International Union for Conservation of Nature

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Back From the Brink: Green Turtles Leave the Endangered List

'A powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve'

(Newser) - It's a big victory for green sea turtles after decades of conservation work: They're no longer considered endangered, reports the BBC . The shift is noted in the updated "Red List" of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Once heavily hunted for their meat, eggs,...

Report: More Than a Third of Tree Species Are in Trouble

More than 16K are at risk of extinction, according to Global Tree Assessment

(Newser) - If the Lorax is still speaking for the trees, he's going to have a lot to say about the International Union for Conservation of Nature's first Global Tree Assessment. The report found that almost 35% of the world's tree species are at risk of extinction. More than...

A Rare World Cat Isn't as Rare Anymore

Iberian lynx upgraded from endangered to vulnerable

(Newser) - The Iberian lynx is off the dreaded " red list ." Meaning, the wild cat of Europe is no longer classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, reports the BBC . Instead, it's now listed as "vulnerable." As the new designation suggests, the mid-sized...

A Fifth of Freshwater Fish Are in Big Trouble

Climate change adds to threats endangering thousands of species, researchers say

(Newser) - This has been a terrible year for the world's freshwater fish and a lot of work needs to be done to stop thousands of species from hurtling toward extinction in 2024, researchers say. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says that about 21% of freshwater fish—3,086...

Monarch Butterflies Go on Global 'Red List'

Numbers have plummeted in recent decades, due in part to loss of milkweed

(Newser) - North America's migratory monarch butterfly, the beloved orange-and-black insect capable of flying 2,500 miles across the continent, is officially an endangered species in the eyes of the leading global authority. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added migratory monarchs to its Red List of Threatened Species...

Western Black Rhino Extinct
 Western Black Rhino Extinct 
Nov 10, 2011 3:36 AM CST

Western Black Rhino Extinct

Another rhino species at the point of no return, IUCN says

(Newser) - The western black rhino, one of four subspecies of black rhino, is now a thing of the past, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "Red List." The group has declared the black rhino species native to West Africa extinct and says another rhino species,...

'Water Monster' About to Die Off

Mexican salamander suffers in polluted canals and lagoons

(Newser) - Mexico’s “water monster"—a mere foot long but once central to the Aztec legend and diet—is close to dying out, the AP reports. Axolotls have long endured in the polluted Venice-like canals of Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City, but baby-gobbling fish and ebbing water quality are...

Humpbacks No Longer in Danger
 Humpbacks
 No Longer in Danger
Aug 12, 2008 9:56 AM CDT

Humpbacks No Longer in Danger

Spectacular success for conservation

(Newser) - Humpback whales, once feared to be on the verge of extinction, have made such a dramatic comeback that the International Union for Conservation of Nature has removed them from its list of vulnerable species. A ban on humpback whaling in the 1960s has allowed their numbers to grow to 55,...

Corals Face Extinction
 Corals Face Extinction 
Jul 11, 2008 2:16 AM CDT

Corals Face Extinction

Hundreds of species under threat, critical reefs could be destroyed

(Newser) - Hundreds of species that make up the world's coral reefs are faced with extinction, which could result in the destruction of reefs that provide habitats for 25% of all marine life. Up to a third of all coral is immediately threatened, reports the Los Angeles Times. Global warming is one...

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