Red Book (Red List) IUCN. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and IUCN International Red List Institutions representing Russia in IUCN

I recently found on mine bookshelves a reduced copy of the famous Red Book. This edition did not include full list endangered animals, but the title of the book had interesting name: "IUCN Red List". What does the last abbreviation mean and what does the Red Book consist of, I decided to find out.

What is the IUCN Red List

Let's start with the fact that "IUCN" can be translated as international union for nature protection. In 1948, this union was able to unite and lead the work related to wildlife conservation in many countries of the world. And already in 1949, it was decided to create a commission regarding certain creatures. The main task of the commission was definition rare species animals (as well as plants) that are on the verge of extinction (as well as the development of measures to protect them).

Thus, the leading goal of the Commission was the formation of a special list of organisms, the number of which critically low. This list is called "Red Book". The fact is that the color red subconsciously symbolizes danger and threat. And so the Red Book, familiar to this day, appeared.

The first edition of this book was published a long time ago. 1963. Then it gradually expanded, supplemented and improved. Changes in the Red Book are being made today.

The Red Book is a document that has permanent action. This can be explained by the endless change natural conditions and the formation of threats to species. It is worth noting that the efforts made by people still bear fruit. What are they talking about green sheets books.

Separately, it is worth mentioning Red Book of the USSR. It was distinguished by the fact that only those species that lived in the territories of the former Soviet state.

Taxa in the Red Book and their species

The Red Book includes taxa(groups) of organisms, which are divided according to the relevant criteria and blocks.

There are two main blocks in total. The first one consists of:

taxa in critical condition;
taxa under threatened with extinction;
and taxa residing in vulnerabilities.

This block warns of species that may disappear in the near future.

The second block includes:

taxa whose safety depends on degree of protection;
taxa that can move into group of threatened;
as well as taxa with minimal risk.

These sections are very helpful when reading the Red Book and facilitate understanding. We all need to remember about the importance of animal and plant conservation on the ground.

The problems of the barbaric use of forests, irrigation of lands and the disappearance of species and animal populations, to one degree or another, face every country today. That is why, back in the middle of the last century, a global environmental structure was created, operating on a non-profit basis.

Nature Conservancy and natural resources conducts special work on the planning and implementation of environmental measures, has a multi-stage system and brings together more than one thousand experts working around the world. Let's get to know this organization better.

IUCN scales

As the oldest and independent body, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has been in operation for 77 years, operating since 1948. The Union's activity program is regulated by the World Environmental Strategy adopted in 1979. As a consultant to UNESCO, ECOSOC and FAO, IUCN includes 78 countries, almost 900 government and public organizations, more than 12,000 scientists and experts from 181 states. The Union publishes the Red Book, popular science literature, serial and special editions. Located in Gland, Switzerland, the headquarters of the union has never changed its location.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): mission

The unambiguous name also defines the main idea of IUCN:

Implementation of effective assistance to the environmental movement in preserving the uniqueness, integrity and characteristics of various natural complexes;

Ensuring the lawful and reasonable consumption of natural resources that does not violate the environmental sustainability of the planet as a whole.

Having observer status at the UN General Assembly, IUCN cooperates not only with intergovernmental institutions, but is ready for dialogue with any association striving to preserve resources.

Organization goals

The main objectives of the creation of the IUCN are:

Combating the extinction of species and the reduction of biological (species) diversity;

Keeping existing ecosystems intact;

Monitoring the wise use of resources.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources seeks to unite joint efforts and apply progressive scientific knowledge in environmental activities.

Implementing accepted international conventions, IUCN helps various countries in the development and application of national strategies, environmental measures and plans.

Structure

IUCN is the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and its members are:

States;

government agencies;

Public organizations;

non-profit associations.

The activities of the union are coordinated by the Governing Council, elected by organizations that are members of the IUCN. The work of the union is carried out within the framework of six commissions and is carried out mainly by volunteers on a gratuitous basis. The strategy and program of activities of the association is adjusted every four years by member organizations. IUCN projects are funded by governments, international foundations, various associations and corporations, as well as members of the union.

IUCN activities

The multifaceted work of the union has several directions. Here are the main ones:

Illumination of the problems of the planet Earth and the search for their solutions;

Carrying out monitoring and scientific research;

Publications of news and articles by experienced experts of world importance;

Organization of various world significance, for example, World Congress of Parks, etc.

Scientific research and their focus

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is trying to apply the scientific and practical potential that exists today in order to preserve species diversity and support the sustainable use of forest resources.

