Red Data Book

Red Data Book
1 What is Red Data Book?

The Red Data Book is a public document
that is created for recording endangered
and rare species of plants, animals, fungi
as well as some local subspecies that are
present in a particular region.
The Red Data Book helps us in providing

complete information for research,
studies and also for monitoring the
programs on rare and endangered species
and their habitats.
This book is mainly created to identify and protect those species

which are on the verge of extinction.
2 Brief History of the Red Data Book

The name of this book has its origins in Russia, it was originally
known as the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation or
the RDBRF.
The book was based on research conducted between

1961 and 1964 by biologists in Russia.
Hence, it is also called the Russian Red Data Book.
3 Who maintains the Red Data Book?
Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

maintains the Red Data Book.
IUCN is the world's most detailed inventory centre of the

global conservation status of biological species.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

was founded in 1948 with an aim to maintain a complete record
of every species that ever lived.
Red Data Book | pg : 1/7 |

4 Categories for species and sub-species
mentioned in Red Data Book
a) Extinct:
Species in which last individual has died.

eg: Dinosaurs
b) Extinct in Wild (EW):
Members survive only in captivity or as artificially supported

populations far outside their historical geographical range.
c) Critically Endangered (ER)
Posses a high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population

growth. Declines of 80% - 90% over the previous 10 years
(or three generations), a current population size of fewer than
50 individuals.
d) Endangered (EN)
Posses a high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population

growth. Decline of 50% to more than 70% over the previous
10 years (or three generations), a current population size of
fewer than 250 individuals.
e) Vulnerable (VU)
Posses a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid

population growth. Decline of 30% or more than 50% over the
previous 10 years (or three generations) ,a current population
size of fewer than 1000 individuals.
f) Near Threatened (NT)
Close to becoming threatened or may meet the criteria for

threatened species in the near future.
g) Least Concern (LC)

Abundant like cat, dog, cow
h) Data deficient (DD)

Amount of available information related to its risk of extinction
is lacking in some way.
i) Not Evaluated (NE)

A category used to include any of the nearly 1.9 million species
described by sciene, but not assesed by IUCN

5 Examples under various categories
in Red Data Book
Socorro dove
1. Extinct - Dinosaurs,
Woolly Mammoth,
Stellar’s sea cow,
Dodo bird.
2. Extinct in Wild (EW) - Socorro dove,

Bali tiger, Great Indian Bustard
Spix’s macaw
3. Critically
Endangered (CR) - Great Indian
Bustard (bird),
Kondana rat,
Malabar civet,
Kashmir stag,
River dolphin,
Gharial,
Ganges river shark. Kondana rat
4. Endangered (EN) - Podophyllum

(medicinal plant),
Red panda
(Ailurus fulgens),
Bentickia nicobarica
Podophyllum (medicinal plant)
5. Vulnerable (VU) - Rhino,
African elephant,
Baleen whale
6. Near
Threatened (NT) - Maned wolf,
Gray bat African elephant
7. Least Concern (LC) - Brown bears,

Common dolphins,
Red fox
8. Data Deficient (DD) - Kashmir white

toothed shrew,
Maned wolf
Dwarf Malabar
puffer.
9. Not Evaluated (NE) - Sand boa

6 Colour Coding
Red Data Book contains colour coded information sheets which are
arranged accordingly to the extinction risk of many species and
sub-species.
Colour Category
Black Extinct
Red Endangered
Amber Vulnerable
White Rarely found Species
Green Species that were formerly endangered but
their numbers have started to recover.
Grey Species whose sufficient information is not
available and they are vulnerable, endangered
and rare.
7 Advantages of the Red Data Book
It helps in identifying all animals, birds and other species about

their conservation status.
It is used to evaluate the population of a particular species.
The data available in this book can be used to evaluate the taxa
at the global level.
With the help of this book, we can estimate the risk of taxa
becoming globally extinct.
Provides a framework or guidelines for implementing protective

measures for endangered species.
8 Disadvantages of the Red Data Book
The information available in the Red Data Book is incomplete.

