IUCN Red List 2024: One Thousand Additional Animal and Plant Species Threatened with Extinction

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released its latest Red List of Threatened Species. In its 60th year, the list, which now includes more than 163,040 species, warns of a concerning rise in the number of animals and plants threatened with extinction. Over 45,000 species are now at risk – 1,000 more than last year. Factors driving this extinction include climate change, invasive species, and human activities such as illegal trade and infrastructural expansion.

82% of Copiapoa cacti species threatened with extinction

Copiapoa cacti, endemic to Chile’s Atacama Desert, are now considered particularly endangered. These cacti have become highly sought after as decorative plants in recent years, which has fueled illegal trade, further amplified by social media.

According to the IUCN, 82 percent of Copiapoa species are now threatened with extinction, up from 55 percent in 2013. Demand for these cacti in Europe and Asia, as well as the expansion of roads and housing, has facilitated access to their natural habitats and exacerbated poaching.

Threatened animal species: Bornean elephant and Canary Island reptiles

Also new to the Red List is the Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), a dwarf subspecies of the Asian elephant. Estimates suggest that only about 1,000 of these dwarf elephants remain in the wild. Their decline is mainly due to the deforestation of Borneo’s forests. Additional threats include conflicts with humans, agricultural expansion, mining, poaching, and traffic accidents.

The number of reptile species on the Canary Islands has also significantly decreased due to the introduction of invasive snakes. Populations of the Gran Canaria giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini) and the Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) have dramatically declined since the introduction of the invasive California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) in the late 1990s.

Success story: The Iberian lynx

Amid these troubling developments, there are also success stories. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), once considered one of the world’s most endangered wild cat species, has recovered thanks to intensive conservation efforts. The population has increased from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to over 2,000 in 2022. This recovery has been achieved through the restoration of its natural Mediterranean scrubland and forest habitat, increasing the number of European rabbits, its main prey, and enhancing genetic diversity through relocation and controlled breeding.

Since 2010, more than 400 Iberian lynxes have been reintroduced to parts of Portugal and Spain. However, much work remains to ensure the long-term survival of the Iberian lynx populations, particularly in the face of ongoing threats such as fluctuations in prey populations, poaching, and road accidents.

Both alarming trends and hope

The updated IUCN Red List 2024 highlights both alarming trends and hopeful successes in conservation. While many species face increasing pressure from human activities and environmental changes, successful conservation projects like that of the Iberian lynx demonstrate that targeted measures can lead to population recoveries.

The IUCN is a global network of governmental and non-governmental conservation organizations. The Red List, established in 1964, currently includes around 163,000 animal and plant species, of which more than 45,300 are considered threatened.