diff --git a/server/routes.ts b/server/routes.ts
index eacc850..0b8c1b1 100644
--- a/server/routes.ts
+++ b/server/routes.ts
@@ -304,9 +304,16 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
   // IUCN API Status check endpoint - v4 only
   app.get("/api/iucn/status", async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
     try {
-      const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
+      // First try to use environment variable for API key
+      let iucnToken = process.env.IUCN_API_KEY || null;
       
-      if (!activeToken?.iucnToken) {
+      // If not available in env, try to get from storage
+      if (!iucnToken) {
+        const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
+        iucnToken = activeToken?.iucnToken || null;
+      }
+      
+      if (!iucnToken) {
         return res.status(401).json({
           success: false,
           connected: false,
@@ -318,10 +325,12 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
         // Check if the API is working by hitting the version endpoint
         const response = await axios.get("https://apiv4.iucnredlist.org/api/v4/version", {
           headers: {
-            "Authorization": `Bearer ${activeToken.iucnToken}`
+            "Authorization": `Bearer ${iucnToken}`
           }
         });
         
+        console.log("IUCN API v4 version check response:", response.data);
+        
         return res.json({
           success: true,
           connected: true,
@@ -373,9 +382,16 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
       const nameParts = String(name).split(' ');
       const [genusName, speciesName] = nameParts;
 
-      // Get IUCN token
-      const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
-      if (!activeToken?.iucnToken) {
+      // Try to get IUCN token from environment variable first
+      let iucnToken = process.env.IUCN_API_KEY || null;
+      
+      // If not available in env, try to get from storage
+      if (!iucnToken) {
+        const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
+        iucnToken = activeToken?.iucnToken || null;
+      }
+      
+      if (!iucnToken) {
         return res.status(401).json({
           success: false,
           message: "IUCN API v4 token is not configured. Please set your token in the API Token panel."
@@ -386,7 +402,7 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
         // Use the v4 API with scientific name endpoint
         const response = await axios.get("https://apiv4.iucnredlist.org/api/v4/taxa/scientific_name", {
           headers: {
-            "Authorization": `Bearer ${activeToken.iucnToken}`
+            "Authorization": `Bearer ${iucnToken}`
           },
           params: {
             genus_name: genusName,
@@ -444,9 +460,16 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
       const nameParts = String(name).split(' ');
       const [genusName, speciesName] = nameParts;
 
-      // Get IUCN token
-      const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
-      if (!activeToken?.iucnToken) {
+      // Try to get IUCN token from environment variable first
+      let iucnToken = process.env.IUCN_API_KEY || null;
+      
+      // If not available in env, try to get from storage
+      if (!iucnToken) {
+        const activeToken = await storage.getActiveToken();
+        iucnToken = activeToken?.iucnToken || null;
+      }
+      
+      if (!iucnToken) {
         return res.status(401).json({
           success: false,
           message: "IUCN API v4 token is not configured. Please set your token in the API Token panel."
@@ -457,7 +480,7 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
         // First, we need to find the species taxon ID using scientific name lookup
         const taxaResponse = await axios.get("https://apiv4.iucnredlist.org/api/v4/taxa/scientific_name", {
           headers: {
-            "Authorization": `Bearer ${activeToken.iucnToken}`
+            "Authorization": `Bearer ${iucnToken}`
           },
           params: {
             genus_name: genusName,
@@ -478,7 +501,7 @@ export async function registerRoutes(app: Express): Promise<Server> {
         // Now retrieve the threats using the taxon ID
         const threatsResponse = await axios.get(`https://apiv4.iucnredlist.org/api/v4/threats`, {
           headers: {
-            "Authorization": `Bearer ${activeToken.iucnToken}`
+            "Authorization": `Bearer ${iucnToken}`
           },
           params: {
             taxonid: taxonId