IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Definitions of terms used in the IUCN Categories & Criteria

Location

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

A geographically or ecologically distinct area in which a single threatening event can rapidly affect all individuals of the

taxon present.

Definition

Location

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

• Justification for the number of locations used in the assessment should include reference to the most serious plausible threat(s). For example:

• Habitat loss caused by development – a location may be an area where a single development project can eliminate or severely reduce the population.

• Volcano, hurricane, tsunami, frequent flood/fire – locations may be defined by the previous or predicted extent of lava flow, storm path, innundation, fire path, etc.

• Exploitation – locations may be defined based on the size of jurisdictions where similar regulations apply, or level of access to areas, and on factors determining how levels of exploitation change (e.g., two areas affected by the same market trends could be counted as one location).

• If two or more subpopulations occur in an area affected by one threatening event, they fall into one location.

• If one subpopulation covers an area larger than may be affected by a sinlge event, it falls into more than one location.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

• If the most serious plausible threat does not affect all of the taxon’s distribution but other less-impacting threats are affecting other areas, use the other threats to define and count those areas not affected by the most serious threat.

• If parts of the distribution are not affected by any threat, use the following options:

• If the unaffected area is more than half the taxon’s range, do not consider the number of locations (i.e., subcriteria referring to number of locations are not met).

• If there are several obvious subpopulations, use the number of subpopulations in the unaffected areas.

• Use the smallest location in the affected areas to determine the number of locations in the unaffected areas, or

• Base the number of locations on the most likely threat to affect the currently-unaffected areas in future.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

2 locations

Invasive species

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

4 locationsWater extraction

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

At least 5 locations

Pollution

LocationLocation

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

Intensive fisheries

(occurring simultaneously)

2 locations

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

6 locations

restricted coastal fisheries

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

LocationLocation

pollution

6 locations

coastal fisheries

deeper water fisheries