfishing has pushed two families of rays to the brink of extinction, while hunting for bushmeat and habitat loss have led to the decline of seven primate species, according to the latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-04-16

IUCN calls for a moratorium on projects impacting the Critically Endangered Tapanuli orangutan

IUCN is deeply concerned about ongoing and new threats to the Critically Endangered Tapanuli orangutan in Sumatra, Indonesia, calling for development and adoption of a conservation management plan.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-04-11

Mako Sharks, Spiny-tailed Iguanas and Cedar trees among species assessed in the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses of CITES Proposals

The IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses of Proposals to amend the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are now available online.

Read the full article on IUCN
2019-04-09

IUCN Task Force identify a record number of candidate Important Marine Mammal Areas

Fifty five marine areas in the western Indian Ocean and Arabian Seas identified by the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force.

Read the full article on IUCN
2018-10-30

Young people launch powerful plan to involve them in parks

Reconnecting people with nature was a hot topic during Europarc 2018, the yearly conference of Protected Areas in Europe. Involving youth in our organisations is a crucial step for this, according to Europarc’s director, Carol Richie.

Read the full article on IUCN
2018-10-23

WCEL Oceans, Coasts and Coral Reefs Specialist Group: Update October 2018

The Oceans, Coasts and Coral Reefs Specialist Group has published its report in a series highlighting ongoing work under each WCEL Specialist Group.

Read the full article on IUCN
2018-10-11

Western gray whales at great risk from salmon nets – IUCN-backed study

A new IUCN-backed scientific article published today finds that threatened western gray whales are at “very high risk” of entanglement in coastal salmon nets near Russia’s Sakhalin island, which often leads to their injury or death. 

Read the full article on IUCN
2018-09-14

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ Launches New Website

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is moving to this new web platform. We will run both websites in parallel until later in the year, when we will switch the current website with this new one.

NB: All users need to register for a new user account for saving searches and downloading data

Read the full article on IUCN
2018-09-10

New report: over half the world's raptors have declining populations

Birdlife international interview Chief Scientist, Stuart Butchart, about a newly published paper: State of the World’s Raptors. What threats face this iconic group of birds, and what can we do to help?

Read the full article on Birdlife
2018-09-05

Spix’s Macaw heads list of first bird extinctions confirmed this decade

Eight bird species, including two species of macaw, look set to have their extinctions confirmed following a robust new assessment of Critically Endangered species.

Read the full article on Birdlife
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