How to Access and Use IUCN Red List Data for Research and GIS
Understanding and using IUCN Red List data has become essential for any serious biodiversity analysis, whether in academic research, impact assessments, or GIS (Geographic Information Systems). Yet many potential users still do not know how to access these data for free, what licensing limits apply, or how to integrate them efficiently into their projects.
In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to access, download, and use IUCN Red List data for scientific research, GIS projects, and conservation analyses. We will also explore how professional solutions such as Natural Solutions can help you automate and structure your workflows through dedicated digital tools.
Understanding IUCN Red List data and its value for research
The IUCN Red List is the leading global database on species extinction risk. It evaluates tens of thousands of species using standardized criteria, making it a scientific cornerstone for conservation planning, spatial planning, and public policy development.
The main types of available data include:
Conservation status: categories such as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), Near Threatened (NT), Least Concern (LC), as well as Data Deficient (DD) and Not Evaluated (NE).
Taxonomy: information on kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.
Geographic range: polygons, lines, or points describing species distributions, sometimes broken down by season (breeding, wintering, etc.).
Country presence: confirmed, possible, or extinct occurrence at national level.
Habitats: habitat types based on a standardized classification, with attributes for importance and major importance.
Threats: types of threats (habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, etc.) and their severity.
Population trends: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
These data are used by researchers to model species distributions, by NGOs and government agencies to prioritize conservation actions, and by students in environmental impact studies, dissertations, and theses. Red List categories are embedded in the data fields (for example, a category field = EN), which makes it easy to quickly filter threatened species in GIS or statistical analyses.
When combined with other sources (such as the products and services of Natural Solutions or species occurrence databases), Red List data provide a much more detailed picture of conservation priorities at local, national, and global scales.
How to get free access to IUCN Red List species data
Access to IUCN Red List data is free for a wide range of non-commercial uses, provided you create an account and accept the terms of use. The general process is:
Go to the official IUCN Red List website.
Create a user account (email address, password, and some information about your organisation or intended use).
Accept the license terms, which specify restrictions on commercial use, redistribution, and citation requirements.
Activate your account via the confirmation link sent by email.
Once logged in, you can:
Explore species pages: each species has a detailed profile with status, distribution, threats, habitats, and more.
Download data for individual species: typically as CSV files for attributes and shapefiles for ranges.
Request bulk datasets: via dedicated forms or specialized download portals.
The main download formats are:
CSV: ideal for statistical analysis, and for import into R, Python, or databases.
Shapefile and geodatabase (GDB): for direct use in GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS) with geometry and attributes.
It is essential to comply with the IUCN’s recommended citation guidelines and to clearly distinguish between commercial and non-commercial use. For commercial projects or software solutions, you may need specific permission. Specialist companies such as Natural Solutions can support these processes and integrate the data into turnkey tools via their products.
Downloading IUCN Red List data: bulk datasets and country species lists
For large-scale analyses, it is often more efficient to download bulk datasets rather than working species by species. The IUCN Red List provides files that include:
Species assessments (status, taxonomy, trends).
Spatial range layers (polygons, presence status, seasonality).
Country- and region-level information.
For country-specific analyses, such as for the United States, you can generally:
Go to the “Species by country” or “Country statistics” section.
Select the country (for example, USA / United States of America).
Filter by taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, amphibians, etc.) or by Red List categories (CR, EN, VU, and so on).
Export a checklist or report in CSV or spreadsheet format listing all relevant species.
This allows you to build a list of threatened species in the United States and integrate it into your analyses—for example, by intersecting the list with infrastructure project data to identify areas of high ecological sensitivity.
Some good practices for handling these downloads:
Organize files by date, type (assessments, habitats, ranges), and geographic area.
Keep all documentation and metadata (field dictionaries, code explanations).
Create a clear folder structure so that country lists, such as the USA list, can be easily integrated into your analysis scripts.
When your needs become recurrent or complex, using specialized tools or platforms such as the products offered by Natural Solutions allows you to centralize datasets, automate updates, and streamline their use in GIS and reporting.
Using the IUCN Red List API to automate your research workflows
Beyond manual downloads, the IUCN Red List provides an API (Application Programming Interface) that enables programmatic access to the data. The API gives access to:
Species details (status, taxonomy, population trend).
Red List categories and assessment history.
Countries of occurrence for a given species.
Threats, habitats, and other key attributes.
To use the API, you must:
Create an account on the Red List website (if you do not already have one).
Request an API key, usually available in your user profile or via a dedicated request form.
Read the API documentation to understand the endpoints, response formats (typically JSON), and rate limits.
Examples of possible requests (pseudo-code):
Search for a species by its scientific name and retrieve its status: /species/{scientific_name}.
List all species present in a country: /country/getspecies/{country_code}.
Filter species by threat category (for example EN or CR): /species/category/{category}.
Retrieve the habitats associated with a species: /habitats/species/{species_id}.
These calls can be integrated into scripts in R or Python, or into GIS models that update automatically. For example, you could schedule a weekly script that:
Queries the API for species present in a given country.
Filters species in EN or CR categories.
Updates a table or map of threatened species for a monitoring dashboard.
For organizations managing multiple projects and databases, integrating this API into professional platforms—such as those available among the products of Natural Solutions—helps secure and automate the entire data pipeline, from retrieval to analysis and reporting.
Using IUCN Red List habitat data in GIS projects
IUCN Red List habitat data are particularly valuable for mapping and spatial analysis. They describe:
Habitat types based on a hierarchical classification (for example, tropical forests, savannas, wetlands).
