The Russian muskrat is on the verge of complete extinction in the country

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published their first and only update lists this year. About 7,000 new species were added to these lists, and the number of threatened species increased by about 2,000 to reach about 44,000. Among the animals receiving new conservation status is the Russian muskrat, which was on the verge of extinction. The bustard has been reclassified from vulnerable to endangered, and salmon is now in a vulnerable position. However, there is good news: the saigas are no longer considered an endangered species, and the Sahara oryx, after a successful reintroduction in a reserve in Chad, has been removed from extinction in the wild. A full list of updates can be found on the IUCN website.

The IUCN is the organization responsible for monitoring the status of thousands of species and subspecies of animals, plants and other organisms. Each of them is assigned one of eight conservation statuses, ranging from Least Concern (LC) to Critically Endangered (CR), Extinct in the Wild (EW) and Extinct. EX). IUCN lists are regularly criticized, but they remain an important tool for developing and implementing conservation efforts around the world.

IUCN staff update the lists annually with new species and review the status of already added species based on updated information on their abundance. Two such updates were planned for 2023: the first in June and the second in December. However, only the second update was published. It revised the statuses of several species of mammals, reptiles, mollusks, insects, as well as many birds, amphibians, fish and plants. In addition, 7,000 new species were added to the list. The total number of threatened species increased by 2,000 to 44,000.

One notable change in 2023 was the upgrade of the conservation status of the Russian desman (Desmana moschata) from Endangered to Critically Endangered. Previously, this animal was widespread in the water bodies of European Russia and neighboring regions, and was even hunted. However, its numbers have declined sharply in recent decades due to loss in fishing gear, habitat destruction and climate change caused by human activity. If in 2001 the Russian desman population was 27,000 individuals, now it is only about 4,000 individuals or even less. If this trend continues, the species may completely disappear in the coming years.