RED DATA BOOK
Introduction
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.
Brief History of 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.
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.
Objectives
Biodiversity Conservation Advocacy: Support and promote biodiversity
conservation.
Political Influence: Influence domestic and international politics.
Financial Support: Support and fund conservation methodologies.
Information Dissemination: Provide useful information on biological conservation.
Documentation of Earth’s Changes: Record the evolving flora and fauna of the
planet.
Promotion of Conservation Science: Emphasize conservation measures for critically
endangered species.
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Advantages
Identification and Conservation Status: Helps identify animals, birds, and species
and assess their conservation status.
Population Assessment: Used to assess the population of specific species.
Global Taxa Assessment: Provides information for global-scale assessment of taxa.
Risk Estimation: Aids in estimating the global risk of taxa going extinct.
Conservation Framework: Offers a framework for implementing protective
measures for endangered species.
Disadvantages
Incomplete Data: The data is incomplete and outdated for many species, both extinct
and extant.
Source Reliability Debate: Speculation and debate surround the reliability of data
sources in the book.
Exclusion of Microbes: The book provides an exhaustive list of animals, plants, and
species but lacks information on microbes.
The Red Data Book: Categorization by Colour
Black: Represents Extinct Species
Red: Indicates Critically Endangered Species
Orange: Designates Endangered Species
Amber: Identifies Vulnerable Species
White: Signifies Rare Species
Green: Denotes Species Out of Danger
Grey: Indicates Rare or Endangered Species with Limited Scientific Information and
Analysis
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
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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.
