Conservation

How the species in Biosphere’s catalog are doing on the IUCN Red List, what is putting them and their ecosystems at risk, which ones are recovering — and what you can do about it.

27 species in the catalog, 22 with an IUCN Red List category, 14 threatened (VU, EN or CR).

The IUCN Red List categories

  • Critically Endangered (CR): 2 species in the catalog
  • Endangered (EN): 7 species in the catalog
  • Vulnerable (VU): 5 species in the catalog
  • Near Threatened (NT): 1 species in the catalog
  • Least Concern (LC): 6 species in the catalog
  • Data Deficient (DD): 1 species in the catalog

Guide to the IUCN Red List categories

Threatened species in the catalog

Axolotl — Ambystoma mexicanum

IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR) · Population: Critically low in the wild

Critically Endangered: urban growth, polluted water and introduced fish have almost wiped out the wild population.

Main threats: Water pollution, Urbanization, Introduced fish (carp, tilapia)

Gorilla — Gorilla gorilla

IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR) · Population: ≈ 360,000 western lowland gorillas (2018 estimate)

Critically Endangered: numbers have fallen sharply because of hunting and disease.

Main threats: Poaching for bushmeat, Ebola virus, Habitat loss

African Elephant — Loxodonta africana

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: ≈ 415,000 African elephants of both species (2016 estimate)

African elephants were split into two species in 2021: the savanna elephant is Endangered and the forest elephant Critically Endangered.

Main threats: Poaching for ivory, Habitat loss, Conflict with farmers

Blue Whale — Balaenoptera musculus

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: ≈ 5,000–15,000 mature adults (IUCN, 2018)

Commercial whaling in the 20th century killed hundreds of thousands of blue whales. Hunting has been banned since 1966 and some populations are slowly recovering.

Main threats: Ship strikes, Entanglement in fishing gear, Ocean noise, Climate effects on krill

Corpse Flower — Amorphophallus titanum

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: Fewer than 1,000 in the wild (IUCN, 2018)

Endangered: rainforest clearing in Sumatra has reduced it to small, scattered populations.

Main threats: Deforestation, Small populations

Giant Sequoia — Sequoiadendron giganteum

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: About 70 natural groves

Severe wildfires in 2020–2021 killed an estimated 13–19% of all large giant sequoias. Forest managers now use prescribed burns to reduce fuel.

Main threats: Extreme wildfires, Drought, Climate change

Komodo Dragon — Varanus komodoensis

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: ≈ 3,000–3,500 in the wild

Moved to Endangered in 2021 because rising sea levels are expected to shrink its tiny island habitat.

Main threats: Sea-level rise, Very small range, Prey poaching

Red Panda — Ailurus fulgens

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: Fewer than 10,000 adults (estimate)

Populations are declining as forests are cleared and fragmented.

Main threats: Habitat loss, Poaching, Illegal pet trade

Tiger — Panthera tigris

IUCN: Endangered (EN) · Population: ≈ 3,700–5,600 adults (IUCN, 2022)

Tigers have lost more than 90% of their historic range. Protected areas and anti-poaching work have helped numbers recover in India and Nepal.

Main threats: Poaching for skins and bones, Habitat loss and fragmentation, Conflict with people and livestock

Dragon Blood Tree — Dracaena cinnabari

IUCN: Vulnerable (VU) · Population: Restricted to Socotra

Vulnerable: few young trees survive, so many stands are aging without replacement.

Main threats: Drying climate, Grazing goats eat seedlings

Giant Panda — Ailuropoda melanoleuca

IUCN: Vulnerable (VU) · Population: ≈ 1,860 in the wild (2014 national survey)

Downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016 after decades of reserve creation and reforestation.

Main threats: Habitat fragmentation, Climate change affecting bamboo

Polar Bear — Ursus maritimus

IUCN: Vulnerable (VU) · Population: ≈ 22,000–31,000 (IUCN estimate)

Shrinking sea ice reduces the time bears can hunt; climate change is the main threat to the species.

Main threats: Loss of sea ice, Pollution, Conflict with people

Snow Leopard — Panthera uncia

IUCN: Vulnerable (VU) · Population: ≈ 2,700–3,400 mature adults (IUCN, 2017)

Downgraded to Vulnerable in 2017, but still declining in many areas.

Main threats: Poaching, Retaliatory killing by herders, Climate change

Venus Flytrap — Dionaea muscipula

IUCN: Vulnerable (VU) · Population: Restricted to a small native range

Vulnerable: its tiny native range is shrinking and wild plants are illegally collected.

Main threats: Poaching, Habitat loss, Fire suppression

Also worth watching

Jaguar — Panthera onca

IUCN: Near Threatened (NT) · Population: Declining across much of its range

Near Threatened: it has disappeared from about half of its historic range.

Main threats: Deforestation, Conflict with ranchers, Poaching

Orca — Orcinus orca

IUCN: Data Deficient (DD) · Population: ≈ 50,000 (estimate)

Listed as Data Deficient globally because populations differ so much; some, like the Southern Residents of the Pacific Northwest, are endangered.

Main threats: Pollution (PCBs), Prey depletion, Ocean noise

Rafflesia — Rafflesia arnoldii

Rare · Population: Rare and scattered; not formally assessed

Not yet assessed on the IUCN Red List, but botanists consider most Rafflesia species threatened. Many remaining populations grow outside protected areas.

