# IUCN Red List API
> The conservation status of assessed species from the IUCN Red List as an API — the reference a wildlife, conservation, education or research application needs. For each of 150,000+ assessed species the API returns its scientific name, common name, taxonomy (kingdom, class, family), the IUCN Red List category (CR critically endangered, EN endangered, VU vulnerable, NT near threatened, LC least concern, DD data deficient, EW extinct in the wild, EX extinct) and the IUCN taxon id. Look a species up by scientific name, search by scientific or common name, list every species in a Red List category (e.g. all critically endangered) or in a taxonomic class (e.g. all assessed mammals), and read a full category breakdown. Distinct from worms-api (the marine-species taxonomy register) — this is the conservation-status reference. Served from memory — always fast.

## Authentication
All requests require your oanor API key in the `x-oanor-key` header. Get one at https://www.oanor.com/developer/keys.

```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: oanor_live_…" "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/..."
```

## Pricing
- **Free** (Free) — 14,000 calls/Mo, 3 req/s
- **Starter** ($6/Mo) — 150,000 calls/Mo, 10 req/s
- **Pro** ($18/Mo) — 750,000 calls/Mo, 25 req/s
- **Mega** ($42/Mo) — 3,800,000 calls/Mo, 60 req/s

## Endpoints

### Lookup

#### `GET /v1/species` — Species by scientific name or taxon id

**Parameters:**
- `name` (query, optional, string) — Scientific name Example: `Panthera leo`
- `id` (query, optional, string) — IUCN taxon id Example: `15951`

**Example:**
```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: $KEY" \
  "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/v1/species?name=Panthera+leo&id=15951"
```

**Response:**
```json
{
    "data": {
        "species": {
            "class": "MAMMALIA",
            "family": "FELIDAE",
            "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
            "taxonid": "247279613",
            "category": "EN",
            "common_name": "Asiatic Lion",
            "category_label": "Endangered",
            "scientific_name": "Panthera leo"
        }
    },
    "meta": {
        "timestamp": "2026-06-08T18:25:04.931Z",
        "request_id": "c36bcd12-fa8a-4c8c-b927-919f3f46dca4"
    },
    "status": "ok",
    "message": "Species retrieved successfully",
    "success": true
}
```

### Search

#### `GET /v1/search` — Search by scientific or common name

**Parameters:**
- `q` (query, required, string) — Search query (min 2 chars) Example: `lion`
- `limit` (query, optional, string) — Max results (1-100) Example: `25`

**Example:**
```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: $KEY" \
  "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/v1/search?q=lion&limit=25"
```

**Response:**
```json
{
    "data": {
        "count": 25,
        "query": "lion",
        "total": 128,
        "species": [
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "RUBIACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "33551",
                "category": "EN",
                "common_name": null,
                "category_label": "Endangered",
                "scientific_name": "Glionnetia sericea"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "ARALIACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "33552",
                "category": "CR",
                "common_name": null,
                "category_label": "Critically Endangered",
                "scientific_name": "Polyscias lionnetii"
            },
            {
                "class": "LILIOPSIDA",
                "family": "ARECACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "38508",
                "category": "VU",
                "common_name": "Millionaire's Salad",
                "category_label": "Vulnerable",
                "scientific_name": "Deckenia nobilis"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAMMALIA",
                "family": "CALLITRICHIDAE",
                "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
                "taxonid": "40643",
                "category": "EN",
                "common_name": "Golden-headed Lion Tamarin",
                "category_la
…(truncated, see openapi.json for full schema)
```

### Category

#### `GET /v1/category` — Species in a Red List category

**Parameters:**
- `category` (query, required, string) — CR, EN, VU, NT, LC, DD, EW or EX Example: `CR`
- `limit` (query, optional, string) — Page size (1-500) Example: `50`
- `offset` (query, optional, string) — Offset Example: `0`

**Example:**
```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: $KEY" \
  "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/v1/category?category=CR&limit=50&offset=0"
```

