Least Concern (LC or LR/lc), lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.
Near Threatened (NT or LR/nt), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
No longer a Red List category
Conservation Dependent (LR/cd), the focus of a continuing taxon-specific or habitat-specific conservation program targeted towards the taxon in question, the cessation of which would result in the taxon qualifying for one of the threatened categories below within a period of five years.
Threatened categories
2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)
Description
1994 Categories & Criteria (version 2.3)
Vulnerable (VU), considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild
Endangered (EN), considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Other categories
2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)
Description
1994 Categories & Criteria (version 2.3)
Extinct in the Wild (EW), known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past range.
Data Deficient (DD), inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction.
Not Evaluated (NE), not yet been evaluated against the criteria.
Possibly Extinct (PE), a category given by BirdLife International. A subcategory of CR.
Possibly Extinct in the Wild (PEW), A term used within the IUCN Red List. A subcategory of CR.
IUCN's 3.1 red list of species endangerment: Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern.
EX (Extinct) — EW (Extinct in the Wild) — CR (Critically Endangered) — EN (Endangered) — VU (Vulnerable) — NT (Near Threatened) — LC (Least Concern)