GLAND, Switzerland, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The International Union for Conservation of Nature, based in Switzerland, says its update of an endangered species list indicates "the health of biodiversity."
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains more than 61,900 species reviewed, the group said in a release Thursday.
"This update offers both good and bad news on the status of many species around the world," Jane Smart, Director of the IUCN Global Species Program, said. "We have the knowledge that conservation works if executed in a timely manner, yet, without strong political will in combination with targeted efforts and resources, the wonders of nature and the services it provides can be lost forever."
The IUCN and its partners worked to expand the number and diversity of species assessed, improving the quality of information in order to obtain a better picture of the state of global biodiversity, the group's release said.
"The IUCN Red List is critical as an indicator of the health of biodiversity, in identifying conservation needs and informing necessary changes in policy and legislation to drive conservation forward," Jean-Christophe Vie, Deputy Director of IUCN's Global Species Program, said.