Many species, both extinct and extant are not updated in this book.
The source of the book's data has been speculated and has been
mired in controversy.
This book maintains the complete record of all animals, plants, other
species but it has no information about the microbes.
9 Red Data Book of India
Red Data Book of India includes the conservation status of animals

and plants which are endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
The data for this book is provided through surveys which are
conducted by the Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical
Survey of India under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change.
10 Frequently Asked Questions

1) How many Indian species are in the Red data Book?
132 species of plants and animals are critically endangered in

Red Data Book.
2) What is the difference between Red List and Red Data Book?
Red List contains only names.
Red Data Book contains information about the species that are
on verge of extinction.
3) Which are the most famous extinct species?
DINOSAUR
Dinosaurs became extinct 66 million years ago during transition

between Cretaceou and Paleogene epochs.
It was proposed that massive volcanic eruptions or collision of huge

celestial object are cause of their extinction.
Along with this climate change and food supply disruption played a
role in their extinction but no biological explanation given to explain
vanishing of diverse range of terresterial vertebrates.
DODO
The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

is a flightless bird, native to island
of Mauritius, east of Madagascar.
It was discovered by a Dutch

sailor in 1598.
‘Ugly Disgusting Bird’ is the

meaning of word Dodo because
of the bird’s unusual appearence.
Predation by humans, vultures and coyotes are main reason of

extinction.
4) Most important endangered species
BENTINCKIA NICOBARICA
It is a species of flowering plant in

family Arecaceae endemic to
Nicobar island in Bay of Bengal.
It is listed as endangered because

of increased human settlement
and clearing of forests in the
region.
RED PANDA
Also known as Lesser Panda found in eastern Himalayas and South

Western China.
It has become an endangered

species due to poaching as
they are killed for food,
medicine, pet trade and
distinctive red fur.
About 10,000 are left world

wide out of which around
5000 are in India.
GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD
A bird, mainly found in state of

Rajasthan and is most critically
endangered species.
Its population is about 150 in Rajasthan

accounts for 95% of word population.
It’s on verge of extiction due to

intensive agricultural practices,
laying of power lines and
industrialisation.

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Red Data Book

1 What is Red Data Book?

The Red Data Book helps us in providing

This book is mainly created to identify and protect those species

2 Brief History of the Red Data Book

The book was based on research conducted between

3 Who maintains the Red Data Book?

Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN is the world's most detailed inventory centre of the

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Red Data Book | pg : 1/7 |

Species in which last individual has died.

b) Extinct in Wild (EW):

Members survive only in captivity or as artificially supported

c) Critically Endangered (ER)

Posses a high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population

Posses a high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population

Posses a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid

f) Near Threatened (NT)

Close to becoming threatened or may meet the criteria for

g) Least Concern (LC)

h) Data deficient (DD)

i) Not Evaluated (NE)

Red Data Book | pg : 2/7 |

2. Extinct in Wild (EW) - Socorro dove,

4. Endangered (EN) - Podophyllum

7. Least Concern (LC) - Brown bears,

8. Data Deficient (DD) - Kashmir white

9. Not Evaluated (NE) - Sand boa

Red Data Book | pg : 3/7 |

7 Advantages of the Red Data Book

It helps in identifying all animals, birds and other species about

It is used to evaluate the population of a particular species.

Provides a framework or guidelines for implementing protective

8 Disadvantages of the Red Data Book

The information available in the Red Data Book is incomplete.

Red Data Book of India includes the conservation status of animals

10 Frequently Asked Questions

132 species of plants and animals are critically endangered in

3) Which are the most famous extinct species?

Dinosaurs became extinct 66 million years ago during transition

It was proposed that massive volcanic eruptions or collision of huge

The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

It was discovered by a Dutch

‘Ugly Disgusting Bird’ is the

Predation by humans, vultures and coyotes are main reason of

4) Most important endangered species

It is a species of flowering plant in

It is listed as endangered because

Also known as Lesser Panda found in eastern Himalayas and South

It has become an endangered

About 10,000 are left world

A bird, mainly found in state of

Its population is about 150 in Rajasthan

It’s on verge of extiction due to

Red Data Book | pg : 7/7 |

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