# Rote Liste

The Rote Liste, full name Rote Liste der bedrohten Nutztierrassen im Bundesgebiet, is a red list of threatened breeds of domestic animal published annually by the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen, the German national association for the conservation of historic and endangered domestic animal breeds.

## History

The GEH was founded in Witzenhausen, in Hesse, central Germany, in 1981. In 1987 it established the criteria on which the Rote Liste is based. The list is published annually, and attributes one of four categories of conservation risk to domestic breeds of cattle, dogs, goats, horses, pigs, rabbits and sheep, of chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, and of bees; listing of domestic pigeon breeds is in preparation. Some breeds from outside Germany are listed separately. The four levels of risk are:
* I: extrem gefährdet, extremely endangered
* II: stark gefährdet, seriously endangered
* III: gefährdet, endangered
* Vorwarnstufe, alert
The risk level is calculated using a formula that takes into account five criteria: the number of breeding animals or breeding females; the percentage of pure-bred matings; the five-year trend in breed numbers; the number of breeders or herds; and the interval between generations of the animal.
The GEH also publishes, in conjunction with the Bund Deutscher Rassegeflügelzüchter [de], the German national association of poultry breeders, a separate list of the historic poultry breeds and colour varieties that were raised in Germany before 1930. The same levels of conservation risk are assigned as in the main red list.

## Endangered breeds

In 2014 the breeds listed were:
| | Category I: extremely endangered | Category II: seriously endangered | Category III: endangered | Alert |
| Bees | European Dark Bee | | | |
| Cattle | Limpurger [de] Murnau-Werdenfelser Glan Ansbach-Triesdorfer [de] Angeln (old breeding standards) | Deutsches Shorthorn Original Braunvieh Rotes Höhenvieh Hinterwälder Pinzgauer | Gelbvieh (Frankenvieh) Deutsches Schwarzbuntes Niederungsrind | German Red Pied (dual-purpose) Vorderwälder |
| Chickens | Andalusian Augsburger Bergische Kräher Bergischer Schlotterkamm German Langshan Dominique Krüper Malines Minorca Sachsenhühn | Deutscher Sperber [de] Ramelsloher Sundheimer [de] | Brakel Deutsches Reichshuhn [de] Lakenfelder Ostfriesische Möwen Thüringer Barthuhn | Deutsches Lachshuhn [de] Barnevelder Hamburg Italiener [de] Orpington Rheinländer Vorwerk Westfälische Totleger Wyandotte |
| Dogs | Altdeutscher Hütehund (Westerwälder Kuhhund) Großspitz | Mittelspitz | Deutscher Pinscher Altdeutscher Hütehund (South and Middle German types) | Mittelschnauzer (pepper-and-salt) |
| Ducks | Aylesbury Duck Pomeranian Duck | German Pekin Orpington Duck Rouen Duck | | Hochbrutflugenten Indian Runner Duck Muscovy Duck |
| Geese | Deutsche Legegans Lippegans [de] Bayerische Landgans [de] Leinegans [de] | Diepholzer Gans [de] Emden Goose | | Pomeranian Goose |
| Goats | | Thuringian | | |
| Horses | Rottaler Alt-Württemberger Leutstettener Dülmener Senner Arenberg-Nordkirchner Lehmkuhlener | Schleswig Coldblood | Black Forest Horse Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger Rhenish German Coldblood | |
| Pigs | Angler Sattelschwein Deutsches Sattelschwein [de] Bentheim Black Pied Rotbuntes Husumer Schwein | Schwäbisch Hällisches Schwein | | |
| Rabbits | English Lop (German breeding standard) | Meissen Lop Angora Deutsche Großsilber Harlequin (Japaner) Luxkaninchen [de] American Sable (Marderkaninchen) | Rheinische Schecke [de] | |
| Sheep | Alpines Steinschaf Brillenschaf Leineschaf [de] (original type) Weiße gehörnte Heidschnucke German Karakul Schwarzes Bergschaf | Braunes Bergschaf Weißes Bergschaf Waldschaf [de] Merinolangwollschaf [de] | Bentheimer Landschaf Weiße Hornlose Heidschnucke [de] (Moorschnucke) Skudde Pomeranian Coarsewool Weißköpfiges Fleischschaf [de] Merinofleischschaf [de] | Coburger Fuchsschaf Rhönschaf [de] |
| Turkeys | | Bronzeputen Deutsche Puten | Cröllwitzer Turkey | |

## Note

* ↑ Translatable as: Red list of the threatened livestock breeds in the Federal Territory