diff --git a/client/src/components/api-status.tsx b/client/src/components/api-status.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b91ca9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/api-status.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { apiClient } from "@/lib/api";
+import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
+import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipProvider, TooltipTrigger } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
+
+interface ApiStatusProps {
+  citesToken: string | null;
+}
+
+export default function ApiStatus({ citesToken }: ApiStatusProps) {
+  const [iucnStatus, setIucnStatus] = useState<'checking' | 'connected' | 'error'>('checking');
+  const [citesStatus, setCitesStatus] = useState<'checking' | 'connected' | 'error'>('checking');
+  
+  // Check CITES API status based on token availability
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (citesToken) {
+      setCitesStatus('connected');
+    } else {
+      setCitesStatus('error');
+    }
+  }, [citesToken]);
+  
+  // Check IUCN API status by making a test request
+  const { isError, isSuccess, isLoading } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['api-status-check-iucn'],
+    queryFn: async () => {
+      try {
+        // Make a simple request to check if the IUCN API is responding
+        // Using a well-known species for testing
+        const response = await apiClient.getIucnSpeciesByName("Panthera leo");
+        return response;
+      } catch (error) {
+        throw new Error("Failed to connect to IUCN API");
+      }
+    },
+    retry: 1,
+    staleTime: 60000, // 1 minute
+  });
+  
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isLoading) {
+      setIucnStatus('checking');
+    } else if (isError) {
+      setIucnStatus('error');
+    } else if (isSuccess) {
+      setIucnStatus('connected');
+    }
+  }, [isLoading, isError, isSuccess]);
+  
+  return (
+    <div className="flex items-center space-x-2">
+      <TooltipProvider>
+        <Tooltip>
+          <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+            <div className="flex items-center">
+              <Badge 
+                variant={citesStatus === 'connected' ? 'default' : 'destructive'} 
+                className="text-xs px-2 py-0.5"
+              >
+                CITES API: {citesStatus === 'checking' ? 'Checking...' : citesStatus === 'connected' ? 'Connected' : 'Not Connected'}
+              </Badge>
+            </div>
+          </TooltipTrigger>
+          <TooltipContent side="bottom">
+            {citesStatus === 'connected' 
+              ? 'CITES+ API is connected and working' 
+              : 'CITES+ API is not connected. Please add your API token.'}
+          </TooltipContent>
+        </Tooltip>
+      </TooltipProvider>
+      
+      <TooltipProvider>
+        <Tooltip>
+          <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+            <div className="flex items-center">
+              <Badge 
+                variant={iucnStatus === 'connected' ? 'default' : 'destructive'} 
+                className="text-xs px-2 py-0.5"
+              >
+                IUCN API: {iucnStatus === 'checking' ? 'Checking...' : iucnStatus === 'connected' ? 'Connected' : 'Not Connected'}
+              </Badge>
+            </div>
+          </TooltipTrigger>
+          <TooltipContent side="bottom">
+            {iucnStatus === 'connected' 
+              ? 'IUCN Red List API is connected and working' 
+              : 'IUCN Red List API connection issue. Check the API key.'}
+          </TooltipContent>
+        </Tooltip>
+      </TooltipProvider>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/src/pages/home.tsx b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
index e329216..4af7fc8 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/home.tsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import SearchForm from "@/components/search-form";
 import RecentSearches from "@/components/recent-searches";
 import ResultsContainer from "@/components/results-container";
 import SavedSpecies from "@/components/saved-species";
+import ApiStatus from "@/components/api-status";
 
 export default function Home() {
   const { toast } = useToast();
@@ -85,6 +86,9 @@ export default function Home() {
               <path d="M12 2L5 6.5M12 2v6.5M12 2l7 4.5M5 6.5V18l3.5 2M5 6.5l7 4.5M22 9l-7.5 4.5M22 9V16M22 9l-3.5-2M5 18l7 4m0 0 7-4M19 18l-7-4.5m0 0L8.5 9"/>
             </svg>
             <h1 className="text-xl font-bold">CITES+ Species Lookup</h1>
+            <div className="ml-6">
+              <ApiStatus citesToken={tokenData || null} />
+            </div>
           </div>
           <div>
             <button 
@@ -121,7 +125,7 @@ export default function Home() {
           )}
 
           <SearchForm 
-            token={tokenData} 
+            token={tokenData || null} 
             onSpeciesFound={setSelectedSpecies} 
           />