Endangered Species
Last update of indicator20.12.2023
Indicator definition
The indicator evaluates endangerment of plants species (lower and higher) and animals (invertebrates and vertebrates) which represents the proportion of species listed in categories of endangerment of CR (critically endangered), EN (endangered), VU (vulnerable) according to IUCN in the relevant red lists of species out of the total number of known species.
Related policy documents and targets
Greener Slovakia – Strategy of the Environmental Policy of the Slovak Republic until 2030 (Envirostrategy 2030) (2019)
2.1 Stopping the Loss of Biodiversity
- Conditions will be created for minimising of the negative impacts of anthropogenic activity, including the impact of climate change which are causing a loss of diversity of plant and animal species and a loss of biotopes, and the enforceability of laws related to nature protection will improve.
- Until 2030, at a minimum, 15% of degraded ecosystems in Slovakia will be regenerated such as those above the timber-line, but especially salt marshes, wetlands, peatlands, alluvial forests that are significantly impacted by human activity.
- A program of regeneration of wetlands and their ecosystem services based on participation of all concerned parties will be implemented.
- In collaboration with owners and users and using all available resources there will be an improvement in quality of protection and regeneration of forests, meadows and pastures which represent ecosystems with the highest level of biodiversity, and creation of agroforestry systems will be supported.
- State institutions, in collaboration with academic institutions, expert organisations and nongovernmental organisations will regularly update the red lists of endangered species and biotopes and recommend measures for their saving.
- On a national level, in regards to endangered species trade, with regard to application practice, new regulation will be adopted and problems with the implementation and enforcement of current national precepts of law will be accounted for.
- Utilisation of waning, vulnerable and migrant species of protected animals will be carried out in accordance with international obligations of SR.
Key goal: Stopping of biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems and their services in SR until 2020, securing of regeneration of biodiversity and ecosystems within an appropriate scope and increasing of our contribution towards preventing of biodiversity loss on a global scale.
Area A Nature protection
Objective A.1: Achieving the EU´s objective: up to 2020, to stop the deterioration of the status of all species and habitats, and achieve a significant and measurable improvement in their status so that (compared to the current assessment) by 100% more habitat assessments and by 50% more species assessments under the Habitats Directive would show improvement in the conservation status, and by 50% more species assessment within the Birds Directive would show a secure or improved status.
Measure A.1.1 Consistently implement the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive, adopted resolutions and decisions of international conventions, organizations and programs and improved national legislation in order to strengthen the protection of species and habitats and also link the network of protected areas on a scientific basis
6. Preparing, more specifically, updating of programmes for saving of endangered species of plants and animals and implementing measures, including transfer and restitution of species into appropriate locations
7. Ensuring revitalisation of the most endangered biotopes (especially sands, salt marshes, xerothermic grasslands)
Key question
What is the state of endangerment of species in the SR?Key messages
- In the SR currently there are 1,047 of endangered lower plant species (13.6%), whereby almost half of bryophytes and almost a quarter of lichens are threatened. Among higher plants there are 527 endangered species (14.6%).
- An updated red list of bryophytes was published in 2020: Mišíková, Katarína, Katarína Godovičová, Pavel Širka a Rudolf Šoltés. Checklist and red list of mosses (Bryophyta) of Slovakia. Biologia. 2020, 75(1), 21-37. ISSN 0006-3088.
- The highest amount of critically endangered species of flora in the SR come from biotopes that are globally endangered across all Central Europe (peatlands, wetlands, floodplain meadows, salt marches, sands). The basic reason of endangerment of plants is, in particular, direct or indirect destruction of these locations, whereby in some places we do not yet know the true reasons.
- According to latest red lists there are in total 1,636 endangered invertebrates (6.6%) and 100 taxons of vertebrates (24.2%), while their state of endangerment is increasingly more significant.
- With all animals the priority requirement lies with the securing of their biotope protection, that is, adequately large and preserved areas in which they can naturally live and reproduce.
Summary assessment
Number of plant taxa – total and threatened
Source: SNC SR
Note:
Taxon is a taxonomic unit in the biological system of classification with indeterminate value, for example species, genus, family, and so on.
Data in % indicates the proportion of threatened taxa in the total number of taxa;
Threatened – only species included in IUCN categories CR, EN and VU;
IUCN categories: CR – critically endangered taxon, EN – endangered taxon, VU – vulnerable taxon;
Data per 2020
Number of vertebrate species – total and threatened
Source: SNC SR
Note:
Birds – only nesting (total 211 species of nesting birds were assessed);
Threatened – only species included in IUCN categories CR, EN and VU;
Data in % indicates the proportion of threatened species in the total number of species;
Data per 2020
Detailed assessment
Plant species
The state of endangerment of lower plant species in SR is evaluated according to the red list from 2001 (Feráková, V., Maglocký, Š. & Marhold, K., 2001: Červený zoznam papraďorastov a semenných rastlín Slovenska (december 2001) – In: Baláž, D., Marhold, K. & Urban, P. eds., Červený zoznam rastlín a živočíchov Slovenska, Ochr. Prír. 20 (Suppl.): 48-81).
