CITES , (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) publishes the Red List, which gives the official status of a species.
Species may be listed as
VULNERABLE -
ENDANGERED -
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED -
EXTINCT IN THE WILD -
EXTINCT -
Vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered are all described as THREATENED

A species that is described as rare is not necessarily threatened or endangered.
A species' natural state may be rare e.g.
· Predators and parasites can be expected to be less numerous than their prey
· Monophagous insects are usually less numerous than polyphagous
· Specialists are usually less numerous than generalists
· Species may be poorly collected or understood (boom or bust cycles, collectors not being in the right place at the right time, not using appropriate collection methods etc)

Last modified on Tuesday, 11 October 2011