The priority is the development of a consistent policy for the conservation of forests in the implementation of political decisions. IUCN advises various companies involved in forest land. The adopted program of the union for the conservation of forests on the planet coordinates the work on the protection, restoration and sustainable, but reasonable use of them. As time has shown, the lessons learned from the results of active field research are being used in political decision making in different levels authorities.

Published jointly with the WWF and UNEP in 1991, Aspects of a Sustainable Earth Strategy set out the main criteria applied to specific projects that combine issues such as conservation needs along with community needs.

How the IUCN functions

The activities of the association are carried out in six directions, within the framework determined by the commissions:

On the survival of species. This Commission maintains Red Lists, develops recommendations for the conservation of endangered species and applies them in practice.

By environmental law. Promotes promotion and acceptance environmental laws, the development of modern mechanisms of jurisprudence necessary for environmental purposes.

For environmental, economic and social policy. Provides qualified expert assistance in solving political issues adopted in accordance with regional socio-economic factors.

Education and communications. Develops strategies for using communications to conserve and sustainably consume resources.

Ecosystem management. Assesses the management of natural (natural) and artificially created ecosystems.

World Commission for Protected Areas.

International Union for Conservation of Nature in Russia

Our country did not stand aside. As part of the adopted European program, since 1991, an operating office for the Commonwealth countries has been opened in the capital, which later grew into a representative office.

The creation of this structure in Russia will make it possible to achieve the implementation of high-quality security projects on the vast territory of Russia and the CIS.

The representations are:

All-round conservation of forests, their rational consumption;

Maintenance of biodiversity of flora and fauna;

Creation and subsequent maintenance of the ecological in the Eurasian territory;

Protection of endangered, unique and rare species of representatives of the natural community;

Development of rational and sustainable agricultural production;

Development of the Arctic program.

Institutions representing Russia in the IUCN

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is represented by many countries. Our country in the union today is represented by:

Ministry of the Russian Federation for Natural Resources and Ecology.

Ecocenter "Reserves".

World Wildlife Fund.

Wildlife Conservation Center.

Society of Naturalists in St. Petersburg.

Fund for Wild Animals in Khabarovsk.

How to become a member of the IUCN

Membership in the ranks of the IUCN is honorary and must be justified and supported by relevant activities. In order to achieve it, you need:

Have the status of a state, public or research organization whose activities pursue environmental goals: the prudent use of resources and the maintenance of a sustainable natural balance.

Compile and submit an application for membership in the IUCN.

Wait for an answer. The International Union for Conservation of Nature evaluates the contribution made to the cause of nature conservation and the conformity of the work carried out by the organization with the goals of the union.

If approval is received, the organization gets access to the Internet portal, publications and takes part in consulting or expert work.

Note that only organizations can apply for membership in the IUCN. But individual experts can also act as members of the commissions.

The publication of the Red Book is one of the achievements of the IUCN

The most well-known aspect of IUCN activities, which is overseen by the Species Survival Commission, is the publication of the Red Book. It has been published periodically since 1966. With the passage of time and changes in the environment, its releases are updated, representing an extensive catalog of populations and species of animals, classified according to the degree of danger of extinction. It also gives an assessment of the state of the species for the current period and predicts the subsequent dynamics - negative or positive. The publication of each issue is preceded by a deep analysis of the state of nature. Eg, analytical work, conducted by the IUCN in 2000, a negative trend in the depletion of the world fauna was noted. It is noted that over the past four hundred years, the planet has lost almost 700 species, and 33 have disappeared in wild nature preserved only in culture. The peak of this disastrous process came at the end of the 20th century and continues to this day.

Unfortunately, the forecasts for the future are even more dire. According to in-depth research by IUCN specialists, almost 5.5 thousand animals are on the verge of extinction. various kinds. The Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature is a document that served as a noticeable impetus for the emergence of national and regional Red Lists that raise problems environment in limited areas. The work done to preserve the habitat is invaluable. That is why the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is a vital association that restrains the destructive work of man against himself.

IUCN Red List This article is about the Red Book - a list of rare and endangered species. This term has other meanings, see Red Book (meanings)

Red Book- an annotated list of rare and endangered animals, plants and fungi. Red Books are of various levels - international, national and regional.

The first organizational task for the protection of rare and endangered species is their inventory and accounting both on a global scale and in individual countries. Without this, you can't start theoretical development problems, no practical recommendations for salvation certain types. The task is not easy, and even 30-35 years ago the first attempts were made to compile first regional and then world reports of rare and endangered species of animals and birds. However, the information was either too laconic and contained only a list of rare species, or, on the contrary, very cumbersome, since it included all available data on biology and presented a historical picture of the reduction in their ranges.

