| Designation |
Description |
| Extinct |
Taxa which are no longer known to exist in the wild after
repeated searches of their localities and other known likely
places. |
| Extinct in the Wild |
A taxon is Extinct in the wild when it is known to survive only
in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population (or
populations) well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed
extinct in the wild when exhaustive surveys in known and/or
expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual)
throughout its range have failed to record an individual. Surveys
should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon's life cycle
and life form. |
| Critically Endangered |
A taxon is Critically Endangered when it is facing an extremely
high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future, as
defined by any of the criteria A to E. |
| Endangered |
A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence
indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Endangered,
and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of
extinction in the wild. |
| Vulnerable |
A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence
indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Vulnerable,
and it is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of
extinction in the wild. |
| Rare |
Taxa with small populations that are not at present Endangered
or Vulnerable, but are at risk. (In GB, this was interpreted as
species which exist in fifteen or fewer 10km
squares). Category not in 1994 or 2001 criteria, but
still applicable to lists that have not been reviewed since
1994. |
| Lower risk - conservation dependent |
Taxa which are the focus of a continuing taxon-specific or
habitat-specific conservation programme targeted towards the taxon
in question, the cessation of which would result in the taxon
qualifying for one of the threatened categories above within a
period of five years. Category not in 1994 or
2001 criteria, but still applicable to lists that have not
been reviewed since 1994. |
| Lower risk - least concern |
A taxon is Least Concern
when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does not
qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near
Threatened (or Lower Risk - conservation dependant, or Nationally
Scarce in Britain). Widespread and abundant taxa are included in
this category.
|
| Data Defficient |
A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information
to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction
based on its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this
category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but
appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution are lacking. Data
Deficient is therefore not a category of threat or Lower Risk.
Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is
required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will
show that a threatened category is appropriate.
|
| Near Threatened |
A taxon is Near Threatened
when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not
qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable
now (or Lower risk- conservation dependant in the pre 1994
criteria), but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify
for a threatened category in the near future. In Britain, this
category includes species which occur in 15 or fewer hectads but do
not qualify as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable.
|