IUCN Red List API v4
About the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
For more information about the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, please visit the IUCN Red List website.
API Usage
The use of the API falls under the same Terms of Use as the Red List. By requesting a token, you are agreeing to abide by the Terms of Use of the Red List. If your token usage is found to be in breach of our terms of use, it will be revoked.
We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring responsible and respectful usage of our services. Please be aware that misusing your API token, such as using it for information extraction (scraping) rather than making legitimate requests for non-commercial purposes, may result in your token being rate limited and/or revoked. We are committed to maintaining a high-quality service for all users and have implemented a rate limiting system to ensure our resources are accessible equally to all. We actively monitor API usage to prevent abuse.
We understand that some users may have unique requirements for making frequent calls in succession. If you find yourself in such a situation, we kindly request that you incorporate appropriate delays between your API calls to ensure smooth operation and prevent overloading our system, otherwise your token may be further rate-limited.
It's important to note that the Red List API is primarily designed to support conservation efforts, particularly in the fields of education and research. We may need to restrict access if the API is being used for purposes that do not align with our mission, such as mobile app development, inclusion in computing courses, or visualization projects unrelated to conservation.
Use of the Red List API for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Users who wish to use Red List data for commercial purposes should consider subscribing to IBAT (www.ibat-alliance.org).
The underlying data provided via the API is updated every time there is a new version of the Red List. Therefore, if you are going to be using the Red List data from the API frequently between Red List updates, it is recommended that you cache the data within your systems (please check for permissions first by contacting the Red List), and then update your cache whenever there is a new Red List Update.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work together to protect our natural world.
How to cite the IUCN Red List API
Full acknowledgement and citation needs to be given for using the API, which is:
Contact
If you encounter any problems using the API, or would like to provide feedback of any kind, please contact the Red List team at