IUCN Red List

Editions of the Red Book of the WSOP

The first edition of the WSOP Red Data Book was published in 2009. It was a "pilot" edition with a small circulation. Its two volumes include information on 211 species and subspecies of mammals and 312 species and subspecies of birds. The Red Book was sent out according to a list of prominent statesmen and scientists. As new information was accumulated, as planned, additional sheets were sent to the addressees to replace the outdated ones.

Three volumes of the second edition of the book appeared in - years. Now she had a "book" format (21.0 x 14.5 cm), but, like the first edition, she looked like a loose-leaf thick calendar, any sheet of which could be replaced by a new one. The book was still not designed for general sale, it was sent to the list of environmental institutions, organizations and individual scientists. The number of species listed in the second edition of the WSOP Red List has increased significantly, since over the past time has been collected Additional Information. The first volume of the book includes information about 236 species (292 subspecies) of mammals, the second - about 287 species (341 subspecies) of birds, and the third - about 119 species and subspecies of reptiles and 34 species and subspecies of amphibians.

Gradually, the Red Book of the VSOP was improved and replenished. The third edition, whose volumes began to appear in the year, already included information on 528 species and subspecies of mammals, 619 species of birds and 153 species and subspecies of reptiles and amphibians. The heading of individual sheets was also changed. The first section is devoted to characterizing the status and state of the art species, subsequent geographical distribution, population structure and abundance, characteristics of habitats, current and proposed protection measures, characteristics of animals kept in zoos, sources of information (literature). The book went on sale, and in connection with this, its circulation was sharply increased.

The last, fourth "type" edition, published in - years, includes 226 species and 79 subspecies of mammals, 181 species and 77 subspecies of birds, 77 species and 21 subspecies of reptiles, 35 species and 5 subspecies of amphibians, 168 species and 25 subspecies of fish. Among them, 7 restored species and subspecies of mammals, 4 - birds, 2 species of reptiles. The reduction in the number of forms in the latest edition of the Red Book was not only due to successful protection, but also as a result of more accurate information received in recent years.

Work on the Red Data Book of the WSOP continues. This is a document of permanent action, since the living conditions of animals are constantly changing and more and more new species can be in a catastrophic situation. However, human effort good fruit, as evidenced by its green sheets.

Red List of Threatened Species

The second branch of the “bifurcation” of the idea of the Red Book is the appearance of a completely new form information about rare animals in the form of a publication " Red Lists of Threatened Species" (eng. IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals ). They also come out under the auspices of the IUCN, but officially and practically they are not a version of the Red Book, they are not similar to it, although they are close to it. Such lists were published in , , , and years. The publication is carried out world center environmental monitoring in Cambridge (UK) with the participation of more than a thousand members of the IUCN Rare Species Commission.

Structural basis new system form two main blocks: a) endangered taxa and b) low risk taxa (LC).

The first block is divided into three categories:

taxa in critical condition (CR)
endangered taxa (EN)
taxa in vulnerability (VU)

In fact, these three categories are the main ones, warning about the seriousness of the loss of representatives of the taxon in the near future. It is they who make up the main array of taxa listed in the red books of various ranks.

The second block includes representatives who do not belong to any of the categories of the first group, and consists of the following categories:

taxa depending on the degree and measures of protection (CD)
taxa close to threatened (NT)
taxa of minimum risk (LC)

Two more categories that are not directly related to protection problems stand somewhat apart:

taxa completely extinct (EX)
taxa surviving only in captivity (EW)

The IUCN Red Book, like the Red Lists, is not a legal (legal) document, but is exclusively advisory in nature. She covers animal world on a global scale and contains protection recommendations addressed to countries and governments in whose territories a threatening situation has developed for animals. These recommendations are inevitably, precisely because of the global scope, are of the most general, approximate nature.

See also IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria

Red Book of the USSR

Red Book of the USSR came out in August. Its release was timed to coincide with the opening of the XIV General Assembly IUCN, held in the USSR (Ashgabat).

The Red Book of the USSR is divided into two parts. The first is devoted to animals, the second - to plants. The plan for heading sheets devoted to animals and plants is different.

