As the world teeters on the precipice of environmental devastation, BirdLife’s contribution to the 2023 IUCN Red List provides a stark reminder that we are losing birds at an unprecedented rate. However, the impact of local community conservation provides seeds of hope that we can save nature before it is too late.
he 2023 IUCN Red List update has been released at a critical juncture for nature, as the world waits nervously for the outcomes of the climate COP28. However, this year’s update for birds reminds us just how impactful local communities can be in saving nature, with three Asian stork species being downlisted to lower threat categories. Thanks to amazing community efforts conserving the habitats and individuals of Greater and Lesser Adjutant, both have been reclassified as Near Threatened, from Endangered and Vulnerable respectively. Wetland management and reduced persecution have also helped Painted Stork, formerly listed as Near Threatened but now considered Least Concern.
