There are now more than 1,000 species of fungi that are threatened with extinction, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said on March 27, 2025.“The IUCN Red List now includes 169,420 species, of which 47,187 are threatened with extinction. The addition of 482 newly assessed fungi species brings their number on the IUCN Red List to 1,300, of which at least 411 are at risk of extinction,” the statement added.Deforestation, agricultural expansion and urban development are driving these species to decline worldwide, a statement by the IUCN noted.According to IUCN, rapid growth of agricultural and urban areas has replaced fungi habitats, putting 279 species at risk of extinction. Nitrogen and ammonia run-off from fertilisers and engine pollution also threaten 91 species.The situation is especially serious in Europe where well-known countryside species like the Vulnerable fibrous waxcap (Hygrocybe intermedia) are facing threats.At least 198 species of fungi are at risk of extinction due to deforestation for timber production, illegal logging, and clearing for agriculture.Over 50 fungi species are at risk of extinction due to changes in fire patterns in the USA, which have drastically changed forests“Fungi constitute their own kingdom, distinct from animals and plants. They are the second biggest kingdom after animals, with an estimated 2.5 million species, of which around 155,000 are named. They underpin all ecosystems; most plants partner with fungi to take in nutrients, and therefore cannot exist without them, and they make decomposition possible. Many are edible, used in food and drink production including fermentation, form the basis of medicines, and support bioremediation efforts to clean contaminated sites,” the IUCN noted.“Fungi are the unsung heroes of life on Earth, forming the very foundation of healthy ecosystems – yet they have long been overlooked,” Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General, was quoted in the statement.It is time to safeguard the extraordinary fungal kingdom, whose vast underground networks sustain nature and life as we know it, she added.