Ashley Simkins, a PhD candidate in this department is the lead author of a study reported in the journal PLOS Biology, that highlights both conservation successes and the need for urgent action.  Other co-authors from the Dept of Zoology were Prof William Sutherland, Prof Lynn Dicks and Dr Silviu Petrovan.

The research was led by the University of Cambridge with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), BirdLife International, and Oxford and Durham Universities.  The team used the IUCN Red List, the world’s largest database of species conservation status, to conduct a major review of over 67,000 animal species.  They found that although the natural world continues to face a biodiversity crisis, targeted conservation efforts are helping bring many species back from the brink of extinction.

“While biodiversity loss is a genuine crisis, it’s vital that we celebrate the success stories wherever and whenever we can,” said Simkins. “It’s so hard for a species to improve its conservation status, but with the right effort, we can turn things around.”

He added that conservationists must work with stakeholders, rather than dicating to them, “whether that’s an Indigenous community in Papua New Guinea or a farmer in Somerset.  Conservation doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game – there are compromises that can benefit both the natural world and human society.”

“In this climate of constant stories about wildlife declines and insufficient political action to protect nature it’s important to realise that there are also many success stories and that conservation efforts are making a real, demonstrable impact in the world,” said co-senior author Dr Silviu Petrovan. “Conservation works if given the chance.”
 
The research was supported in part by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Ashley Simkins is a Member of King’s College, Cambridge.

Photo credit: Paul Donald

Simkins AT, Sutherland WJ, Dicks LV, Hilton-Taylor C, Grace MK, Butchart SHM, et al. (2025) Past conservation efforts reveal which actions lead to positive outcomes for species. PLoS Biol 23(3): e3003051. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003051