An updated red list of bryophytes was published in 2020: Mišíková, Katarína, Katarína Godovičová, Pavel Širka a Rudolf Šoltés. Checklist and red list of mosses (Bryophyta) of Slovakia. Biologia. 2020, 75(1), 21-37. ISSN 0006-3088.
The state of endangerment of higher plant and fernwort species in SR is evaluated according to an updated red list from 2015 (Eliáš P. jr., Dítě D., Kliment J., Hrivnák R. & Feráková V., 2015. Red List of ferns and flowering plants of Slovakia).
Development of versions of red lists:
- The first complex list of endangered plants in Slovakia was compiled by a team led by Štefan Maglocký. After incorporation of the comments of botanists and conservators the updated version was published in 1983 (Maglocký 1983).
- The second updated issue compiled in line with the IUCN methodology came out ten years later (Maglocký a Feráková 1993).
- The third version of the red list was published as a part of a list of higher and lower plants of Slovakia (Marhold a Hindák 1998).
- The fourth version was published in 2001, when a red list of plants was published according to which there were 2861 plant taxons in various categories of endangerment (previously missing groups were added), that is, in total 22.7%. From this, the proportion of endangered species of higher plants was 30.3% for lower plants this was 11.4% (IUCN categories CR, EN, VU).
- The fifth version – Updated red list of flowerers and sporers in Slovakia (2015) – includes 1218 taxons, which represents approximately 34% of the 3619 original species and floral archaeophytes of Slovakia. Endangered are (within CR, EN and VU categories) 527 species of higher plants (14.6%).
80 taxons (7%) were not confirmed in the area of Slovakia (66 regionally extinct, 17 probably regionally extinct). The remaining group is represented by 347 taxons rated as near threatened (NT, 29%), 162 taxons classed as least concern (LC, 13%), 91 taxons as data deficient (DD, 7%) an 8 taxons (1%) were classed as NE (not evaluated) and NA (non-applicable). The fifth version of the Red list included 27 listed taxons novel for the Slovak flora and 14 extinct and missing taxons were re-confirmed for flora.
| Year | Version* | Number of species in the SR | Ex | Endangered (IUCN categories) | Ed | Proportion of threatened (%)*** | ||||
| CR | EN | VU | LR | DD | ||||||
| 1998 | III. | 3,352 | 37 | 124 | 273 | 350 | 223 | 47 | 127 | 22.3 |
| 2001 | IV. | 3,352 | 73 | 243 | 282 | 378 | 247 | 46 | 220 | 26.9 |
| 2001 | IV.** | 3,352 | 77 | 266 | 320 | 430 | 285 | 50 | 220 | 30.3 |
| 2015 | V. | 3,619 | 80 | 155 | 171 | 201 | 509 | 99 | 220 | 14.6 |
Source: SNC SR
* Version (issue) of overviews of endangered plants in Slovakia
** amended version
*** threatened – species in CR, EN and VU categories
Number of plant taxons and their endangerment (as of 2020)
| Total number of taxons | EX | Endangered (IUCN categories) | Ed | Proportion of threatened (%) | ||||||
| World (global estimate) | SR | CR | EN | VU | LR | DD | ||||
| Cyanophytes and Algae | 50,000 | 3,008 | 0 | 7 | 80 | 196 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.4 |
| Lower fungi | 80,000 | 1,295 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Higher fungi | 20,000 | 2,469 | 5 | 7 | 39 | 49 | 87 | 90 | 0 | 3.8 |
| Lichens | 20,000 | 1,508 | 88 | 140 | 48 | 169 | 114 | 14 | 0 | 23.7 |
| Bryophytes | 20,000 | 699 | 0 | 47 | 75 | 190 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 44.6 |
| Lower plants | 190,000 | 8,979 | 93 | 201 | 242 | 604 | 201 | 155 | 0 | 11.66 |
| Vascular plants | 250,000 | 3,619 | 80 | 155 | 171 | 201 | 509 | 99 | 220 | 14.56 |
Source: SNC SR
Animal species
So far, in Slovakia 28,000 of animal species have been described, while the state of their endangerment is increasingly more significant. With all animals the priority lies withthe securing of their biotope protection, that is, adequately large and preserved areas in which they can naturally live and multiply.
In the 90-ties, red lists that were valid at that time contained 466 endangered species of invertebrates and 153 species of vertebrates.
