The book has been adopted by Russia to enact a common agreement on rare and endangered species protection.
In 1984, the second revision was published as Red Data Book of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), exclusively for animals.
Most of these Red Data Books did not meet federal requirements for publication as regional legal acts.
[citation needed] Animals, plants and fungi listed in the IUCN-The World Conservation Union list of endangered species and inhabiting Russian territory, including the continental shelf and marine economic zone (whether permanently or temporarily) may be included to the RDBRF if this is necessary due to their number or status in Russia.
Regional CIS Red Data Books are direct descendants of their counterparts in the former USSR which were established in individual SSRs and in certain special areas.
It is alleged that funds which could have been used on more proactive ecological activities are being squandered on useless paperwork, since the federal RDBRF already fulfills all the requirements of such documents.
In addition, allegations are made that local illegal animal traffickers use regional Red Books to track down endangered species.