Critically Endangered

Conservation status
By risk of extinction
Extinct
Extinct (list) Extinct in the Wild (list)
Threatened
Critically Endangered (list) Endangered (list) Vulnerable (list)
At lower risk
Conservation Dependent (list) Near Threatened (list) Least Concern
See also IUCN Red List International Union for Conservation of Nature Lists of organisms by population
v t e

Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered species are those that are facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.^[1] There are currently 2129 animals and 1821 plants with this assessment, compared with 1998 levels of 854 and 909, respectively.^[2]

As the Red List does not consider a species extinct until extensive, targeted surveys have been conducted, species which are possibly extinct are still listed as 'Critically Endangered'. A new ideal category for 'Possibly Extinct' has been suggested by BirdLife International to categorize these taxa.

IUCN definition

To be defined as critically endangered in the Red List, a species must meet ANY of the following criteria (A–E) ("3G/10Y" signifies three generations or ten years—whichever is longer—over a maximum of 100 years; "MI" signifies Mature Individuals):^[3]

A: Occurring over less than 100 km² and two of:

1. Severe habitat fragmentation or existing at just one location

2. Decline in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, area/extent/quality of habitat, number of locations/subpopulations, or amount of MI.

3. Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of locations/subpopulations, or amount of MI.

B: As above, but less than 10 km² (used to show differing levels of severity).

C: Declining population of less than 250 MI and either:

1. A decline of 25% over 1G/3Y;

2. Extreme fluctuations, or over 90% of MI in a single subpopulation, or no more than 50 MI in any one subpopulation.

D: Numbers less than 50 MI.

E: At least 50% chance of going Extinct in the Wild over 3G/10Y.

See also

• Lists of IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species for lists ordered by taxonomic rank
• Category:IUCN Red List critically endangered species for an alphabetical list
• The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
• The world's 100 most threatened species
• IUCN for additional information on the IUCN

References

External links

• List of Critically Endangered species as identified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• The Criteria for Critically Endangered, IUCN

v t e Threatened species IUCN categories IUCN Extinct in the Wild Threatened species Critically Endangered Endangered species Vulnerable species Near Threatened Least Concern Data Deficient Conservation Dependent IUCN Red List IUCN species lists Extinct in the wild lists Critically endangered lists Endangered lists Vulnerable lists Near threatened lists Data deficient lists Critically endangered categories Endangered categories Vulnerable categories Near threatened categories Data deficient categories Conservation Biodiversity action plan Biodiversity threats Conservation biology CITES ARKive Bird conservation Conservation status Conservation reliant species Ecoregion conservation status Habitat destruction Latent extinction risk Rare species Vulnerability and susceptibility Other taxa Endangered arthropods Endangered spiders Threatened Banksia Threatened birds Threatened rays Threatened sharks Threatened sturgeons The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates The world's 100 most threatened species

v t e Threatened species by region By region Blue-listed Environmental Vulnerability Index Regional Red List Australasia Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ROTAP Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 Threatened ecological community Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989 Canada Species at Risk Act Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada European European Endangered Species Programme Funds for Endangered Parrots South Africa Endangered Wildlife Trust United States Distinct population segment Endangered Species Act Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1978 Endangered species recovery plan Endangered Wolf Center National Wildlife Refuge NatureServe conservation status The Nature Conservancy Lists Asia List of endangered and protected species of China Endangered mammals of India List of endangered animals in India List of mammals of Morocco List of endangered species in Pakistan List of endangered species in Vietnam Europe Threatened mammals of Europe Endangered plants of Europe List of endangered species of the British Isles List of extinct and endangered species of Italy List of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania North America List of mammals of Canada List of endangered plants in North America List of endangered species in North America Endangered mammals and birds of the US List of threatened mammals of the United States List of threatened birds of the United States List of threatened reptiles and amphibians of the United States Elsewhere Threatened fauna of Australia List of threatened flora of Australia Official list of endangered flora of Brazil List of threatened species of the Philippines