CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST
Endangered Categories
Critical: Breeds with fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 500. For rabbits, fewer than 50 annual registrations in the U.S., estimated global population less than 500, fewer than 150 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 10 or fewer breeders. For poultry, fewer than 500 birds in the U.S., with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and an estimated global population less than 1,000.
Threatened: Breeds with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 5,000. For rabbits, fewer than 100 annual registrations in the U.S., and estimated global population less than 1,000, fewer than 300 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 11-30 breeders. For poultry, fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the U.S., with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks, and an estimated global population less than 5,000.
Watch: Breeds that present genetic or numerical concerns or have a limited geographic distribution, with fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States, and an estimated global population less than 10,000. For rabbits, fewer than 200 annual registrations in the U.S., estimated global population less than 2,000, fewer than 500 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 31-60 breeders. For poultry, fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the U.S., with 10 or fewer primary breeding flocks, and an estimated global population less than 10,000.
Recovering: Breeds once listed in another category, but have exceeded Watch category numbers and still need monitoring. For rabbits, more than 500 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years and more than 60 breeders.
Study: Breeds that require further research to learn whether their history, genetic integrity, global status, and U.S. numbers merit listing on the Conservation Priority List. This step is necessary to clearly target The Livestock Conservancy’s conservation efforts toward breeds that not only require conservation, but can also benefit from our conservation efforts. Breeds in this category are only listed online.