Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the purpose of the IUCN Red List. IUCN stands for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. It uses a set of precise criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies. The list classifies species into categories such as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, etc. Therefore, it is a catalogue of species threatened with risk of extinction.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The IUCN Red List is a catalogue of species threatened with risk of extinction.