Written by Jane Smart, Craig Hilton-Taylor and Russell A. Mittermeier and edited by Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier, founder of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the book was published by CEMEX on the occasion of The IUCN Red List’s 50th anniversary in 2014, and is a sequel to The Red Book: The Extinction Crisis Face to Face published in 2001.

The IUCN Red List: 50 Years of Conservation recounts the history of the Red List and demonstrates its value as an unparalleled goldmine of knowledge to guide critical conservation action. The book includes sections on the illegal wildlife trade, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, conservation success stories, as well as testimonials of IUCN Red List partners, all alongside beautiful photographs and descriptions of threatened animals, plants, and fungi.

The book discusses the conservation challenges ahead and IUCN’s goal of expanding the Red List into a true “Barometer of Life”. Our target is to increase the number of species assessed to 160,000 by 2020, more than doubling the Red List’s current size. This significant increase in species knowledge will provide a stronger base for effective conservation action to combat the extinction crisis and halt the loss of biodiversity. You can help us reach our goal by donating here.

The IUCN Red List: 50 Years of Conservation can be downloaded for free on iPad and Mac here.

“The IUCN Red List tells us where we ought to be concerned and where the urgent needs are to do something to prevent the despoliation of this world. It is a great resource for the work of conservationists.” – Sir David Attenborough