For animals, the following headings are accepted:

title and systematic position kind
status category
geographical distribution
characteristics of habitats and their current state
abundance in nature
characteristics of the reproduction process
competitors, enemies and diseases
reasons for the change in numbers
number in captivity
captive breeding characteristics
protection measures taken
necessary security measures
information sources

All these rubrics are filled in for each species of rare animals. Thus, information on each species is more diverse than in the IUCN Red List. But in the first edition of the Red Book of the USSR, a more simplified scale of status categories was adopted. Only two categories are considered:

endangered species ( Category A)
rare species ( Category B)

Category A included, first of all, the species included in the IUCN Red List (third edition) and living on the territory of the USSR (this principle was preserved later). In total, 62 species and subspecies of mammals were listed in the Red Book of the USSR (25 forms were classified in category A and 37 in category B), 63 species of birds (26 species in category A and 37 in category B), 8 species of amphibians and 21 type of reptile. For each species, there is a drawing and distribution map on the corresponding sheet.

By itself, the Red Book of the USSR did not have the force of a state legal act. At the same time, in accordance with the Regulations on the Red Book of the USSR, the inclusion of any species in it meant the establishment of a ban on its extraction, imposed on the relevant government bodies obligations to protect both the species itself and its habitats. In this aspect, the Red Book of the USSR was the basis for the legislative protection of rare species. At the same time, it should be considered as a scientifically substantiated program of practical measures to save rare species.

The Red Book of the USSR, like the Red Book of the IUCN, had to be replenished and improved, in accordance with changes in the ecological situation in the country, the emergence of new knowledge about animals, and the improvement of methods for their protection. Therefore, immediately after the publication of the Red Book of the USSR (and possibly even earlier), the collection of materials for its second edition began. Thanks to the extremely intensive work of a group of highly qualified specialists, the second edition was published six years after the first, in the year. It fundamentally differed from the first one both in structure and in the volume of material.

The difference was primarily in the fact that the range of large taxa of animals included in the new edition has significantly expanded. In particular, it included, in addition to the four classes of ground vertebrate fish, arthropods , mollusks and annelids . The Red Book of Plants was published as a separate volume. In addition, instead of two categories of status, five were singled out, as in the third edition of the IUCN Red Book, and the wording of the categories was practically borrowed from it:

Category I - endangered species, the salvation of which is impossible without the implementation of special measures.
Category II - species whose numbers are still relatively high, but declining catastrophically fast, which in the near future may put them under the threat of extinction (that is, candidates for category I).
Category III - rare species that are currently not yet threatened with extinction, but they are found in such small numbers or in such limited areas that they can disappear if the habitat is adversely changed under the influence of natural or anthropogenic factors.
Category IV - species whose biology has not been studied enough, the number and condition are alarming, but the lack of information does not allow them to be attributed to any of the first categories.
Category V - restored species, the state of which, thanks to the conservation measures taken, no longer causes concern, but they are not yet subject to commercial use and their populations require constant monitoring.

In total, 223 taxa were listed in this edition, including species, subspecies and populations of terrestrial vertebrates (the inclusion of subspecies and populations in this edition was also an innovation). By reach species composition fauna, these taxa were distributed as follows: mammals - 96 taxa, birds - 80, reptiles - 37 and amphibians - 9 taxa. In terms of status categories, the distribution was in principle fairly even: of the mammals, 21 taxa were assigned to the first category, 20 to the second, 40 to the third, 11 to the fourth and 4 to the fifth category; from the class of birds, respectively, 21, 24, 17, 14, and 4 taxa; from reptiles - 7, 7, 16, 6 and 1; from amphibians - 1, 6, and 2 (there were no taxa belonging to the fourth and fifth categories among amphibians).

This edition collected significant material on the biology of rare species, which is still used today. The same material to a large extent formed the basis of the Republican Red Data Books, and later in the Red Data Book. Russian Federation. This edition of the Red Book of the USSR was published after the adoption of the Law "On the Protection and Use of Wildlife", which meant the introduction of special measures for the protection of rare species.

Red Book of the Russian Federation

As a result of the collapse Soviet Union many normative legal acts have lost their legitimacy. After the formation of Russia as an independent state and the reform of the entire system government controlled in the field of environmental protection, the question arose of preparing the publication of the Red Book of the Russian Federation on a new political and administrative basis. The Red Book of the RSFSR was taken as the scientific basis for the Red Book of Russia, although it was a fundamentally new edition. The work of creating the Red Book of Russia was entrusted to the newly created Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. In 1999, a Commission on Rare and Endangered Species of Animals and Plants was established under the ministry, to which leading experts in the field of protection of rare species from various institutions in Moscow and other cities were involved.

