November 2, 2009

IUCN Red List update: 17,291 species are threatened with extinction

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

The 2009 edition of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was released today, and the news isn't good: 17,291 species out of 47,677 assessed species, or 36 percent, are threatened with extinction.

Science currently recognizes around 1.8 million species on Earth (out of an estimated five million to 30 million total species—the true total remains unknown). But the health of the vast majority of those known species has yet to be assessed. Even among those on the IUCN's list, 14 percent lack enough information to judge their health (or threat level) in the wild.

Below is a breakdown of the endangered species' status on the new IUCN list:

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

• Extinct: 809

• Extinct in the Wild: 66

• Critically Endangered: 3,325 (of these, 257 species are listed as "possibly extinct")

• Endangered: 4,891

• Vulnerable (to extinction): 9,075

• Near Threatened: 3,650

Definitions of the IUCN's categories can be found here.

Last year's list assessed 44,838 species; information on more than 2,800 additional species has been added in 2009. This includes more than 1,300 previously unassessed dragonflies and damselflies, of which the IUCN recently completed a major new study.

Amphibians seem to be facing the greatest threat, with 1,895 of 6,285 assessed species in danger of extinction. One amphibian species, the Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis), has been moved from the IUCN's Critically Endangered list and is considered Extinct in the Wild. The deadly chytrid fungus is blamed for the species's final death note as well as for many other declines in amphibian populations over the past few years.

"These results are just the tip of the iceberg," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the IUCN Red List Unit, in a prepared statement. "There are many more millions [of species] out there which could be under serious threat."

Image: The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), one of the Critically Endangered species assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Via Wikipedia

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American