Palacio says this was due to a flawed red list assessment – which did not assess population levels, nor explicitly consider key concerns, such as habitat fragmentation or the climate crisis. Instead of spending on the manakin, he was told the funds could go toward other species such as the Ruiz’s robber frog, a species that is already well-protected. Numerous species groups have been comprehensively assessed, and as such we have been able to make key findings concerning the world’s biodiversity,” he says. “For example, the IUCN Red List shows that 41% of amphibians, 27% of mammals, 21% of reptiles and 13% of birds are threatened.” When the NGO he founded, Fundación Ecotonos, received funds from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), he was told the bird was not threatened enough for him to conduct a targeted assessment of the threats it faces. Progress has, thankfully, happened fast from a time where the word of white scientists was often taken more seriously than that of scientists of colour, says Sundar. However, IUCN assessments continue to take lessons learned in Europe or America, and impose them worldwide “We are now seeing what can only be called a colonial notion of conservation,” he says. Yellowfin tuna … the fish are assessed as ‘least concern’ despite Indian Ocean fisheries plunging to the brink of collapse. Photograph: Giordano Cipriani/Getty Images

The 25 authors share many concerns and offer a 19-point summary for improving conservation efforts. But they diverge widely in their prescriptions for how the IUCN red list’s role should change. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, as we continue to build the business as a major fast-growth player in the fashion, fitness and lifestyle arenas – we have huge aspirations and hope to one day become the biggest e-commerce group in the UK.” Nafilyan V, Morgan J, Mais D, et al. Risk of suicide after diagnosis of severe physical health conditions: a retrospective cohort study of 47 million people. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. 2023;25:100562. doi:10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100562

A lowland streaked tenrec, a species found only on Madagascar. More than half the mammals on the island are on the IUCN red list. Photograph: Chien C Lee/PA

Created in 1964, the list has been hailed by many as a vital resource that has acted as a catalyst for species conservation. It has, however, also been criticised by some for its slow pace of assessment and data gaps. After nearly six decades, just 2% of the world’s species have been assessed, skewing toward well-known charismatic species such as big cats and apes, research has shown. Species listed as “data deficient” are twice as likely to be threatened but are less likely to get funding compared with species that have been assessed as threatened – with some arguing such species should be automatically classified as “ assumed threatened”. I don’t know when West last wandered along Shaftesbury Avenue and its environs in that magical light-filled half-hour before 7.30pm, when audiences start arriving at theatres for the evening performances. Greiner BA, Arensman E. The role of work in suicidal behavior - uncovering priorities for research and prevention. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2022;48(6):419-424. doi:10.5271/sjweh.4051 AYBL was founded in 2018 by brothers Reiss and Kristian Edgerton from the living room of their Bromsgrove home. Frequently updated, bottom-up data is available from around the world, says Gonzalez – from individuals observing nature, camera traps, eDNA, satellites and drones. These can give us a picture of the status of biodiversity, as well as the ability to detect change as it happens and can better guide conservation action. The IUCN is currently exploring how the red list can begin to incorporate such data, says Rodriguez.His research has shed light on Colombia’s little-known yellow-headed manakin, a round, citrus-yellow bird that lives in Andean cloud forests. Palacio analysed 100 years of ornithological data to show that the species is endemic to the country and declining amid habitat loss.