Despite the fact that in 1992-1995 the name, structure and personnel of the ministry changed many times, the Commission on Rare Species did a lot of work. For example, it was decided to propose six categories of status:

0 - probably disappeared. Taxa and populations previously known from the territory (or water area) of the Russian Federation and whose presence in nature has not been confirmed (for invertebrates - in the last 100 years, for vertebrates - in the last 50 years).
1 - endangered. Taxa and populations whose numbers of individuals have decreased to a critical level in such a way that they may soon become extinct.
2 - declining in numbers. Taxa and populations in steadily declining numbers that, if further impacted by declining factors, may short time fall into the endangered category.
3 - rare. Taxa and populations that have small numbers and distributed over a limited area (or water area) or sporadically distributed over large areas (water areas).
4 - undetermined by status. Taxa and populations that probably belong to one of the previous categories, but there is currently no sufficient information about their state in nature, or they do not fully meet the criteria of all other categories.
5 - recoverable and recoverable. Taxa and populations, the abundance and distribution of which are influenced by natural causes or as a result of measures taken the guards have begun to recover and are approaching a state where they will not need urgent conservation and restoration measures.

Standard rules for compiling essays (lists) by species (subspecies, populations) were developed, illustrative materials were regulated, and the lists of species recommended for inclusion in the Red Book of Russia were revised and supplemented. In total, according to the first option, 407 species (subspecies, populations) of animals were recommended, including 155 species of invertebrates (including insects), 43 species of cyclostomes and fish, 8 species of amphibians, 20 species of reptiles, 118 species of birds and 63 species of mammals. 9 taxa were categorized as extinct and 42 taxa were proposed for exclusion in comparison with the list of the Red Book of the RSFSR. In addition, a list of taxa in need of special control in nature was created. Essays (sheets) on individual taxa have been collected and edited. In general, the preparation of the manuscript by 1995 was almost completed.

Regional Red Books in Russia

Since the second half of the 1980s, the USSR began compiling regional books on rare species of animals and plants on the scale of republics, territories, regions, autonomous regions. This was due to the need for immediate protection of a number of species and forms of animals and plants, perhaps not rare in the country, but rare in certain regions, as well as the independence of local authorities rapidly growing in these years and the desire to independently solve their environmental problems. It was expedient to give such regional books about rare animals the status of regional Red Books. It strengthened them legal status and increased practical impact on society. Special meaning it meant for national autonomies.

In essence, there is only one non-regional Red Book on Earth: it is the IUCN Red Book - the only one that provides information on rare species within the entire range. Only in this case we are talking about the planetary conservation of rare species. All other national Red Books are regional, only their territorial scope is different. For example, in the Red Book of the USSR (now it is Russia, the CIS countries and the Baltic States), out of 80 bird species, less than 20 are listed in the IUCN Red Book, and the rest are, therefore, regionally rare.

National Red Books, with rare exceptions, provide information only on parts of the ranges of species and subspecies of animals and plants. Only in cases with narrow-range species can we talk about the preservation of the world gene pool on the scale of a particular national or even regional Red Book. For animals, this is a rather rare occurrence (for example, Russian muskrat or endemics of Lake Baikal).

As a rule, the larger the region, the more significant it is for wildlife conservation. The exception is some relatively small territories with exceptional biodiversity, an abundance of endemic species or species that are rare and disappearing on a global scale. These are, for example, the Caucasus, Altai, the south of the Far East, some regions of Central Asia.

In the 1990s-2000s, a number of new regional Red Books of various administrative levels appeared. Moreover, it should be noted that in terms of their scientific, environmental and printing levels, the Red Data Books of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine are significantly superior to their predecessors of the Soviet period.

The following editions were published in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation:

The animal world is incredibly rich and diverse. Nevertheless, the gradual disappearance of many animal species continues every day, every minute.

Since 1600, many living organisms have become extinct. In 1627, the last tour was killed near Warsaw, in 1788 in the vicinity Commander Islands the last sea cow, and in 1899 the last passenger pigeon was shot in the USA.

The black market for trade in wild animals and individual parts of their bodies flourished, and the riches of the Earth seemed inexhaustible. Many species died at the hands of poachers or simply because there were no suitable habitats left for them. The destructive process began to manifest itself with the greatest force at the end of the 20th century. and still going on. 1130 species of mammals, 1183 birds, 296 reptiles, 146 amphibians, 751 fish, 938 molluscs, 408 crustaceans, 10 arachnids, 555 insects, and many other species of invertebrates are endangered.

Author: Aaron Logan - Lightmatterhttp://www.lightmatter.net/gallery/Animals/panda, CC BY 1.0 Over the past ten years, several animal species have disappeared from world history forever. One of them is the western black rhinoceros, other subspecies of this species are in critical danger.

