Desert rain frog, over half of molluscs pushed towards extinction: IUCN Red List
The updated IUCN Red List of Threatened Species now assesses 175,909 species in total, of which 49,505 are classified as threatened with extinction
The desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops), found along the Namibia–South Africa coast, was moved from Near Threatened to Vulnerable, with a projected population decline of about 20% over the next decade without intervention
An assessment of hydrothermal vent-endemic molluscs found that 62% of the 201 species evaluated (125 species) face extinction risk, primarily due to deep-sea mining activity
One vent snail species, Lirapex felix, was listed as Critically Endangered because of mining exploration activity in the Indian Ocean
The update also recorded a conservation success: the numbat, an Australian marsupial, improved from Endangered to Near Threatened following predator-control and captive-breeding programmes
IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of species, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Species are placed into one of nine categories based on quantitative criteria — rate of population decline, population size, geographic range, and degree of fragmentation — ranging from Least Concern to Extinct.
Key Details
- Nine categories (in order of increasing risk): Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, Extinct
- "Threatened" species collectively refers to the Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered categories
- Critically Endangered is assigned when evidence shows an extremely high risk of extinction — e.g., a population decline of 80–90%+ over 10 years/3 generations, or fewer than 50 mature individuals remaining
- Vulnerable is assigned for high extinction risk, e.g., a population decline of around 30% over 10 years
- The Red List is distinct from India's Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 schedules — IUCN status reflects global extinction risk, while WPA schedules determine the level of legal protection within India; a species can be Least Concern globally but still be Schedule I under Indian law (and vice versa)
The desert rain frog's shift from Near Threatened to Vulnerable and the vent molluscs' Critically Endangered listings are direct applications of these IUCN criteria to newly assessed population and threat data.
Deep-Sea Mining and Hydrothermal Vent Ecosystems
Hydrothermal vents are deep-ocean fissures, found at depths up to several thousand metres, where mineral-rich, superheated water supports unique chemosynthesis-based ecosystems rather than photosynthesis-based ones. These vent fields are also targeted for polymetallic sulphide mining because vent mineral deposits are rich in copper, zinc, gold and silver — placing endemic vent species directly in the path of seabed mining exploration.
Key Details
- Vent water temperatures at these sites can exceed 450°C; ecosystems depend on chemosynthetic bacteria rather than sunlight
- Mining activity threatens vent molluscs mainly through sediment plumes that smother organisms and impair respiration and nutrient uptake
- Deep-sea mineral exploration is regulated internationally by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, which grants "exploration contracts" in the international seabed area (the "Area," beyond national jurisdiction)
- India holds exploration contracts with the ISA for polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (since 2002, extended in 2017 and 2023) and, since 2024, for polymetallic sulphides along the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean — making India the first ISA contractor to hold two polymetallic sulphide exploration contracts
The mining threat cited for vent molluscs — including the Critically Endangered Lirapex felix in the Indian Ocean — is directly relevant to India's own deep-sea exploration programme, illustrating the tension between the Deep Ocean Mission's mineral objectives and biodiversity conservation obligations under international law.
Species Recovery Case Study: The Numbat
Conservation status changes are not always negative — the numbat's improvement from Endangered to Near Threatened is a recognised case study of active, human-driven population recovery through targeted conservation management.
Key Details
- Numbat population grew from roughly 300 individuals in the late 1970s to 2,000–3,000 today
- Recovery is attributed to predator (introduced fox and feral cat) control and captive breeding/reintroduction programmes
- This mirrors the "uplisting" pattern seen in Indian conservation successes cited in UPSC materials, such as the tiger (Project Tiger, 1973) and the one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga, both of which show population recovery through targeted, legally backed conservation programmes
The numbat example is used by IUCN assessors to demonstrate that Red List status is reversible with sustained conservation investment — a point Mains answers on biodiversity conservation frequently need to make.
- Total species now assessed on the IUCN Red List: 175,909
- Total species classified as threatened: 49,505
- Desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops): status changed from Near Threatened to Vulnerable; projected population decline ~20% within a decade
- Hydrothermal vent-endemic molluscs assessed: 201 species; 62% (125 species) found to be at risk of extinction
- Lirapex felix (vent snail): listed Critically Endangered due to Indian Ocean mining exploration activity
- Numbat: uplisted from Endangered to Near Threatened; population recovered from ~300 (late 1970s) to 2,000–3,000 (current)
- India's polymetallic sulphide exploration area (Carlsberg Ridge, Indian Ocean): 10,000 sq km across 100 blocks, approved by ISA in 2024