The Irish Red Data Book is a list of plant and animal species that are under threat and are legally protected. The lists of these protected species are available in PDF format on the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) website.

Creating the Red Data Book was inspired by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) global Red List of Threatened Species.

It is part of nature that some species become extinct, but today extinction is happening faster than ever.  There are many reasons for this. For example, a natural disaster such as an earthquake or volcano can wipe out an entire species. Today, many habitats are being disturbed or destroyed by the actions of people. For example, building larger towns, moving animals to new climates that they are not used to, or causing pollution.

Each day, the IUCN select a 'Species of the Day'. Follow this link to the Red List website for more information.