Overview

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified 411 fungi species as at risk of extinction out of 1,300 assessed in its latest Red List update.
• Key threats include deforestation, agricultural expansion, nitrogen and ammonia pollution, and climate change-driven factors like altered fire patterns.
• Fungi play essential roles in ecosystems, including nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and supporting plant health, while also contributing to food production and medicine.
• Iconic species such as the giant knight and fibrous waxcap are particularly vulnerable due to habitat loss from old-growth forest destruction and urbanization.
• With fungi vastly underrepresented in global conservation efforts, the IUCN calls for urgent action to protect this critical yet overlooked biological kingdom.