The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - An Overview

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1 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - An Overview Dr Jane Smart Director, Biodiversity Conservation Group Head, Species Programme SSC Focal Point

2 My background: Botanist and plant ecologist Doctorate in restoration of wetlands Founder, NGO Plantlife International in 1989 Founder, Planta Europa in 1993 Chair, IUCN UK Committee Member SSC Plant Conservation Committee 2005: Head, IUCN Species Programme 2008: Director, Biodiversity Conservation Group 2010: IUCN lead on 2010 policy work

3 This presentation: What is The IUCN Red List? Who is involved? How many species have we assessed? The Red List Process The IUCN Red List a website The IUCN Red List brand What does the IUCN Red List tell us? Publication of The IUCN Red List

4 What is? A framework for classifying species according to extinction risk 1 in 3 amphibians 1 in 4 mammals 1 in 8 birds 1 in x plants?

5 What is The IUCN Red List? The IUCN Red List is the world s most comprehensive information source on the conservation status of plant and animal species An objective system for assessing extinction risk Species are assigned to one of eight categories based on criteria linked to population trend, population size and geographic range Species listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable are collectively described as Threatened

6 What is The IUCN Red List? It includes information on threats (e.g. invasive species), ecological requirements, and conservation actions The IUCN Red List is not just a list of names and threat categories The most credible, scientific and trusted benchmark for gauging the status and threats of the world s species A product of the IUCN triple helix : hundreds of the world s top species experts (in and beyond the SSC), the IUCN Species Programme, and also IUCN members

7 What is The IUCN Red List? It is managed and published by the IUCN Species Programme SSC: helps develop the standards and provides information - as volunteers! The flagship product of IUCN The global gold standard for informing conservation action Provide a global index to monitor the status of the world s biodiversity Published on a website:

8 1963: Sir Peter Scott - a register of threatened wildlife that includes definitions of degrees of threat s: thematic & regional lists s: plant & animal lists

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10 Who is involved?

11 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) IUCN Members Commissions (10,000 scientists & experts) 80 States 112 Government agencies >800 NGOs IUCN Secretariat 1,100 staff in 62 countries, led by IUCN s Director General (Julia Marton-Lefevre)

12 IUCN Council Simon Stuart, Chair, Species Survival Commission IUCN Regional Offices Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General SP / SSC collaboration Reporting line Functional reporting line William Jackson, Deputy Director General Jane Smart, Head, SP Director, BCG Heads, Programmes in BCGroup Management structure showing SSC/ SP reporting lines

13 IUCN Species Programme 40 staff in three main office locations: Switzerland (HQ); Cambridge, UK; Washington DC, US Working with the IUCN family on species conservation initiatives: With and in support of SSC With IUCN members: IUCN Red List Partnership With IUCN regional and country offices

14 IUCN Species Programme Structure Administrative reporting line Technical reporting line Office location Administrative Assistant Doreen Zivkovic Programme Officer SSC Network Support Dena Cator Programme Officer SSC Network Support Julie Griffin Marketing & Communications Officer Leigh Ann Hurt Junior Professional Associate Kathryn Pintus Manager, Species Information Jim Ragle Finance Assistant Hugo Ruiz Lozano SSC Membership & Administrative Assistant Claire Santer Gland, Switzerland Head, Species Programme Jane Smart Finance Assistant Maureen Martindell Red List Unit Manager & Office Manager Craig Hilton-Taylor Administrative Assistant Amy Burden Programme Officer Caroline Pollock Programme Officer Rebecca Miller Junior Professional Associate Leah Collett GIS Manager Vineet Katariya Cambridge, UK Manager, FB Unit & Deputy Office Manager Will Darwall Programme Officer Kevin Smith Programme Officer David Allen Programme Officer Emma Brooks Programme Officer Robert Holland Junior Prof. Associate Diego Bignoli Junior Prof. Associate Nieves García Gland, Switzerland Deputy Head, Species Programme Jean-Christophe Vié Coordinator Marine Species Kent Carpenter* Programme Officer Suzanne Livingstone Research Associate Beth Polidoro* Biodiversity Assessment Unit** Acting Manager Neil Cox Programme Officer Cristiane Elfes Programme Officer GMA Jan Schipper* Programme Officer Ian Harrison* Programme Officer Ariadne Angulo Programme Officer Marcelo Tognelli Invasive Species Coordinator Invasive Species Geoffrey Howard Red List Unit SSC Network Support Nairobi, Kenya Communications Climate Change GIS Analyst Susannah O'Hanlon Secondee to TRAFFIC Research & Analysis Thomasina Oldfield Programme Officer Climate Change Wendy Foden * Not employed by IUCN, but de facto members of the Species Programme ** The Biodiversity Assessment Unit is a partnership between IUCN and Conservation International Programme Officer Annabelle Cuttelod Programme Officer Melanie Bilz Junior Prof. Associate Climate Change Jamie Carr Freshwater Biodiversity Unit (FBU) Administrative Assistant Nancy Lear* Arlington, VA, USA Biodiversity Assessment Unit (BAU) Support Staff Last updated 21/01/2010

15 IUCN Species Programme (HQ, Cambridge and US office staff)

16 IUCN Headquarters Species Programme Headquarters Gland, Switzerland IUCN Species Programme UK Red List Unit Cambridge, UK

