Following are the categories of endangered species as explained by IUCN.
1. Extinct (EX) : EX is added to species in which the last individual has died or is not recorded. So now on the earth not a single organism of this kind can be seen.
2. Extinct in the Wild (EW) : This category contains those species whose members survive only in captivity.
3. Critically Endangered (CR) : Critically endangered is a category containing those species that possess an extremely high risk of extinction with very few surviving members around 50 or so.
4. Endangered (EN) : EN is added to a species that possess a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population decline of 50 to more than 70% over past three generations or the previous 10 years.
5. Vulnerable (VU) : VU is a category containing those species that possess a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population decline of 30 to more them 50% over last three generations or the previous 10 years.
6. Near Threatened (NT) : NT are species that are close to becoming threatened or may meet the criteria for threatened status in the near future.
7. Least Concern (LC) : LC is a category containing species that are pervasive and abundant after careful assessment.
8. Data Deficient (DD) : DD is a condition applied to species in which the amount of available data related to its risk of extinction, is lacking in some way.
9. Not Evaluated (NE) In NE category any of the nearly 1.9 million species described by scientists are included, but not assessed by the IUCN.