**Response:**
```json
{
    "data": {
        "count": 50,
        "total": 9553,
        "species": [
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "MYRTACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "31666",
                "category": "CR",
                "common_name": null,
                "category_label": "Critically Endangered",
                "scientific_name": "Psidium claraense"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "MELASTOMATACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "31669",
                "category": "CR",
                "common_name": null,
                "category_label": "Critically Endangered",
                "scientific_name": "Henriettea punctata"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "ARALIACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "31682",
                "category": "CR",
                "common_name": null,
                "category_label": "Critically Endangered",
                "scientific_name": "Aralia rex"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAGNOLIOPSIDA",
                "family": "XIMENIACEAE",
                "kingdom": "PLANTAE",
                "taxonid": "31684",
                "category": "CR",
                "common_name": "Almendro de costa",
                "category_label": "Critically Endange
…(truncated, see openapi.json for full schema)
```

### Taxonomy

#### `GET /v1/class` — Species in a taxonomic class

**Parameters:**
- `class` (query, required, string) — Taxonomic class Example: `MAMMALIA`
- `limit` (query, optional, string) — Page size (1-500) Example: `50`
- `offset` (query, optional, string) — Offset Example: `0`

**Example:**
```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: $KEY" \
  "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/v1/class?class=MAMMALIA&limit=50&offset=0"
```

**Response:**
```json
{
    "data": {
        "class": "MAMMALIA",
        "count": 50,
        "total": 2709,
        "species": [
            {
                "class": "MAMMALIA",
                "family": "BOVIDAE",
                "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
                "taxonid": "39250",
                "category": "LC",
                "common_name": "Thinhorn Sheep",
                "category_label": "Least Concern",
                "scientific_name": "Ovis dalli"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAMMALIA",
                "family": "BOVIDAE",
                "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
                "taxonid": "39255",
                "category": "LC",
                "common_name": "Northern Chamois",
                "category_label": "Least Concern",
                "scientific_name": "Rupicapra rupicapra"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAMMALIA",
                "family": "ECHIMYIDAE",
                "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
                "taxonid": "39314",
                "category": "DD",
                "common_name": "Bare-tailed Armored Tree-rat",
                "category_label": "Data Deficient",
                "scientific_name": "Pattonomys occasius"
            },
            {
                "class": "MAMMALIA",
                "family": "CRICETIDAE",
                "kingdom": "ANIMALIA",
                "taxonid": "39315",
                "category": "LC",
                "common_name": "Pyrenean Pine Vole",
                "ca
…(truncated, see openapi.json for full schema)
```

### Meta

#### `GET /v1/meta` — Service metadata + category breakdown

**Example:**
```bash
curl -H "x-oanor-key: $KEY" \
  "https://api.oanor.com/redlist-api/v1/meta"
```

**Response:**
```json
{
    "data": {
        "service": "redlist-api",
        "endpoints": {
            "GET /v1/meta": "This document, with the category breakdown.",
            "GET /v1/class": "Species in a taxonomic class (class=, e.g. MAMMALIA, AVES).",
            "GET /v1/search": "Search by scientific or common name (q=, min 2 chars).",
            "GET /v1/species": "Species by scientific name (name=, e.g. Panthera leo) or taxon id (id=).",
            "GET /v1/category": "Species in a Red List category (category=, e.g. CR, EN, VU)."
        },
        "categories": {
            "CR": 9553,
            "DD": 21134,
            "EN": 17784,
            "EW": 54,
            "EX": 482,
            "LC": 84829,
            "NT": 8652,
            "VU": 16208,
            "LR/CD": 93,
            "LR/LC": 176,
            "LR/NT": 335
        },
        "description": "IUCN Red List conservation status for 150,000+ assessed species: scientific name, common name, taxonomy (kingdom/class/family), Red List category (CR/EN/VU/NT/LC/DD/EW/EX) and IUCN taxon id. Look up by scientific name, search, or list by category or taxonomic class. Distinct from worms-api (marine taxonomy). No key.",
        "total_species": 159300,
        "classes_indexed": 67
    },
    "meta": {
        "timestamp": "2026-06-08T18:25:05.487Z",
        "request_id": "82b5f634-708e-4ddd-a401-99221a24dd7a"
    },
    "status": "ok",
    "message": "Meta",
    "success": true
}
```


---
Marketplace page: https://www.oanor.com/api/redlist-api
OpenAPI spec: https://www.oanor.com/api/redlist-api/openapi.json