11 000 species are threatened

Photo: Rhino - highly threatened animal in Africa.

IUCN provides the world with objective, scientifically based information on the current status of globally threatened biodiversity. The 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assesses the conservation status of flora and fauna, and habitats around the world.

The hierarchical structure of the major threat types used in the documentation of the 2000 Red List is shown there. The 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on taxa that have been evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories. This system is designed to determine the relative risk of extinction, and the main purpose of the IUCN Red List is to catalogue and highlight those taxa that are facing a higher risk of global extinction.

Based on this well documented information I strongly believe there is need for setting up several conversation programmes around the world to save the threatened species.

Stein Morten Lund, 26 December 2000

Additional information

For more information see the IUCN Red List: www.redlist.org