The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) on December 10, 2020 updated the Red List.
- It lists more than 35,700 species — representing almost 30% of all plant and animal species evaluated by the IUCN — as currently threatened with extinction.
- These include all of the world’s freshwater dolphins, almost one-third of all oak trees and 40% of all amphibians.
- According to the list, at least 31 species have also been declared extinct. These include several freshwater fish species endemic to Lake Lanao in the Philippines, three Central American frog species.
- The populations of at least 26 species, including the European bison, have shown marked recovery. It has reclassified as “near threatened” from its previous designation of “vulnerable.
About IUCN Red List
- The IUCN Red List Categories define the extinction risk of species assessed.
- Nine categories extend from NE (Not Evaluated) to EX (Extinct).
- Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) and Vulnerable (VU) species are considered to be threatened with global extinction.