Editing IUCN Red List (section)

==History==
[[File:IUCN Red List - December 2023.svg|thumb|right|upright=2|The percentage of species in several groups which are documented as {{Color box|#132E62|border=darkgray}}{{nbsp}}extinct, {{Color box|#CD3031|border=darkgray}}{{nbsp}}critically endangered, {{Color box|#CD6531|border=darkgray}}{{nbsp}}endangered, or {{Color box|#D59D00|border=darkgray}}{{nbsp}}vulnerable on the 2023 IUCN Red List. The data for some groups are insufficient, so the plotted percentages can be much lower than the actual rates of vulnerability.]]The idea for a Red Data Book was suggested by [[Peter Scott]] in 1963.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Road to Extinction: Problems of Categorizing the Status of Taxa Threatened with Extinction |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |year=1987 |isbn=2880329299 |editor-last=Fitter |editor-first=Richard |location=Gland |editor-last2=Fitter |editor-first2=Maisie}}</ref>

=== 1966–1977 Red Data Lists ===
Initially the Red Data Lists were designed for specialists and were issued in a loose-leaf format that could be easily changed.

The first two volumes of Red Lists were published in 1966 by conservationist Noel Simon, one for mammals and one for birds.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Simon |first=Noel |title=Red Data Book. Volume 1. Mammalia, a compilation |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1966}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Simon |first=Noel |title=Red Data Book. Volume 2. Aves |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1966}}</ref>

The third volume that appeared covered reptiles and amphibians. It was created by René E. Honegger in 1968.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Honegger |first=René |title=Red Data Book. Volume 3. Amphibia & Reptilia |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1968}}</ref>

In 1970, the IUCN published volume 5 in this series. This was the first Red Data List which focused on plants ([[Flowering plant|angiosperms]] only), compiled by [[Ronald Melville (botanist)|Ronald Melville]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Melville |first=Ronald |title=Red Data Book. Volume 5. Angiospermae, a compilation |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1970}}</ref>

The final volume created in the loose leaf style was volume 4 on freshwater fishes. This was published in 1979 by [[Robert Rush Miller]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Robert |title=Red Data Book. Volume 4. Pisces: freshwater fishes |publisher=International Union for the Conservation of Nature |year=1979}}</ref>

=== 1969 Red Data Book ===
The first attempt to create a Red Data Book for a nonspecialist public came in 1969 with ''The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger''.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=James |title=The Red Book: Wildlife in Danger |last2=Simon |first2=Noel |last3=Vincent |first3=Jack |publisher=Collins |year=1969}}</ref> This book covered varies groups but was predominantly about mammals and birds, with smaller sections on reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and plants.

===2006 release===
The 2006 Red List, released on 4 May 2006 evaluated 40,168 species as a whole, plus an additional 2,160 [[subspecies]], [[Variety (botany)|varieties]], aquatic [[Fish stocks|stocks]], and [[Statistical population|subpopulation]]s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=IUCN |url=https://www.uicnmed.org/web2007/documentos/press_release_red_list.pdf |title=Release of the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reveals ongoing decline of the status of plants and animals |date=2006 |publisher=IUCN News Release}}</ref>

===2007 release===
On 12 September 2007, the [[World Conservation Union]] (IUCN) released the '''2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species'''. In this release, they have raised their classification of both the [[western lowland gorilla]] (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') and the [[Cross River gorilla]] (''Gorilla gorilla diehli'') from [[endangered]] to [[critically endangered]], which is the last category before [[extinct in the wild]], due to [[Ebola virus]] and [[poaching]], along with other factors. [[Russ Mittermeier]], chief of [[Switzerland|Swiss]]-based IUCN's Primate Specialist Group, stated that 16,306 species are endangered with extinction, 188 more than in 2006 (total of 41,415 species on the Red List). The Red List includes the [[Sumatran orangutan]] (''Pongo abelii'') in the Critically Endangered category and the [[Bornean orangutan]] (''Pongo pygmaeus'') in the Endangered category.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/extinction-crisis-escalates-red-list-shows-apes-corals-vultures-dolphins-all-danger|title=Extinction crisis escalates: Red List shows apes, corals, vultures, dolphins all in danger|access-date=25 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124083212/http://www.iucn.org/media/materials/releases/?81%2FExtinction-crisis-escalates-Red-List-shows-apes-corals-vultures-dolphins-all-in-danger|archive-date=24 January 2011|url-status=live|date=12 September 2007|publisher=IUCN}}</ref>

===2008 release===
The 2008 Red List was released on 6 October 2008 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in [[Barcelona]] and "confirmed an extinction crisis, with almost one in four [mammals] at risk of disappearing forever". The study shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction, and 836 are listed as [[Data Deficient]].<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.iucn.org/content/iucn-red-list-reveals-worlds-mammals-crisis|title=IUCN Red List reveals world's mammals in crisis|date=6 October 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009175431/http://iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/red_list/index.cfm?uNewsID=1695|archive-date=9 October 2008|access-date=9 October 2008|publisher=IUCN}}</ref>

===2012 release===
The Red List of 2012 was released 19 July 2012 at [[United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development|Rio+20 Earth Summit]];<ref name="CNNrio">{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/19/world/rio-red-list-extinction-species/index.html|title=Extinction threat 'a call to world leaders' at Rio Earth Summit|author=Matthew Knight|date=19 June 2012|work=CNN |access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622011512/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/19/world/rio-red-list-extinction-species/index.html|archive-date=22 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> nearly 2,000 species were added,<ref name="RedList2000">{{cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-06-19/iucn-red-list-update-nearly-2000-species-added|title=IUCN Red List update: Nearly 2,000 species added|author=Jessica Phelan|work=www.pri.org|date=19 June 2012|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116221334/https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-06-19/iucn-red-list-update-nearly-2000-species-added|archive-date=16 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> with 4 species to the extinct list, 2 to the rediscovered list.<ref name="IUCN2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/iucn-2012.html#cr|title=IUCN 2012 update – 4 species extinct – 2 rediscovered – Food security waning|work=wildlifeextra.com|date=19 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042748/http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/iucn-2012.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=14 November 2018}}</ref> The IUCN assessed a total of 63,837 species which revealed 19,817 are threatened with extinction.<ref name="RedListReport">{{cite news|url=http://planetsave.com/2012/06/20/the-red-list-of-threatened-species-annual-report-released-video/|title=The Red List Of Threatened Species, Annual Report Released|author=James Ayre|work=planetsave.com|date=20 June 2012|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110212702/http://planetsave.com/2012/06/20/the-red-list-of-threatened-species-annual-report-released-video/|archive-date=10 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> 3,947 were described as "critically endangered" and 5,766 as "endangered", while more than 10,000 species are listed as "vulnerable".<ref>The list is queryable at: {{Cite web|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/en|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref> At threat are 41% of amphibian species, 33% of reef-building corals, 30% of conifers, 25% of mammals, and 13% of birds.<ref name="RedListReport"/> The IUCN Red List has listed 132 species of plants and animals from India as "Critically Endangered".<ref name="IndiaRedList">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3551664.ece?homepage=true|title=Red list has 132 species of plants, animals from India|author=K.S. Sudhi|date=21 June 2012|work=thehindu.com|access-date=13 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624201524/http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3551664.ece?homepage=true|archive-date=24 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>