Forever left the world of wildlife river dolphin Beiji, western black rhinoceros, Mariana mallard, Iberian ibex, Alaotran grebe, Caribbean monk seal and some other species. Over the past centuries, 83 species of mammals, 128 birds, 21 reptiles, 5 amphibians, 81 fish, 291 molluscs, 8 crustaceans, 72 insects, 3 onychophora and 1 turbellaria have completely disappeared from the face of the planet.

In order for a person to know which living creatures require serious protection measures and need help, it was created.

Red Book - official document, it contains systematized information about representatives of flora and fauna that need protection. There are international, national and regional Red Data Books. Usually, each country, and sometimes a region or city, has a Red Book or Red List, because the conservation of a species as a whole directly depends on its position in a particular habitat.

The International Red Book () reflects global trends as much as possible, the threat to the existence of one or another taxon on the scale of the Earth. The local Red Books and lists tell about the state of affairs in a particular population in a certain area.

By the beginning of the XX century. the extinction and decline of many species has become such a serious problem that it is urgently needed to be addressed. In 1928, a International Bureau for the protection of nature, and in 1948 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN; IUCN) was founded. In the second year of IUCN activity, the Commission on rare and endangered species (Species Survival Commission) was organized, the members of which were leading scientists from many countries.

The first pilot edition of the Red Book of the World was published in 1963 in a small edition. The second, more complete, edition, including five volumes, was published from 1966 to 1971. Today IUCN brings together 82 countries, 111 governmental and 800 non-governmental organizations. A huge number of scientists and research teams are working on the development and updating of the Red List, and commissions on Red Books have been established in many countries.

The author of the idea of creating the Red Book was an English researcher, one of the founders of the World Wildlife Fund, chairman of the Commission on Rare and Endangered Species Peter Scott. He suggested choosing red as a symbol of anxiety, danger and, at the same time, the desire for life.

The giant panda was the animal that inspired Peter Scott's iconic WWF emblem.

The third edition of the Red Book began to appear starting from 1972, and the last, fourth, was published from 1978 to 1980. Since 1988, an alternative option has appeared - the Red List of Threatened Species. The list is constantly updated with new information.

In this list, animals are divided into nine conservation statuses. Let's consider security categories in more detail.

EX (disappeared). The status is assigned to a species or subspecies that does not occur in nature, starting from the last officially recorded sighting. If the last member dies, the species is considered extinct. Unfortunately, the list of species with this status is quite long. This includes white-billed woodpecker, dodos, moas, heather grouse and many others.

EW (extinct in the wild). This status assigned to taxa that have survived only in captivity. This is the last step before the critical line. The category includes blue macaw, deer of David, Saharan oryx, etc.

CR (critically endangered or critically endangered). The highest protection category, which is assigned to species preserved in the wild. The main criterion is an 80% reduction in numbers within three generations. This conservation status assigned Amur leopard, Hawaiian monk seal, black rhinoceros, saiga.

EN (endangered or endangered species). This conservation status is assigned to those species and subspecies, the number of which is critically small, and the range is shrinking. These include the Iranian fallow deer, anoa, myriki, spectacled penguin, hyacinth macaw.

VU (in a vulnerable position). This category includes species that may be threatened with extinction in the near future. If the population of a species has decreased by 30% over the past three generations, it is assigned this conservation status. These include the small panda, the paradise crane, polar bear, mandrill and many others.

Over the past 100 years, the number of spectacled penguins has decreased by more than ten times. The species has been assigned the EN conservation status. This "sweet couple" still inspires hope that the species will not go into oblivion

NT (close to vulnerable). Currently, species or subspecies that have this conservation status are not on the verge of extinction, but in the near future they may be endangered. In the Red Book of the World, this status is assigned to narwhals, gray pelicans, tomato narrow-mouthed.

LC (Least Concern). The most optimistic conservation status. At the moment, these taxa are almost not threatened. But the number of local populations or their range may be reduced. These include the koala, bullfrog, bittern, satin bower and many others.

DD (not enough data)

NE (threat not assessed).

In the essay about a particular species, you can find out its systematic position, current conservation status, read the description appearance, lifestyle and biology, as well as some interesting facts.

Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature This article is about the Red Book - a list of rare and endangered species. This term has other meanings, see Red Book (meanings)

Red Book- an annotated list of rare and endangered animals, plants and fungi. Red Books are of various levels - international, national and regional.

