With the development of civilization, mankind began an attack on nature so actively that many species of plants and animals were threatened with extinction. Therefore, in the middle of the last century, at an international conference on nature conservation , it was decided to urge countries to make special lists and place them in red covers as an alarm signal.
What is the Red Book?
Around the same years, the Red Book of Russia appeared. The plants and animals listed in its first edition needed urgent protection measures and special work to conserve their habitats at the federal level. In the 90s of the last century, similar books of regions and territories of Russia began to be created. Thus, each region got the opportunity to monitor the conservation of natural diversity on its territory.
Now in the world more than 20 thousand species of animals, birds and plants are on the verge of extinction. The International Red Book lists more than 25% of existing mammals, about 50% of amphibians, more than 13% of birds, and more than 33% of corals.
The Red Book of Russia is published at least once every 10 years. Between publications, the Goskomekologiya forces are working on updating the lists, which then become an integral part of the next edition.
This is not just a list.
The Red Book of Russia is not just an illustrated publication that describes rare and endangered species. It can be called a program of activities to restore populations, because it contains many years of experience and specific facts accumulated by zoological scientists, hunting experts and simply nature experts.
Rich scientific information, a description of the risks and a lot of advice on the conservation of nature - all this is the Red Book of Russia. Photos and illustrations help to better understand the nature of the native land and, if possible, help to save it. This is the main mission of the publication - to save endangered species of plants and animals and restore rare ones. History shows that this is possible when government agencies, interested public organizations, various specialists, as well as amateur enthusiasts combine their efforts.
Who compiles and maintains this publication?
The Red Book of Russia is the fruit of the labor of many organizations, various commissions, laboratories and scientists. Indeed, in order to authoritatively declare that a plant or animal is on the verge of extinction, you need to do a lot of research. At the very beginning, more than 100 institutions and organizations were involved in its compilation, including the Russian Academy of Sciences, government institutions, scientists from nature reserves and protected areas and universities.
Now there is a paper and electronic Red Book of Russia. Animals and plants from risk groups are presented in more detail here - in the electronic version there is a lot of additional information and thematic contextual links that can be used to go to the reserve database and other interesting sites.
Plants and Animals - Candidates for Book Lists
The Red Book of Russia includes 6 sections on the degree of threat of species extinction:
No. 0 - probably disappeared;
No. 1 - endangered;
No. 2 - declining in numbers;
No. 3 - rare;
No. 4 - uncertain status;
No. 5 - recoverable and recoverable.
For ease of perception, the information on the sections is reasonable to place in tabular form
The Red Book of Russia - categories of objects
| No. | Category | Category Value |
| 0 | Probably disappeared | Species that have not been encountered by researchers in the last 50-100 years. |
| 1 | Endangered | Species, the number of which has decreased almost to a critical level, from which it simply can not recover if urgent measures are not taken. |
| 2 | Declining in number | Those species that in recent years have had a strong tendency to reduce the population and very soon can move into the category of "endangered". |
| 3 | Rare | Species with a small number that are located in a limited territory or are found in large areas, but in very small groups. |
| 4 | Undefined status | These species either do not fit the criteria of the remaining categories, or there is not enough scientific information on them. However, they still need special security measures. |
| 5 | Recoverable and recovering | Species that, in terms of number and territory of distribution, due to measures taken or due to natural reasons, have reached a level where urgent measures for the conservation and restoration of the population are no longer required for them. |
Risk Factors for the Living World
What should be done so that the whole flora and fauna of Russia does not get on the lists under the red cover?
International environmental organizations see a way out in reducing the risks of global warming, reducing CO2 emissions, preventing catastrophes with oil spills, minimizing emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere by industrial enterprises and megacities, and combating poaching and the use of protected areas for other purposes. Then in a few decades it will be possible to make all the Red Books museum exhibits.
In the meantime, in order to make up for at least part of the population of rare species, according to environmentalists, almost half a billion dollars are needed, and the lists of endangered plants and animals are still growing.