Question

The term used for species in which the last individual has died or is not recorded is

• A. Extinct
• B. Near threatened
• C. Endangered
• D. Vulnerable

Hint:

Familiarize yourself with the main IUCN categories in order of severity: Least Concern $\rightarrow$ Near Threatened $\rightarrow$ Vulnerable $\rightarrow$ Endangered $\rightarrow$ Critically Endangered $\rightarrow$ Extinct in the Wild $\rightarrow$ Extinct.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies species into different categories based on their conservation status, population size, and risk of global extinction.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Recall the specific definitions for the various IUCN Red List categories to identify the one that precisely matches the given description.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
An 'Extinct' species is defined as a taxon when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died, or when exhaustive surveys in its known or expected habitat have failed to record an individual.
An 'Endangered' species is one that is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
A 'Vulnerable' species is one that is considered to be at a high risk of unnatural (human-caused) extinction without further human intervention.
A 'Near threatened' species is one that has been evaluated but does not currently qualify for the Endangered or Vulnerable status, though it is close to qualifying or is likely to qualify in the near future.
Based on the exact definition provided in the question, the correct term is 'Extinct'.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct term is Extinct, which corresponds to option (A).