IUCN Red List: Endangered and Threatened Species Data
Biology · Biodiversity and Conservation · NEET
The IUCN Red List is a catalogue kept by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It records species that face the threat of extinction (threatened species), not economically useful or trade plants. NCERT states the IUCN Red List (2004) documents the extinction of 784 species in the last 500 years and more than 15,500 species worldwide facing the threat of extinction. Memory hook: Red means danger, so the Red List is the danger list of species that may disappear.
The IUCN releases the Red List, which holds data on threatened species. NCERT (2004 figures): 784 species already extinct in 500 years and more than 15,500 species still facing the threat of extinction. It is not a list of economic or trade plants.
Your doubts, answered
What exactly does the IUCN Red List contain?
It contains data on threatened species, that is, species facing the risk of extinction. It is NOT a list of economically important plants, plants in international trade, or marine vertebrates only. NEET has asked this exact wording, so remember one word: threatened.
Who released the list of endangered species?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) releases the Red List. It is not WWF, FOAM, or GEAC. GEAC is the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee and deals with GMOs, so do not confuse it with the Red List.
What do the numbers 784 and 15,500 mean in NCERT?
The IUCN Red List (2004) documents 784 species that became extinct in the last 500 years. This 784 is split as 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants. Separately, more than 15,500 species worldwide are currently facing the threat of extinction. Keep 784 as already extinct, 15,500 as still alive but threatened.
Is the Red List the same as a biodiversity hotspot?
No. The Red List is a record of which species are threatened or extinct. A biodiversity hotspot is a region rich in species and endemism that is under threat. One is a species danger list; the other is a place on the map.
Where does the number 1.5 million come from, and is it on the Red List?
IUCN (2004) also states that about 1.5 million species have been described so far. That 1.5 million is the total known species count, not the number of threatened species. Do not mix the 1.5 million described figure with the 15,500 threatened figure.
⚠️ The NEET trap ✗ The Red List contains data on all economically important plants or plants whose products are in international trade. ✓ The IUCN Red List contains data on threatened species, that is, species facing the threat of extinction. 🧠 NEET loves to swap 'threatened' with 'economically important' or 'trade' plants.
Real NEET questions
NEET 2016 Phase 2
Red list contains data or information on
A · All economically important plants
B · Plants whose products are in international trade
C · Threatened species ✓
D · Marine vertebrates only
Solution: The IUCN Red List is a catalogue documenting species that face the threat of extinction. NCERT cites the IUCN Red List (2004), noting more than 15,500 species worldwide facing the threat of extinction. It is not a list of economically important plants, trade plants, or marine vertebrates only, so options A, B and D are wrong.
NEET 2024
List of endangered species was released by
A · WWF
B · FOAM
C · IUCN ✓
D · GEAC
Solution: The list documenting extinct and threatened species is the IUCN Red List. NCERT states the IUCN Red List (2004) documents the extinction of 784 species in the last 500 years. WWF, FOAM and GEAC do not release this list; GEAC is the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee and deals with GMOs.
Solved Biodiversity and Conservation NEET PYQs
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
IUCN stands for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. It maintains and releases the Red List.
How many species does the IUCN Red List say became extinct in 500 years?
According to the IUCN Red List (2004), 784 species became extinct in the last 500 years, made up of 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants.
How many species are facing threat of extinction according to NCERT?
NCERT states more than 15,500 species worldwide are facing the threat of extinction, based on the IUCN Red List.
Does the Red List include plants?
Yes. Of the 784 extinct species recorded, 87 are plants. The list covers plants, vertebrates and invertebrates that are threatened or extinct.
Why is the IUCN Red List important for NEET?
NEET repeatedly asks what the Red List contains (threatened species) and who releases it (IUCN). Knowing the exact word threatened and the number 784 helps you answer these one-mark questions quickly and avoid distractors like GEAC or WWF.
