Critically endangered

This article is about the conservation designation itself. For lists of critically endangered species, see Lists of IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species.

Conservation status by IUCN Red List category
Extinct
Extinct (EX) Extinct in the Wild (EW)	(list) (list)
Threatened
Critically Endangered (CR) Endangered (EN) Vulnerable (VU)	(list) (list) (list)
Lower Risk
Near Threatened (NT) Conservation Dependent (CD) Least Concern (LC)	(list) (list)
Other categories
Data Deficient (DD) Not Evaluated (NE)	(list)
Related topics International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) IUCN Red List NatureServe status Lists of organisms by population
Comparison of Red list classes above and NatureServe status below

A critically endangered (CR) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

As of 2014, there are 2,464 animal and 2,104 plant species with this assessment.

As the IUCN Red List does not consider a species extinct until extensive, targeted surveys have been conducted, species that are possibly extinct are still listed as critically endangered. IUCN maintains a list of "possibly extinct" CR(PE) and "possibly extinct in the wild" CR(PEW) species, modelled on categories used by BirdLife International to categorize these taxa.

Criteria for Critically endangered species

To be defined as critically endangered in the Red List, a species must meet any of the following criteria (A–E) ("3G/10Y" signifies three generations or ten years—whichever is longer—over a maximum of 100 years; "MI" signifies Mature Individuals):

A: Population size reduction

1. If the reasons for population reduction no longer occur and can be reversed, the population needs to have been reduced by at least 90%

2. 3. and 4. If not, then the population needs to have been reduced by at least 80%

B: Occurring over less than 100 km² OR the area of occupancy is less than 10 km²

1. Severe habitat fragmentation or existing at just one location

2. Decline in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, area/extent/quality of habitat, number of locations/subpopulations, or amount of MI.

3. Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of locations/subpopulations, or amount of MI.

C: Declining population of less than 250 MI and either:

1. A decline of 25% over 3G/10Y;

2. Extreme fluctuations, or over 90% of MI in a single subpopulation, or no more than 50 MI in any one subpopulation.

D: Numbers less than 50 MI.

E: At least 50% chance of going Extinct in the Wild over 3G/10Y.

See also

• Lists of IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species for lists ordered by taxonomic rank.
• Category:IUCN Red List critically endangered species for an alphabetical list
• The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
• The world's 100 most threatened species
• IUCN for additional information on the IUCN
• List of critically endangered amphibians
• List of critically endangered arthropods
• List of critically endangered birds
• List of critically endangered fish
• List of critically endangered insects
• List of critically endangered invertebrates
• List of critically endangered mammals
• List of critically endangered molluscs
• List of critically endangered plants
• List of critically endangered reptiles
• List of Chromista by conservation status
• List of fungi by conservation status

External links

• The Criteria for Critically Endangered, IUCN