17 SSC 100 Specialist Group Chairs & Red List Authorities Mammals Plants Birds Fish Amphibians / Reptiles Invertebrates Disciplinary RLAs

18 SSC Specialist Group Chairs

19 Current partners : Red List Partnership New partners:

20 How many species have we assessed?

21 The 2009 IUCN Red List: c. 47,677 species

22 In the world: million! 15 million is a widely accepted figure million known species

23 1.8 million described species 47,677 (2.5%) species assessed 875 (c. 2%) Extinct 17,291 (36%) threatened The Past: Est million species

24 Number of species Total number of species on the IUCN Red List ( ) 50,000 Number of species on the Red List is increasing NOT all are threatened Increasing taxonomic coverage Many are reassessments The Past: In 2008, 23,000 processed, of which almost 4,000 were new species to the Red List Not just a list Compendium of rich information including maps to inform conservation work 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, IUCN Red List release

25 Red List Assessments Amphibians Mammals Birds Reptiles (some) The challenge: Plants Marine Freshwater Invertebrates

26 How does The Red List Process work?

27 The Objective: Identify and document those species most in need of conservation attention if the global extinction rates are to be reduced. Provide a global index to monitor the status of the world s biodiversity.

28 How does it work? IUCN Categories & Criteria: Extinct (EX) Extinctin the Wild (EW) A. Declining population Critically Endangered (CR) B. Small distribution and decline or fluctuation (Adequate data ) ( Threatened ) Endangered (EN) Vulnerable (VU) C. Small population size and decline ( Evaluated ) Near Threatened (NT) D. Very small or restricted population Least Concern (LC) E. Quantitative analysis Data Deficient (DD) Not Evaluated (NE)

29 IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria Also refer to: Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: version 7.0 (August 2008) Version (1994) (2001) Download from or

30 IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria were developed for use at the global level. They can also be used at regional and national levels, provided the Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Levels are followed. Free download from or

31 Red List Assessments from the field to publication: Data collection in the field Expert Workshops

32 Tools and training Training Tools, IT infrastructure and technical advice (SIS)

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34 Quality control: The IUCN Red List Unit Review assessments (consistency checks) prior to publication Management of the IUCN Red List (database, web site) Petitions and enquiries

35 The Red List assessment process Outside IUCN Regional/national assessments (endemic species) Other assessors Unreviewed Assessment Assessors Reviewed Assessment Within IUCN Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities Global Biodiversity Assessment projects Regional projects IUCN Red List Unit Checked, evaluated assessments Checked, reviewed assessments Peer review process Red List Authorities Reviewers The IUCN Red At List least of Threatened 2 reviewers Species for every assessment

36 Red List Documentation: All species in the Red List have supporting documentation. Justifies the selected category and criteria. Allows analysis of Red List data (information coded using standard Classification Schemes). Taxonomy including authority details. Common names Red List Category and Criteria Countries of occurrence Map of distribution Rationale for the assessment (supporting the criteria used) Names of assessors Habitat preferences (text & codes) Major Threats (text and codes) Conservation Measures in place & needed (text and codes) Citations list Reasons for any category changes

37 A new global hub for Red List Training Special training is needed to conduct a Red List Assessment There is a big need for training And a need to train trainers All over the world

38 The IUCN Red List - A website

39 RED LIST DOCUMENTATION An example: Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)

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46 The IUCN Red List brand

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48 Design Rationale ABSTRACT ICONS: - Detailed plant/animal images were reduced to stylized icons - Species concept is represented as a whole ICONS REPRESENT: - Animals - Water and plant life - Planet Earth SIMPLICITY OF LOGO: - Conveys a strong «warning signal» - Stands out as a stamp on various materials - Has consumer appeal - Easy to reproduce and recognize TYPEFACE: Bold and clear INCLUDES THE IUCN LOGO: The name remains «The IUCN Red List» and not simply «Red List»

49 The Scale of Threat Categories

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58 Long scale and buttons

59 Short scale and buttons

60 Red List Website

61 Maps

62 Reports

63 Who can use this visual identity? IUCN Commission members IUCN secretariat staff IUCN Red List Partners and members Zoos and Aquariums Parks and Botanic Gardens Other (Licensed) partners

64 And Where? Signage for enclosures Posters Brochures Books Photo captions Websites More!

65 Working with Zoos and Aquariums Article in February WAZA newsletter invited Zoos and Aquariums to use the IUCN Red List logo and scale

66 Paignton Zoo Poster (also doing enclosure signage)

67 Bristol Zoo: signage for aquarium

68 What does The IUCN Red List tell us?

69 State of the World s Species The 2008 Review

70 The 2008 IUCN Red List

71 Terrestrial biodiversity (6,260) (9,990) (5,488) (910)

72 Freshwater biodiversity Darwall et al.

73 Marine biodiversity Polidoro et al.

74 The Past:

75 The good news too 37 of the genuine improvements in status are mammals 5% of threatened mammals have increasing populations 16 bird species prevented from going extinct in the last 15 years due to conservation efforts

76 Biodiversity trends (IUCN Red List Index) Amphibians Mammals Corals

77 Publication of The IUCN Red List

78 Production and release of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

79 Red List launch at IUCN HQ

80 Species of the Day The button goes to a webpage You can get today s species or any of the older ones And other information A huge success!

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82 Thank you