Question

How many species are documented to be extinct in the last 500 years by IUCN Red List, 2004?
A) 2000
B) 87
C) 567
D) 784

Answer 1

IUCN is the abbreviation for the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is an international organization operating in the field of conservation of nature and the sustainable use of natural resources. It was founded in 1948 in the French town Fontainebleau.

Complete answer:

The IUCN is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was founded in 1964 and it is the world’s most comprehensive directory of the global conservation status of biological species (animal, fungi and plants).
This list is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Much more than a list of species and their status, it is a dynamic tool to inform and catalyze action for biodiversity conservation and policy change, critical to protecting the natural resources essential for survival. It provides information about the range, population size, habitat and ecology, use, threats, and conservation actions that will help apprise imperative conservation decisions.

According to this list, species are divided into 9 different categories.
(i) Not Evaluated
(ii) Data Deficient
(iii) Least Concern
(iv) Near Threatened
(v) Vulnerable
(vi) Endangered
(vii) Critically Endangered
(viii) Extinct in the Wild
(ix) Extinct.

According to the IUCN Red List, 2004, a total of 784 species were recorded as extinct in the last 500 years including

338 vertebrates
359 invertebrates
87 plants
All the other options do not correlate with the data for the number of Extinct species in the last 500 years in the IUCN Red List generated in the year 2004.

Therefore, amongst the given options, (D) 784 is the correct answer.

Note: The “Red” in the IUCN Red list refers to a specific category of endangered species in nature including the critically endangered species.

In the United Nations General Assembly, IUCN is the only international observer organization with prowess in issues concerning the environment, especially biodiversity, nature conservation and use of sustainable natural resources.