The importance of the habitat for the species (suitable, marginal, unsuitable).
The notion of major importance, indicating habitats that are critical for species survival.
In some cases, spatial range layers that can be combined with habitat information.
For use in GIS, you can download these data:
In shapefile or geodatabase format for direct integration into QGIS or ArcGIS.
In GeoJSON format for use in web tools or mapping libraries (Leaflet, Mapbox, etc.).
When importing into a GIS, make sure to:
Check the coordinate reference system (often WGS 84) and reproject it if necessary to suit your study area.
Verify geometric quality (topology, overlaps, gaps).
Join habitat attributes to species distribution layers if needed.
Examples of possible analyses:
Map the potential distribution of a species by combining required habitats with known ranges.
Perform overlays between critical habitats and protected areas to identify conservation gaps.
Combine habitat data with land-cover and climate datasets to assess vulnerability to climate change.
By combining IUCN habitat layers with other geospatial datasets (protected areas, ecological networks, infrastructure), you can build robust spatial diagnostics. Platforms developed by Natural Solutions are designed to facilitate this type of integration and provide visualization and analysis tools tailored to biodiversity managers.
Good practices, limitations, and ethical use of IUCN Red List data
Even though IUCN Red List data are globally recognized, it is crucial to understand their limitations and use them responsibly.
Key limitations include:
Temporal coverage: not all species are reassessed at the same frequency; some assessments may be outdated relative to recent changes.
Taxonomic gaps: some groups (especially many invertebrates and some plants) remain under-assessed or unevaluated.
Spatial resolution: distribution polygons are often generalized and should not be interpreted as fine-scale presence maps.
Uncertainty: some information (trends, threats) may rely on partial data or expert judgement.
From an ethical and legal perspective:
Respect any restrictions on data sharing, especially for sensitive species (for example, precise locations may be intentionally obscured).
Avoid any use that could harm species or facilitate illegal activities.
Fully comply with IUCN licenses and terms of use, particularly for commercial applications.
From a scientific best-practice standpoint, it is recommended to:
Cite the IUCN Red List correctly in your papers, reports, and policy documents, following the wording suggested by IUCN (access year, version, URL).
Document your methods for selecting, filtering, and processing data.
Combine IUCN data with local surveys, occurrence databases (such as GBIF), and national inventories to strengthen your conclusions.
Professional solutions such as the products of Natural Solutions can help you structure this data ecosystem, track Red List updates, and automatically document the versions used in each project, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or mis-citation.
FAQ on accessing and using IUCN Red List data
How do I download IUCN Red List data for free?
To download IUCN Red List data for free, you need to:
Create an account on the Red List website.
Accept the terms of use and license conditions.
Log in and use the search interface to access species pages.
Download individual datasets (CSV, shapefile) or request bulk datasets via the dedicated download sections.
Access is free for many non-commercial uses, provided you respect citation requirements and usage restrictions.
How can I use IUCN Red List data for academic and conservation research?
IUCN Red List data can be used to:
Assess the state of biodiversity in a region or country.
Identify the most threatened species and prioritize conservation actions.
Model species distributions in relation to environmental variables.
Evaluate the potential impacts of development or infrastructure projects.
In academic settings, Red List data underpin both quantitative analyses (conservation status, trends) and qualitative assessments (threat descriptions, habitat information), often integrated into GIS projects or doctoral research.
Is there an IUCN Red List data API, and how do I get an API key?
Yes, the IUCN Red List provides an API that allows scripted access to the data. To obtain an API key, you must:
Create an account on the Red List website (or use your existing account).
Request an API key via the dedicated section (usually in your user profile or an “API” page).
Accept the specific terms of use for the API.
Review the technical documentation to learn about the endpoints, response formats, and rate limits.
You can then integrate the API into your R or Python scripts or GIS applications to automate data retrieval.
How do I obtain IUCN Red List country-level species data for the USA?
To obtain IUCN Red List species data for the United States:
Go to the “Species by country” section or equivalent on the Red List website.
Select “United States of America” from the country dropdown list.
Optionally apply filters by taxonomic group or threat category (CR, EN, VU, etc.).
Export the species list or reports in CSV or spreadsheet format.
You can then integrate this list into your analyses to identify threatened species present in the USA and combine them with other geospatial or project datasets.
How can I use IUCN Red List habitat data in GIS software like QGIS or ArcGIS?
To use IUCN Red List habitat data in QGIS or ArcGIS:
Download the spatial layers in shapefile, geodatabase, or GeoJSON format.
Import them into your GIS project, checking the projection (often WGS 84).
Link habitat attributes (type, importance, major importance) to species layers.
Run spatial analyses: distribution maps, overlays with protected areas, and conflict analyses between infrastructure projects and sensitive habitats.
These analyses help identify critical habitats to protect, reveal gaps in protected area networks, and support evidence-based land-use and conservation planning.
Conclusion
IUCN Red List data are a powerful resource for understanding biodiversity status, setting conservation priorities, and embedding ecological considerations into public and private decision-making. By learning how to access the data for free, use the API, download country-level datasets such as those for the United States, and work with habitat information in GIS, you equip yourself to deliver more robust and actionable analyses.
Whether you are a researcher, student, consultant, NGO, or public authority, now is the time to turn these resources into concrete action. The platforms and tools offered by Natural Solutions can help you structure your data workflows, automate analyses, and communicate your results effectively through their biodiversity-focused products.
Start using IUCN Red List data more effectively: create your free account, explore the API documentation, and build your first GIS or research project today.
