The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List consists of threatened species around the globe. Its main goal is to document species of plants and animals that are in desperate need of conservation, in order to prevent further extinction among species. Identifying and monitoring trends in species status is a secondary goal of the Red List. The Red List helps monitor species and major ecosystems by comparing them to an established baseline. This baseline is the standard for species status and ecosystem health and potential, and is used in a global context for conservation. The Red List makes global conservation easier because it brings the species and ecosystems that need the most help to the forefront, helping to prevent further extinction.
The World Wildlife Fund is an organization that strives to preserve wildlife through conservation methods. Conservation of ecosystems and animal habitats are important in saving endangered species. However, if conservation efforts are unmanageable for the people in the area, the efforts will never work. The World Wildlife Fund strives to educate people on the consequences of their actions in causing species to become endangered and possibly extinct. An endangered status does not only mean trouble for an animal or ecosystem, it also means trouble for the people and other animals that rely on the endangered species. As expressed by the World Wildlife Fund, flagship species are the focus, in order to raise awareness and funds for broader efforts of conservation.
Endangered Species International is committed to saving endangered species, preserving ecosystems and reversing the trend of extinction caused by human actions. According to this organization, 17,000 species are on the verge of extinction. Aggressive action must be taken in order to prevent these species from completely disappearing. They are working to safeguard endangered animals, in order to avoid their extinction. Habitats are also being safeguarded to prevent more animals from becoming endangered and extinct, including the more than ten-million species that Endangered Species International says have yet to be discovered.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an agreement among international governments, preventing the trade and sale of wild species of both animal and plant populations, if the trade threatens their survival. CITES strives to prevent the over-exploitation of wild species. Not only would excessive exploitation of species cause them to become extinct, it would also prohibit sustainable international trade for the future. Many countries adhere to this agreement voluntarily, to save endangered species, and to prevent flourishing species from falling to an endangered or extinct status.