The overview of the development of vertebrates endangerment
2001 – 2007
|
World 1)
|
SR
|
EX
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
LR
|
DD
|
NE
|
Threatened
(CR-EN-VU)
|
%
|
|
|
Lampreys
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
100.0
|
|
Pisces
|
25,000
|
79
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
1
|
22
|
2
|
-
|
16
|
20.3
|
|
Amphibians
|
4,950
|
18
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
44.4
|
|
Reptiles
|
7,970
|
12
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
4
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
41.7
|
|
Birds2)
|
9,946
|
219
|
2
|
7
|
23
|
19
|
47
|
4
|
19
|
49
|
22.4
|
|
Mammals
|
4,763
|
90
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
27
|
15
|
4
|
20
|
22.2
|
|
Taxons
|
Number of taxons
|
IUCN categories of endangerment
|
Threatened
(CR-EN-VU) |
%
|
|||||||
|
Group
|
World1)
|
SR
|
EX
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
LR
|
DD
|
NE
|
||
|
Lampreys
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
50.0
|
|
Pisces3)
|
25,000
|
79
|
4
|
-
|
6
|
9
|
40
|
-
|
-
|
15
|
19.0
|
|
Amphibians
|
4,950
|
18
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
44.4
|
|
Reptiles
|
7,970
|
12
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
4
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
41.7
|
|
Birds2)
|
9,946
|
219
|
2
|
7
|
23
|
19
|
47
|
4
|
19
|
49
|
22.4
|
|
Mammals
|
4,763
|
90
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
27
|
15
|
4
|
20
|
22.2
|
|
Taxons
|
Number of taxons
|
IUCN categories of endangerment
|
Threatened
(CR-EN-VU) |
%
|
|||||||
|
Group
|
World1)
|
SR
|
EX
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
LR
|
DD
|
NE
|
||
|
Lampreys
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
50.0
|
|
Pisces
|
25,000
|
79
|
4
|
-
|
6
|
9
|
40
|
-
|
-
|
15
|
19.0
|
|
Amphibians
|
4,950
|
18
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
44.4
|
|
Reptiles
|
7,970
|
12
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
4
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
41.7
|
|
Mammals
|
4,763
|
90
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
27
|
15
|
4
|
20
|
22.2
|
|
|
|
|
RE
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
NT
|
LC
|
|
|
|
|
Birds4)
|
9,946
|
211
|
4
|
10
|
24
|
17
|
24
|
132
|
51
|
24.2
|
|
|
Taxons
|
Number of taxons
|
EX
|
IUCN categories of endangerment
|
NE
|
Threatened
(CR-EN-VU) |
%
|
|||||
|
World 1)
|
SR
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
LR
|
DD
|
|||||
|
Lampreys
|
-
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
100.0
|
|
Pisces
|
25,000
|
79
|
4
|
0
|
6
|
6
|
40
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
15.2
|
|
Amphibians
|
4,950
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
44.4
|
|
Reptiles
|
7,970
|
12
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
41.7
|
| Mammals |
4,763
|
90
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
27
|
15
|
4
|
20
|
22.2
|
|
|
|
|
RE
|
CR
|
EN
|
VU
|
NT
|
LC
|
|
|
|
|
Birds
|
9,946
|
211
|
4
|
10
|
24
|
17
|
24
|
132
|
51
|
24.2
|
|
1) Source: UNEP – GBO
2) only nesters – out of the total of 341 birds of Slovakia only all of the 219 nester species have been assessed
3) Endangerment of fish is evaluated according to – Koščo, J., Holčík, J., 2008: Anotovaný červený zoznam mihúľ a rýb Slovenska – Verzia 2007, s. 119 – 132. In: Lusk, S., Lusková, V. (eds.), Biodiverzita ichtyofauny ČR (VII), Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, v.v.i., Brno
4) Endangerment of birds is evaluated according to the red list of birds from 2013 (Demko, Krištín, Puchala: Červený zoznam vtákov Slovenska), that is, according to the latest criteria (IUCN 2001, ver. 3.1); only nesters are evaluated
IUCN categories:
RE** - Regionally extinct taxon
CR - Critically endangered taxon
EN - Endangered taxon
VU - Vulnerable taxon
LR - Least concern taxon
NT** - near threatened taxon
LC** - Least concern taxon
DD - Data deficient taxon
NE - Non-evaluated taxon
** a newer version of categorisation
The current state of endangerment of particular animal species in the SR is evaluated according to the latest published red list from 2001 (Baláž, D., Marhold, K. & Urban, P. eds., Červený zoznam rastlín a živočíchov Slovenska, Ochr. Prír. 20 (Suppl.): 48-81). Later mollusc and orthoptera (2005), fish (2008), and bird (2013) red lists were updated.
The most endangered invertebrates are cockroaches (44.4 %), Ephemers (34.2 %), Odonata (33.3 %) and also Mollusca and Aranea (to 30 %); in group of Vertebrates, the most threatened are Lampreys (100 %) and Amphibians with Reptiles (over 40 %).
International comparison