Conservation Really Does Curb Extinction, Study Finds

A recent study of over 67,000 animal species reveals that conservation efforts are effective in rehabilitating species that are on the brink of extinction.

“We found that almost all the species that have moved from a more threatened category to a less threatened category have benefited from some sort of conservation measures. It’s a strong signal that conservation works,” says lead author Ashley Simkinds, a Ph.D candidate in Cambridge’s Department of Zoology.

Approximately one million species out of eight are roaming the planet at risk of extinction due to human activities. In the study, researchers at the University of Cambridge observed various connections in the species they observed: namely, that species living in isolated areas, such as islands, were able to come back from the brink of extinction when intensive conservation efforts were fully implemented. Even those not located in remote places that still benefited from various conservation efforts saw a significant recovery in population numbers, such as the European Bison and the humpback whale. It is widely accepted that preventative measures are preferable to emergency interventions in species conservation, and the study reiterates that. Collaboration, local efforts, and studying the root causes of population loss are key to successful conservation.