The first organizational task for the protection of rare and endangered species is their inventory and accounting both on a global scale and in individual countries. Without this, it is impossible to proceed either to the theoretical development of the problem, or to practical recommendations for saving individual species. The task is not easy, and even 30-35 years ago the first attempts were made to compile first regional and then world reports of rare and endangered species of animals and birds. However, the information was either too laconic and contained only a list of rare species, or, on the contrary, very cumbersome, since it included all available data on biology and presented a historical picture of the reduction in their ranges.

IUCN Red List

Editions of the Red Book of the WSOP

The first edition of the WSOP Red Data Book was published in 2009. It was a "pilot" edition with a small circulation. Its two volumes include information on 211 species and subspecies of mammals and 312 species and subspecies of birds. The Red Book was sent according to the list to prominent statesmen and scientists. As new information was accumulated, as planned, additional sheets were sent to the addressees to replace the outdated ones.

Three volumes of the second edition of the book appeared in - years. Now she had a "book" format (21.0 x 14.5 cm), but, like the first edition, she looked like a loose-leaf thick calendar, any sheet of which could be replaced by a new one. The book was still not designed for general sale, it was sent to the list of environmental institutions, organizations and individual scientists. The number of species listed in the second edition of the WUCN Red List has increased significantly as additional information has been collected since then. The first volume of the book includes information about 236 species (292 subspecies) of mammals, the second - about 287 species (341 subspecies) of birds, and the third - about 119 species and subspecies of reptiles and 34 species and subspecies of amphibians.

Gradually, the Red Book of the VSOP was improved and replenished. The third edition, whose volumes began to appear in the year, already included information on 528 species and subspecies of mammals, 619 species of birds and 153 species and subspecies of reptiles and amphibians. The heading of individual sheets was also changed. The first section is devoted to the characteristics of the status and current state of the species, the next - to the geographical distribution, population structure and abundance, characteristics of habitats, current and proposed conservation measures, characteristics of animals kept in zoos, sources of information (literature). The book went on sale, and in connection with this, its circulation was sharply increased.

Work on the Red Data Book of the WSOP continues. This is a document of permanent action, since the living conditions of animals are constantly changing and more and more new species can be in a catastrophic situation. At the same time, the efforts made by a person give good results, as evidenced by its green sheets.

Red List of Threatened Species

The second branch of the “bifurcation” of the idea of the Red Book is the emergence of a completely new form of information about rare animals in the form of a publication “ Red Lists of Threatened Species" (eng. IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals ). They also come out under the auspices of the IUCN, but officially and practically they are not a version of the Red Book, they are not similar to it, although they are close to it. Such lists were published in , , , and years. The publication is carried out World Environmental Monitoring Center in Cambridge (UK) with the participation of more than a thousand members of the IUCN Rare Species Commission.

The structural basis of the new system is formed by two main blocks: a) endangered taxa and b) low risk taxa (LC).

The first block is divided into three categories:

taxa in critical condition (CR)
endangered taxa (EN)
taxa in vulnerability (VU)

The second block includes representatives who do not belong to any of the categories of the first group, and consists of the following categories:

taxa depending on the degree and measures of protection (CD)
taxa close to threatened (NT)
taxa of minimum risk (LC)

Two more categories that are not directly related to protection problems stand somewhat apart:

taxa completely extinct (EX)
taxa surviving only in captivity (EW)

The IUCN Red Book, like the Red Lists, is not a legal (legal) document, but is exclusively advisory in nature. It covers the animal world on a global scale and contains protection recommendations addressed to countries and governments in whose territories a threatening situation has developed for animals. These recommendations are inevitably, precisely because of the global scope, are of the most general, approximate nature.

See also IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria

Red Book of the USSR

Red Book of the USSR came out in August. Its release was timed to coincide with the opening of the XIV IUCN General Assembly, held in the USSR (Ashgabat).

The Red Book of the USSR is divided into two parts. The first is devoted to animals, the second - to plants. The plan for heading sheets devoted to animals and plants is different.

For animals, the following headings are accepted:

name and systematic position of the species
status category
geographical distribution
characteristics of habitats and their current state
abundance in nature
characteristics of the reproduction process
competitors, enemies and diseases
reasons for the change in numbers
number in captivity
captive breeding characteristics
protection measures taken
necessary security measures
information sources

endangered species ( Category A)
rare species ( Category B)

By itself, the Red Book of the USSR did not have the force of a state legal act. At the same time, in accordance with the Regulations on the Red Book of the USSR, the inclusion of any species in it meant the establishment of a ban on its extraction, imposed obligations on the protection of both the species itself and its habitats on the relevant state bodies. In this aspect, the Red Book of the USSR was the basis for the legislative protection of rare species. At the same time, it should be considered as a scientifically substantiated program of practical measures to save rare species.

