Methodology
This page describes how SpeciesRadar collects, processes, and presents biodiversity data. For information on citing SpeciesRadar in academic work, see our Terms & Citation Guide.
1. Data Sources
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Primary)
The IUCN Red List is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. SpeciesRadar ingests species records, conservation status categories (CR, EN, VU, NT, LC, DD, EX, EW), population estimates, population trends, habitat classifications, threat classifications, and conservation action data from the IUCN Red List API.
IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
GBIF provides open access to occurrence data for species worldwide. SpeciesRadar uses GBIF data to supplement geographic distribution information and validate species occurrence records against IUCN range data.
GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org [Accessed via GBIF API]
National Red Lists
SpeciesRadar incorporates national conservation assessments from multiple sources. These assessments reflect country-level threat evaluations that may differ from global IUCN assessments due to local population dynamics, habitat conditions, and regional threats.
- National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org) — Maintained by ZSL (Zoological Society of London). Covers 100+ countries with standardised national conservation assessments.
- Nepal National Red List of Birds — Baral, H.S. & Inskipp, C. (2020). Data accessed via Himalayan Nature (himalayannature.org).
- Australia EPBC Act Threatened Species List — Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Australian Government.
- European Red List — European Environment Agency (EEA). Red List assessments 2009–2022.
Citizen Science Observations
SpeciesRadar accepts community-submitted sighting reports with location data and photographic evidence. Citizen science data is displayed separately from authoritative assessments and is clearly labelled as community-contributed.
2. Data Pipeline
Step 1: Ingestion
Species records are ingested from the IUCN Red List API, national red list databases, and government data repositories. Each ingestion run captures taxonomy, conservation status, population data, habitat classifications, threat classifications, and geographic range data.
Step 2: Matching & Deduplication
Species are matched across data sources using scientific names as the primary key. Duplicate records from overlapping sources are identified and resolved, with the most authoritative source taking precedence (IUCN global assessment > national red list > occurrence data).
Step 3: Enrichment
Species profiles are enriched with descriptive content including threat narratives, habitat descriptions, and population trend summaries. All enriched content is derived from and cross-referenced against the underlying IUCN assessment data. Source URLs are attached to every enriched record.
Step 4: Validation
Conservation status codes are validated against the official IUCN category set. National red list statuses are mapped to standardised IUCN categories where the source uses equivalent classifications. Records that cannot be matched to an existing species are retained with null references for future reconciliation.
Step 5: Publication
Processed data is served through the SpeciesRadar web platform with per-species, per-country, and cross-cutting analytical views. All pages include source attribution and links to the original assessment where available.
3. Quality Assurance
- Source attribution: Every data point displayed on SpeciesRadar includes its source. Species pages carry IUCN assessment citations; country pages carry IUCN and GBIF citations; national red list data carries the relevant national authority citation.
- Cross-referencing: National red list statuses are compared against IUCN global assessments. Divergences are flagged on both species and country pages, allowing users to evaluate local versus global threat levels.
- No fabrication: SpeciesRadar does not present estimates as facts. Population numbers, range data, and conservation statuses are reproduced directly from source assessments. Where enriched descriptions are provided, they are derived from and consistent with the underlying assessment data.
- Citizen science separation: Community-contributed sighting data is displayed in a separate section from authoritative assessment data, clearly labelled as user-submitted.
4. Update Frequency
| Data Source | Update Cycle | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IUCN Red List | Follows IUCN release cycle (typically 2–3 per year) | Re-ingested within 7 days of each IUCN version release |
| National Red Lists | As published by national authorities | Checked quarterly for new publications |
| GBIF | Monthly | Occurrence data refreshed monthly |
| Species profiles | Ongoing | Enrichment processed in priority order (CR > EN > VU) |
5. Known Limitations
- Taxonomic coverage: SpeciesRadar currently focuses on species assessed as threatened (CR, EN, VU) by the IUCN. Non-threatened categories (NT, LC, DD) are included where available from national red list sources but are not comprehensively represented.
- Assessment lag: The IUCN Red List is updated periodically, not in real time. Species statuses on SpeciesRadar reflect the most recent IUCN assessment version, which may not capture very recent population changes.
- National red list variability: National assessments use varying methodologies and assessment dates. Some national statuses may not be directly comparable across countries.
- Population estimates: Population data is often reported as ranges or qualitative descriptors by the IUCN. SpeciesRadar reproduces these as provided without interpolation.
6. References
Baral, H.S. & Inskipp, C. (2020). The Birds of Nepal.Helm Field Guides. Christopher Helm, London.
Barnosky, A.D. et al. (2011). “Has the Earth's sixth mass extinction already arrived?” Nature, 471(7336), pp. 51–57. doi:10.1038/nature09678
Ceballos, G. et al. (2015). “Accelerated modern human-induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction.” Science Advances,1(5), e1400253. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1400253
GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org
WWF (2024). Living Planet Report 2024 — A System in Peril.Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M. & Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org