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Context :

●  Recently there was a global study on conservation efforts in saving species from extinction.

●  It was published in PLOS Biology on March 18, 2025.

• The study reviewed data on 67000 animal species. They found that species specific conservation measures have reduced extinction risks.
• In many cases, they also prevented extinctions.

Success Stories :

Iberian lynx: It was once considered the world most endangered cat. But now the number of Iberian lynx has increased from a few hundred to several thousand.

Kākāpō: it is a nocturnal and flightless parrot from New Zealand. The kākāpō has benefited from long term recovery programs.

 European bison: it was hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 20th century. the European bison now roams free in parts of Eastern Europe. All thanks to reintroduction efforts.

Marine Species:

Humpback & blue whale populations were once decimated by commercial whaling. But also they have made strong recoveries because of the international moratorium on whaling.

Key Regions for Recovery

• Island Ecosystems emerged as hotspots for recovery with improving species found in locations such as:
  • New Zealand
  • Mauritius
  • Seychelles
  • Chatham Island
  • Guadeloupe
  • Borneo
• Other regions are also showing improvement include parts of the eastern United States, Costa Rica, eastern Australia, southern India, & Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.

Ongoing Biodiversity Crisis

• Declining species are usually threatened by:
  • Habitat destruction
  • Hunting
  • Fishing
  • Pollution
• Other contributing factors also include climate change, disease, & invasive species.

Regions of Decline

• Tropical Andes, Peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, southern Europe, central Asia, & parts of south eastern Australia have high concentrations of declining species.

Source: DTE