The polar fox is one of Norway's most endangered animals. Photo: Olav Strand
The Norwegian 2006 Red List contains 3886 species. The evaluated area is mainland Norway, Norwegian oceans and Svalbard.
Species in the three categories Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) and Vulnerable (VU) together are described as threatened. In the Norwegian 2006 Red List, 1988 species are classified as threatened.
The highest occurence of Red List species is in forest and woodland with 1827 species, which is 48 per cent of the Red List species. Agricultural landscapes have 1330 Red List species, which is 35 per cent of the Red List species.
The majority of species on the Red List are in the following main groups:
- beetles: 802 species
- fungi: 744 species
- butterflies and moths: 430 species
- vascular plants: 384 species.
If we look at some other widely known groups, the distribution of Red List species is:
- birds: 78 species
- fish: 44 species
- mammals: 31 species
- amphibians and reptiles: 5 species
Loss and alteration of habitats threatens diversity
A particular species is often threatened by several factors that together result in its decline. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify the main reason or the dominant threat for many of the species on the Red List.
See survey of main threats with examples
Land use is the most important negative factor in Norway, especially forestry and agricultural activities. Land use includes destruction of natural habitats by industry, building of roads, houses etc. Pollution and climate change also form important pressures on biological diversity.
Red Lists and action plans
A national Red List is a tool for management. It is a source of knowledge on threatened species for everyone with a role in society and the general public. It helps to draw attention to threatened species not only at a national level, but also among regional and local authorities, different sectors of society and NGOs. The aim is to make sure species do not disappear from the country and to maintain viable and healthy plant and animal communities. The Red List also has an important role to play in long-term planning and environmental protection.
Previous Red Lists in Norway
Norway's first official Red List was presented in 1984, and covered vertebrates and vascular plants. The second list, published in 1988, covered vertebrates only. In 1992, the first Red List that included a substantial proportion of all biological diversity in Norway was presented. For this, 12 000 species from 21 different species groups were evaluated. In 1996 a revised list for birds and mammals was presented. The 1998 Red List, published in 1999, was the fourth national Red List published in Norway, and was based on an evaluation of 15 000 species from 27 species groups. The list covers the mainland of Norway. In addition a Red List was published for birds and mammals on Svalbard and mammals in Norwegian marine waters.
The 1992 Red List stated that there are about 33 000 species in Norway, excluding marine species, viruses, bacteria and algae. It dealt mainly with biological diversity on the mainland and in fresh water environments.
The Norwegian Red List from 1998 contained 3062 species. This is equivalent to 20.9 per cent of the 14 637 species evaluated. In all, 27 groups of species were evaluated, and grouped in the different categories of threat.
The new Red List 2006 and the previous Norwegian Red List from 1998 are not directly comparable because different methodologies and classification systems were used when they were compiled.
Action plans
In 2006, the Diretorate for Nature Management made 3 action plans for threatened species. These include the species pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera (VU), the orchid helleborine, Cephalanthera rubra (CR) and the pool frog Rana lessonae (CR). In 2003 an action plan for arctic fox Alopex lagopus was published.
Many different ways to protect threatened species
Norway is responding in many ways to safeguard plants and animals. Valuable habitats, areas and species have been protected, and this is still important. More recently, the importance of legislation to restrict or ban specific activities has been growing. International cooperation to deal with environmental problems has become more and more extensive during the past century, and is now considered essential. Norway has signed a number of international agreements on nature conservation that involve commitments to safeguard threatened species. They include the Biological Diversity Convention, the Bern Convention, the Bonn Convention, CITES and the Ramsar Convention.
At national level, Norway has adopted the principle that all sectors must take responsibility for their impact on biological diversity, and we are now working out how to put this principle into practice.