International Union for Conservation of Nature

Hello! We are a big team called the International Union for Conservation of Nature. That is a very long name, so many people call us by our short name, IUCN. We are a group with members from all over the world. Many countries are part of our team. Many experts who know all about nature are part of our team, too. We all work together with one big goal: to protect nature. We love the Earth’s animals and plants, and we want to keep them safe.

One of the most important tools we use is called the IUCN Red List. You can think of it like a report card for all the living things in nature. This special list helps us understand how the animals and plants are doing. It tells us which ones are safe and have big, healthy families. The Red List also tells us which animals and plants are in danger. When we see that a plant or animal is in trouble, we know it needs our help right away. This helps us decide where to focus our work.

We also help make special safe homes for wildlife. These places are called protected areas. Have you ever heard of a national park? That is one kind of protected area. In these places, animals have the space they need to run, find food, and raise their families without being disturbed. These areas help keep the water clean and the forests healthy. We are still working hard today. Our job is to help keep the whole Earth healthy for everyone—for the people, the plants, and all the amazing animals that live here.