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The latest update (Version 2009.02) of the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species shows that 17 291 species out of 47 677 assessed are threatened with extinction (click here).  The results reveal 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 12% of birds, 28% of reptiles, 37% of freshwater fishes, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates assessed so far are under threat. 

Of the currently 29 ACAP-listed species 18 albatrosses and four petrels are considered threatened by IUCN, an overall percentage of 76, far higher than the overall 12% for all the World's birds.  Of the 22 threatened ACAP species three are considered to be Critically Endangered (i.e. in extremely high danger of of extinction in the wild) and six have been categorized as Endangered and 13 as Vulnerable.  Of the remaining seven listed species five have been categorized as Near Threatened and two (both giant petrels Macronectes spp.) are currently considered to be of Least Concern. 

Threat-categorization of birds is undertaken by BirdLife International (click here) on behalf of IUCN. 

See  also: http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/north-pacific-albatrosses-acap. 

Click here for ACAP's assessment texts of its listed species. 

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 6 November 2009