Critically Endangered (CR) species are those closest to extinction in the wild. This includes iconic species such as the kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) and the Santa Catarina's guinea pig (Cavia intermedia). We reviewed the status of the 10,443 CR species, including which species they are, where they are found, what threatens them, and the actions both underway and needed to conserve them. Three in five CR species are plants, compared to 25% vertebrates, 15% invertebrates, and a handful of fungi and Chromista. CR species are typically concentrated on islands or habitat fragments, almost all endemic to a single country, and over half only found in 16 countries. Most CR species are threatened by agriculture, invasive species and logging. Surprisingly, many of these species lack conservation actions; almost half need targeted action to avoid their extinction, with more than half requiring protection of their last remaining sites. Despite our advances in planning processes, the shortfall in species recoveries and documented actions underway highlights the need for greater political will and substantial financial investments to save and recovery these species.
This was a collaboration between both conservation practitioners and researchers, including IUCN, BirdLife International, Re:wild, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Texas A&M University, Zoological Society of London, and the University of Cambridge.
See full paper in Nature Reviews Biodiversity:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00059-4
Contact Ash Simkins for more information - ats43@cam.ac.uk
Photo credit: The criticially endangered Santa Catarina's Guinea Pig (Cavia intermedia) by Tom E Lacher Jr