Threatened species

Definition: In the IUCN Red List, a species assessed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable — the categories with a high risk of extinction in the wild.

More about threatened species

Biosphere habitat guides count threatened species using exactly these three categories. Examples include the gorilla (Critically Endangered), the tiger (Endangered) and the snow leopard (Vulnerable).

Species that illustrate it

• Gorilla
• Axolotl
• Snow Leopard
• Tiger

Read more

• How to Read the IUCN Red List
• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• Understanding IUCN Red List Categories

Sources

• IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria

Related terms

• Extinction
• Conservation
• Endangered species