conservation status

American  

[kon-ser-vey-shuhn stey-tuhs, stat-uhs] / ˌkɒn sərˈveɪ ʃən ˌsteɪ təs, ˌstæt əs /

noun

Biology, Ecology.

1. the designation of a plant or animal species’ likelihood of becoming extinct or having already become extinct: the most consulted global ranking system for conservation status is the IUCN Red List.

   Has the conservation status of the narwhal changed over the past five years?

---

Etymology

Origin of conservation status

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

He had found the work rewarding, if not lucrative, because it was ultimately successful: In 2024, the cats’ conservation status was upgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

"Almost 90% -- 88.5% to be precise -- of insect and arachnid species have no conservation status," says Figueroa.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Both the pink waxcap and violet coral are listed as "vulnerable" on The Red List, a conservation status catalogue compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

The value we attribute to species has direct implications for how much time and money we allocate to each species and can even impact a species’ designated conservation status.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2025

That’s the same conservation status as raccoons and crows.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2024