Vulnerable species
A vulnerable species is one that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says is at high risk of extinction in the wild unless conditions improve. The main threat is loss or destruction of the places where the species lives.
Vulnerable species are watched closely because their situation can get worse over time. Some vulnerable animals are kept in captivity and are not in immediate danger in those settings, such as the military macaw.
In 2012, thousands of living species were listed as vulnerable: about 5,200 animals and 6,800 plants. These numbers grew from 1998, showing that more species were slipping toward extinction.
How does the IUCN decide if a species is Vulnerable? In simple terms, a species is Vulnerable if it is not yet Critically Endangered or Endangered, but faces a high risk of extinction in the medium term. This can be due to factors like a sharp drop in population, a very small or limited area where it lives, a small number of mature individuals, or populations that are very isolated. There is also an assessment that shows a significant chance of extinction within about 100 years.
Some examples of animals listed as Vulnerable include the hyacinth macaw, mountain zebra, gaur, black-crowned crane, and blue crane.
Conservation hopes to help these species by protecting their habitats, managing populations in captivity when appropriate, and preserving genetic resources—such as freezing genetic material—to safeguard livestock breeds and other species for the future.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:03 (CET).