Turkey evaluates 6,800 species for first national Red List

Turkey has released the first phase of its “Turkey Living Things Red List” project, a scientific initiative designed to protect biological diversity using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. The study, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks in collaboration with the Nature Conservation Center, evaluated 6,800 species.

The assessment included 5,676 vascular plants, 387 bird species, 385 butterflies, 174 mammals, 146 reptiles, and 32 amphibians. Findings indicate that approximately 67 percent of the evaluated species are in threat categories: 22 percent are classified as critical, 14 percent are endangered, and 31 percent are vulnerable.

Kadir Çokçetin, General Manager of Nature Conservation and National Parks, stated that the project aims to provide a scientific basis for habitat management and conservation policies. The second phase involves integrating species data into international systems, with the goal of completing Red List assessments for all living groups in Turkey by the end of 2028.