''Red Data Book of the Russian Federation'' (''RDBRF''), also known as ''Red Book'' (russian: Красная книга) or ''Russian Red Data Book'', is a state document established for documenting rare and endangered species of

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

plants Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

and

fungi A fungus (plural, : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of Eukaryote, eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and Mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified ...

, as well as some local subspecies (such as the

Ladoga seal The Ladoga ringed seal (russian: Ладожская нерпа; ''Pusa hispida ladogensis''), is a freshwater subspecies of the ringed seal (''Pusa hispida'') which are found entirely in Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. The subspecies evolved ...

) that exist within the territory of the

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia North Asia or Northern Asia, also referred to as Siberia, is the northern region of Asia, which is defined in geographic ...

and its continental shelf and marine economic zone. The book has been adopted by

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...

to enact a common agreement on rare and endangered species protection.

Conservation

The book provides a central information source in organizing studies and monitoring programs on rare and endangered species and their habitats.

History

The first Russian ''Red Data Book'' was based upon research conducted between 1961 and 1964 by a number of Soviet biologists. It represented the Soviet part of the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

(hence the name). At that time it was just the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

's first organized list of endangered species, not a legislative document. In the late 1960s, more thorough research was conducted by request of the Ministry of Agriculture. In 1974, based upon ecological evaluation, a decision was made to introduce legislation that would provide for the protection of endangered species. This resulted in the publication of the first official ''Red Book'' in 1978 – a document that complemented law as a list of endangered species. Animals on the list were strictly protected and their treatment regulated by Soviet law. Since that time, constant revisions have been made. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, regulations on endangered species were instituted by each of the former Soviet countries. However, many of them had insufficient expertise and resources to maintain their lists and enforce common regulations; therefore, a common ecological treaty was made with mutual recognition of endangered species.

Cross-referencing

Animals, plants and fungi listed in the IUCN-The World Conservation Union list of endangered species and inhabiting Russian territory, including the continental shelf and marine economic zone (whether permanently or temporarily) may be included to the ''RDBRF'' if this is necessary due to their number or status in

. The same is true for species protected by international conventions such as

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

Legal matters

State legal recognition of the ''RDBRF'' is provided by the Russian Federation law "About protection of natural environment" (December 19, 1991), and by the Russian Federation law "About animal world" (May 5, 1995). The species listed in the ''RDBRF'' must be listed in the regional red data books of the Russian Federation subjects. At the moment, the Russian Federation uses the 1998 edition of the ''RDBRF''. A federal Red Data Book is complemented and expanded by regional Red Data Books that govern hunting within particular

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

, although instituting of regional Red Data Books is not compulsory. Regional CIS Red Data Books are direct descendants of their counterparts in the former USSR which were established in individual SSRs and in certain special areas. Even municipal-level territories at times issue their own Red Data Books. Usually, a ''Red Book'' comes with a short description of protected species. However, in certain cases, it does not give all descriptions due to space limitations and in rare cases there is no formatted list in the book. All of the CIS states currently implement Red Data Books.

Criticism of regional policies

Introduction of regional Red Books sometimes provokes negative reaction, up to "''Red book

Bacchanalia The Bacchanalia were unofficial, privately funded popular Roman festivals of Bacchus, based on various ecstatic elements of the Greek Dionysia. They were almost certainly associated with Rome's native cult of Liber, and probably arrived in Ro ...

''". It is alleged that funds which could have been used on more proactive ecological activities are being squandered on useless paperwork, since the federal ''RDBRF'' already fulfills all the requirements of such documents. In addition, allegations are made that local illegal animal traffickers use regional Red Books to track down endangered species. Proponents of Red Books usually give the following reasons: the connection between illegal hunting and Red Books is unclear and not proven. Local biologists can be approached and bribed by illegal entrepreneurs with the same ease. Funds that are used to create these books do support local biological research. Additionally, regional Red Books allow for more accurate and diverse local environmental protection, like greater bird protection in cities and flora protection in Arctic regions.

Red Data Book categories and their explanations

References

* Iliashenko, V.Yu. and E.I. Iliashenko. 2000. Krasnaya kniga Rossii: pravovye akty ed Data Book of Russia: legislative acts State committee of the Russian Federation for Environmental Protection. Moscow. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Red Data Book Of The Russian Federation Ecology literature IUCN Red List Nature conservation in Russia