Near Threatened animals in U.S. zoos

Near Threatened (NT) is the IUCN Red List category for species that don't currently qualify as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered but come close to a threshold, or are likely to cross one soon. It is not a threatened category itself but an early warning, and IUCN stresses re-evaluating these species at regular intervals.

Most widely held

What Near Threatened means

Near Threatened is the step between Least Concern and Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. A Near Threatened species has been assessed and does not meet any threatened criteria today, but it may become vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.

The category has no number thresholds of its own. Assessors measure the species against the Vulnerable criteria and list it as Near Threatened when one of them is nearly met, such as a population decline close to 30%, or a shrinking range. Because these species sit so close to the line, IUCN stresses re-evaluating them regularly.

Older assessments may use different codes. Before 2001, Near Threatened and Conservation Dependent were subcategories of a "Lower Risk" category, so a species last assessed before then can still show LR/nt or LR/cd.

Declining, but not yet threatened

Many Near Threatened species are still widespread but losing ground. The jaguar has been in the category since 2002 and has probably been declining since the late 1990s, from habitat loss, poaching for body parts and killing by ranchers. The greater rhea still ranges over about 6.5 million km² (2.5 million sq mi) of South America, but that range is shrinking as grassland becomes farmland.

Trade and hunting are common pressures. The ball python is declining across most of West Africa because wild snakes are still collected for the pet trade. The straw-colored fruit bat is hunted for bushmeat, and the lesser flamingo depends on very few breeding sites, several of them under threat from pollution and development.

Recoveries and hidden risks

Near Threatened can also be a sign of progress. The American bison collapsed from an estimated 60 million animals to 541 by 1889, then recovered to roughly 31,000 wild bison by 2019 through decades of protection and reintroduction.

A species-level status can hide very different stories within it. The white rhinoceros is Near Threatened overall, and its southern subspecies numbers about 17,464 in the wild, but the northern white rhino is down to two females. The bongo is similar: the western lowland form is Near Threatened, while the eastern mountain bongo of Kenya may have as few as 140 animals left in the wild.

Why zoos pay attention

Near Threatened species are a chance to act before a species becomes threatened. Accredited zoos manage several of them through Species Survival Plans; the bongo became a Species Survival Plan species in 2000. Healthy populations in human care can serve as a backup if a decline in the wild speeds up.

The maned wolf shows how status can differ by scale. It is Near Threatened globally, but Brazil's own environmental agency lists it as vulnerable within the country.

Common questions

  • What does near threatened mean?

    It means a species has been assessed and doesn't qualify as threatened now, but it is close to the Vulnerable thresholds or likely to meet them in the near future.

  • Is near threatened the same as endangered?

    No. Near Threatened sits below all three threatened categories. Endangered is two steps higher, above Vulnerable.

  • Is the jaguar endangered?

    The jaguar is listed as Near Threatened, not Endangered. It has been in that category since 2002 and is threatened by habitat loss, poaching and conflict with ranchers.

  • Are American bison endangered?

    No, the American bison is Near Threatened. It fell to just 541 animals by 1889 and has recovered to roughly 31,000 wild bison as of 2019.

  • What was Lower Risk on the IUCN Red List?

    Before 2001, Near Threatened and Conservation Dependent were both subcategories of Lower Risk, shown as LR/nt and LR/cd. Species last assessed before 2001 can still carry those codes.

  • How does a species become Near Threatened?

    Assessors compare it with the Vulnerable criteria. It is usually listed as Near Threatened when it nearly meets a threshold, such as a decline close to 30%, or would likely become threatened without ongoing conservation work.

Sources

Last reviewed