To classify species based on their conservation status, 9 categories are typically used by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources): Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct.
Not Evaluated (NE): Species that fall under this category are species that have not been reviewed to be placed in another category of conservation status.
Data Deficient (DD): This category implies that a species cannot be assessed accurately because of a lack or inadequacy of information that could identify its conservation status.
Least Concern (LC): When a species’ conservation status is identified as Least Concern, it means that the species has been reviewed with sufficient data to support that the organism isn’t under threat to its population or distribution.
Near Threatened (NT): Near Threatened species are species that don’t have a particularly concerning conservation status, but are likely to become threatened in the future. Species described as Near Threatened are predicted to later be reassessed as threatened, either VU, EN, or CR.
Threatened Species:
Vulnerable (VU)- Vulnerable species meet any of the IUCN’s five criteria for Vulnerable, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Endangered (EN)- Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild. They are identified this way if they meet any of the IUCN’s five criteria, A through E, for endangerment.
Critically Endangered (CR)- Species are determined as Critically Endangered if they meet any of the IUCN’s five qualifications for critical endangerment. This category suggests that a species has an extremely high risk for extinction in the future.
Extinct in the Wild (EW): Species identified as Extinct in the Wild are known only to be surviving in captivity, in cultivation, or as (a) naturalized population(s) far beyond past ranges. To be classified this way, an individual of the species must not be identified in an appropriate habitat or during a proper time.
Extinct (EX): Extinct species are species that have no evidence to support that an individual of the population is still surviving either in the wild or in another environment.
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