The difference was primarily in the fact that the range of large taxa of animals included in the new edition has significantly expanded. In particular, in addition to the four classes of terrestrial vertebrates, it included fish, arthropods, molluscs and annelids. The Red Book of Plants was published as a separate volume. In addition, instead of two categories of status, five were singled out, as in the third edition of the IUCN Red Book, and the wording of the categories was practically borrowed from it:

Category I - endangered species, the salvation of which is impossible without the implementation of special measures.
Category II - species whose numbers are still relatively high, but declining catastrophically fast, which in the near future may put them under the threat of extinction (that is, candidates for category I).
Category III - rare species that are currently not yet threatened with extinction, but they are found in such small numbers or in such limited areas that they can disappear if the habitat is adversely changed under the influence of natural or anthropogenic factors.
Category IV - species whose biology has not been studied enough, the number and condition are alarming, but the lack of information does not allow them to be attributed to any of the first categories.
Category V - restored species, the state of which, thanks to the conservation measures taken, no longer causes concern, but they are not yet subject to commercial use and their populations require constant monitoring.

In total, 223 taxa were listed in this edition, including species, subspecies and populations of terrestrial vertebrates (the inclusion of subspecies and populations in this edition was also an innovation). According to the coverage of the species composition of the fauna, these taxa were distributed as follows: mammals - 96 taxa, birds - 80, reptiles - 37 and amphibians - 9 taxa. In terms of status categories, the distribution was in principle fairly even: of the mammals, 21 taxa were assigned to the first category, 20 to the second, 40 to the third, 11 to the fourth and 4 to the fifth category; from the class of birds, respectively, 21, 24, 17, 14, and 4 taxa; from reptiles - 7, 7, 16, 6 and 1; from amphibians - 1, 6, and 2 (there were no taxa belonging to the fourth and fifth categories among amphibians).

This edition collected significant material on the biology of rare species, which is still used today. The same material largely formed the basis of the republican red books, and later in the Red book of the Russian Federation. This edition of the Red Book of the USSR was published after the adoption of the Law "On the Protection and Use of Wildlife", which meant the introduction of special measures for the protection of rare species.

Red Book of the Russian Federation

As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the year, many normative legal acts lost their legitimacy. After the formation of Russia as an independent state and the reform of the entire system of public administration in the field of environmental protection, the question arose of preparing the publication of the Red Book of the Russian Federation on a new political and administrative basis. The Red Book of the RSFSR was taken as the scientific basis for the Red Book of Russia, although it was a fundamentally new edition. The work of creating the Red Book of Russia was entrusted to the newly created Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. In 1999, a Commission on Rare and Endangered Species of Animals and Plants was established under the ministry, to which leading experts in the field of protection of rare species from various institutions in Moscow and other cities were involved.

0 - probably disappeared. Taxa and populations previously known from the territory (or water area) of the Russian Federation and whose presence in nature has not been confirmed (for invertebrates - in the last 100 years, for vertebrates - in the last 50 years).
1 - endangered. Taxa and populations whose numbers of individuals have decreased to a critical level in such a way that they may soon become extinct.
2 - declining in numbers. Taxa and populations with steadily declining numbers, which, with further exposure to factors that reduce abundance, can quickly fall into the category of endangered.
3 - rare. Taxa and populations that are small and distributed over a limited area (or water area) or sporadically distributed over large areas (water areas).
4 - undetermined by status. Taxa and populations that probably belong to one of the previous categories, but there is currently no sufficient information about their state in nature, or they do not fully meet the criteria of all other categories.
5 - recoverable and recoverable. Taxa and populations, the abundance and distribution of which, under the influence of natural causes or as a result of conservation measures, have begun to recover and are approaching a state where they will not need urgent conservation and restoration measures.

Regional Red Books in Russia

Since the second half of the 1980s, the USSR began compiling regional books on rare species of animals and plants on the scale of republics, territories, regions, autonomous regions. This was due to the need for immediate protection of a number of species and forms of animals and plants, perhaps not rare in the country, but rare in certain regions, as well as the independence of local authorities rapidly growing in these years and the desire to independently solve their environmental problems. It was expedient to give such regional books about rare animals the status of regional Red Books. This strengthened their legal status and increased their practical impact on society. This was of particular importance for national autonomies.

As a rule, the larger the region, the more significant it is for wildlife conservation. The exception is some relatively small areas with exceptional biological diversity, an abundance of endemic species or species that are rare and disappearing on a global scale. These are, for example, the Caucasus, Altai, the south of the Far East, some regions of Central Asia.

The following editions were published in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.