The World Conservation Union Releases the 2003 Red List of Threatened Species

Gland, Switzerland, 18 November 2003 (IUCN-The World Conservation Union). The Seychelles, the Galapagos, Hawaii, the remote South Atlantic islands - all conjure up images of tropical paradise or rugged beauty. But beneath these islands' striking appeal lies a story of invasion and destruction that is undermining the future of thousands of native species.

This is one of the stark messages to emerge from the 2003 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world's most authoritative inventory of the conservation status of plants and animals. Thousands of scientists and conservationists from all over the world contribute to this rapidly expanding list, compiled by IUCN-The World Conservation Union, through its Species Survival Commission (SSC) and partner organisations.

Since the release of the 2002 Red List, more than 2,000 new entries have been added and 380 taxa (species, subspecies etc.,) reassessed. The IUCN Red List now includes 12,259 species threatened with extinction (falling into the Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable categories). A total of 762 plant and animal species are now recorded as Extinct with a further 58 known only in cultivation or captivity.

Some notable new additions to the List this year include 1,164 Ecuadorian plants, 125 Hawaiian plants, 303 cycads and 35 Galapagos Island snails. All known conifer species have now been assessed, including a new discovery in Viet Nam and a rediscovered species in China. The many movements into higher threat categories include one of the world's largest freshwater fish, three Neotropical primates and six albatrosses.

"More than 12,000 species are known to be threatened with extinction. While we are still only scratching the surface in assessing all known species, we are confident this figure is an indicator of what is happening to global biological diversity," said Achim Steiner, IUCN Director General.

"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides the best available knowledge necessary for sound conservation action. We now need the political will and resources to stem the loss of biodiversity. Human activities may be the main threat to the world's species but humans can also help them recover - the Chinese crested ibis, the Arabian oryx and the white rhino are just a few examples," Steiner added.

To see this years redlist, click here.