K3: Status of endemic and globally threatened species in the UK Overseas Territories
Short Description
The UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are considered globally significant biodiversity hotspots, supporting complex ecosystems which are home to many species that are found nowhere else in the world. This indicator assesses the proportion of endemic species in the UKOTs that are considered threatened on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments. Threatened species are those that are in the Red List categories (Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered). Over time, the indicator will capture changes in the status of endemic species as new assessments are undertaken and species are reassessed.
The ongoing development of indicator K3 will contribute to the provision of an evidence base for future biodiversity conservation efforts in the UKOTs.
Readiness and links to data
An interim indicator is presented here which shows the percentage of endemic species in all IUCN Red List categories, together with a combined threatened category and an unassessed category, across the UKOTs.
Data for this indicator have been obtained from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and complemented by The UK's wildlife overseas: a stocktake of nature in our Overseas Territories. Additional species have been added through direct engagement and contribution from the UKOTs. Work is ongoing with the UKOTs, evaluating additional species records and assessing endemic status to further expand and refine the current data set. This indicator will track changes in the status of endemic species as additional Red List assessments are undertaken, including being able to identify trends over time in the future.
Detailed information on data collection and analysis is available in JNCC Report Number 795. We welcome any feedback on these statistics, particularly on their usefulness and value, via 25YEPindicators@defra.gov.uk.
Notes on indicator
This indicator includes data from 13 of the UK Overseas Territories; the British Antarctic Territory is not included. The UK Government and Mauritius reached a political agreement on 3rd October 2024 on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago / British Indian Ocean Territory. Subject to a formal treaty being agreed, the United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. Until the Treaty is signed, ratified and then comes into force, British Indian Ocean Territory will continue to contribute to this indicator.
The global red list assessment status of endemic species have been used in this indicator; it does not contain regional red list assessment status. Species that have regional assessments but not global assessments and are known endemic species have been included in this database in the unassessed category. There are 662 confirmed endemic species in the UKOTs, of which 520 have been assessed on the IUCN Red List. The remaining 142 species are currently unassessed and are not included in this statistic at present. The remaining unassessed species will be included in the statistic if they undergo a Red List assessment in the future.
Species records from the IUCN Red List have been included up to March 2025. Additional data from the Stocktake and from direct engagement with the UKOTs has also been included up to January 2025.
Indicator components
Figure K3: Status of endemic and globally threatened species in the UK Overseas Territories, 2025
Table K3: Status of endemic and globally threatened species in the UK Overseas Territories, 2025
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Unassessed | 21.45 |
| Data deficient | 6.65 |
| Least concern | 12.99 |
| Near threatened | 3.17 |
| Vulnerable | 11.33 |
| Endangered | 15.26 |
| Critically endangered | 21.90 |
| Extinct in the wild | 0.60 |
| Extinct | 6.65 |
| Threatened categories | 48.49 |
Trend description for K3
As of March 2025, 48.5% of the endemic species in the UKOT’s are considered threatened. These fall under the Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered IUCN Red List categories, with 75, 101 and 145 species under each category respectively. A further 6.7% and 0.6% of endemic species are considered Extinct or Extinct in the Wild respectively. Since the initial assessment of Red List assessed endemic species in 2023, 3 have changed Red List Index category, 2 have progressed to a more threatened category, 1 from Endangered to Critically Endangered and 1 from Vulnerable to Endangered. One species improved in its Red List Index, moving from Endangered to Near Threatened. Note that of the current endemic species list of 662 species, 142 are unassessed.
Assessment of change
No assessment of change was undertaken for this indicator as a suitable time series is not yet available.