Main threats: Rainforest clearing, Harvesting of buds, Very small, isolated populations

Signs of recovery

Green Sea Turtle

In 2025 the IUCN moved the green turtle from Endangered to Least Concern globally after decades of nesting-beach protection, though several regional populations remain threatened.

Giant Panda

Downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016 after decades of reserve creation and reforestation.

Bald Eagle

Pesticide DDT thinned its eggshells; after DDT was banned the species recovered and was removed from the US endangered list in 2007.

Gray Wolf

Wolves were eliminated from much of their range by the 20th century but have returned to many areas of Europe and North America under legal protection.

Blue Whale

Commercial whaling in the 20th century killed hundreds of thousands of blue whales. Hunting has been banned since 1966 and some populations are slowly recovering.

Five species fighting back from the brink

Pressures on ecosystems

Oceans

  • Ocean warming — Warmer water holds less oxygen and pushes species toward the poles.
  • Acidification — Absorbed carbon dioxide makes seawater more acidic, which harms shell-building animals.
  • Overfishing — Removing too many fish disrupts food webs and the animals that depend on them.
  • Pollution — Plastics, chemicals and noise reach even remote parts of the ocean.

What helps:

  • Marine protected areas give populations room to recover.
  • Sustainable fishing keeps food webs intact.
  • Cutting pollution at its source protects remote waters too.

Tropical Rainforest

  • Deforestation — Clearing for farming, cattle and logging removes habitat permanently.
  • Fragmentation — Roads and clearings split forests into patches too small for large animals.
  • Hunting & trade — Poaching and the pet trade remove animals faster than they can recover.
  • Climate change — Longer droughts make forests drier and more vulnerable to fire.

What helps:

  • Protected areas and Indigenous territories keep large forests intact.
  • Wildlife corridors reconnect fragments.
  • Deforestation-free supply chains reduce pressure on forests.

Coral Reefs

  • Marine heatwaves — Heat stress makes corals expel their algae and bleach.
  • Acidification — More acidic water makes it harder to build skeletons.
  • Runoff — Sediment and fertilisers cloud the water and feed seaweed.
  • Destructive fishing — Overfishing removes the grazers that keep reefs healthy.

What helps:

  • Marine protected areas help reefs recover between heatwaves.
  • Cleaner rivers mean clearer reef water.
  • Protecting grazing fish keeps algae in check.

Temperate Forests

  • Habitat loss — Much of the original temperate forest was cleared for farms and cities.
  • Pests & diseases — Introduced insects and diseases can kill whole tree species.
  • Climate change — Drought, heat and fire are increasing in many temperate regions.

What helps:

  • Protecting remaining old-growth forest.
  • Restoring native trees and corridors.
  • Managing fire and pests with care.

Savannas & Grasslands

  • Conversion to farmland — Grasslands are among the most converted habitats on Earth.
  • Poaching — Illegal hunting targets elephants and other large animals.
  • Changed fire patterns — Too much or too little fire shifts the balance of grass and trees.
  • Drought — Longer droughts reduce grass and water for wildlife.

What helps:

  • Protecting migration routes between parks.
  • Working with herders to share land and water.
  • Restoring natural fire and grazing patterns.

Deserts

  • Climate change — Hotter, drier conditions push species beyond their limits.
  • Development — Cities, roads and energy projects fragment fragile landscapes.
  • Water extraction — Pumping groundwater dries out springs and oases.
  • Invasive grasses — Non-native grasses fuel fires that desert plants cannot survive.

What helps:

  • Protecting springs and oases.
  • Limiting off-road damage.
  • Controlling invasive grasses and fire.

Wetlands

  • Drainage — Wetlands are drained for farming, cities and roads.
  • Pollution — Fertilisers and waste water upset the balance of life.
  • Dams & diversions — Changing river flows starves wetlands of water.
  • Invasive species — Introduced plants and fish crowd out native species.

What helps:

  • Protecting remaining wetlands from drainage.
  • Restoring natural water flows.
  • Replanting mangroves on degraded coasts.

Freshwater

  • Dams & barriers — Dams block migration and change natural river flows.
  • Pollution — Runoff and waste water reduce oxygen and poison wildlife.
  • Over-extraction — Taking too much water for farms and cities dries rivers.
  • Invasive species — Introduced fish and plants outcompete native species.

What helps:

  • Keeping rivers free-flowing where possible.
  • Reducing pollution from farms and cities.
  • Protecting riverside vegetation.

Mountains

  • Warming — Species move uphill as it warms, until there is nowhere higher to go.
  • Habitat loss — Logging, roads and farming climb higher every year.
  • Shrinking glaciers — Melting ice changes water supplies far downstream.

What helps:

  • Protecting high-altitude reserves.
  • Keeping corridors open so species can move uphill.
  • Working with mountain communities.

Arctic

  • Rapid warming — The Arctic is warming faster than the global average.
  • Sea-ice loss — Less summer ice means less hunting ground for ice-dependent animals.
  • Pollution — Pollutants carried from far away build up in Arctic food webs.

What helps:

  • Reducing global emissions is the biggest lever.
  • Protecting key feeding and breeding areas.
  • Limiting shipping and oil risks in fragile waters.

Antarctic

  • Warming — Parts of the Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding ocean are warming.
  • Changing sea ice — Changes in sea ice affect krill and the animals that feed on it.
  • Krill fishing — Fishing pressure on krill can compete with whales and penguins.

What helps:

  • Protecting key areas of the Southern Ocean.
  • Managing krill fishing carefully.
  • Reducing global emissions.

What you can do

Learn more