Why protect species

The alarm has been raised repeatedly about the decline in biodiversity across the planet.

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As the fundamental components of our planet’s biodiversity, species provide key indicators for ecological health and create the necessary conditions for all life.

Why are species important?

The millions of species that inhabit our lands, freshwater ecosystems, and ocean have evolved over millennia, creating the web of life that sustains our planet. They provide essential resources such as food, medicine, and raw materials. They also drive vital processes like soil formation, decomposition, water filtration, pollination, pest control, and climate regulation. Additionally, they are a primary source of income and resources for hundreds of millions of people worldwide, supporting livelihoods and global well-being.

Species also hold historical, cultural and traditional significance for almost every culture on Earth, providing spiritual guidance and comfort to many different societies.

Image credit: Fundaeco
A frog in Guatelama's tropics

The Species Emergency

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ reveals that a quarter of all species face high risk of extinction. Human activity has severely altered more than 75% of the Earth’s land and freshwater areas, and 66% of the oceans. Climate change and political instability are exacerbating this crisis at all levels.

Species loss at current rates will eliminate the vital ecological, economic and cultural roles that they fulfil. The crisis goes beyond species loss; human pressures mean that a vast array of species are experiencing dramatic population declines (often irreversible) to a level that affects their future and our resource base. It is beyond question that the current way of life is unsustainable and transformational change is vital.

The world’s people must accept responsibility for this emergency and act now to ensure we pass on a rich natural heritage to future generations.

Image credit: WCS Tim Davenport
Bird in the wild

WHAT IF SPECIES DISAPPEARED?

Click on a species below and discover the impact on humans and ecosystems.

Carnivore

Fruit bats

Scavengers

Seabirds

Large herbivores

Whales

Seagrass

Veteran tree

Corals

Fungi – temperate forests

Fungi – Lichens

Threats

The key threats that are driving population declines and extinctions include :

Habitat loss & degradation

The destruction, fragmentation, and deterioration of natural habitats due to urban expansion, agriculture, infrastructure development, and resource extraction reduce the space available for wildlife. As ecosystems shrink and degrade, species struggle to find food, shelter, and breeding grounds, leading to population declines and increased risk of extinction.
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Poaching

The illegal and unsustainable hunting, capture, and trade of wildlife poses a severe threat to biodiversity, pushing species toward extinction. Beyond species loss, it disrupts ecosystems, fuels organised crime, and threatens livelihoods and local economies that depend on species conservation.
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Diseases

Wildlife diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can lead to species population declines, disrupt ecosystems, and threaten biodiversity. The spread of infectious diseases is increasing due to globalisation, habitat destruction, climate change, and human-wildlife interactions. Additionally, there is a risk of wildlife diseases spilling over to humans, posing global health threats and impacting economies.
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Pollution

Pollution from landfills, industrial waste, plastic, agricultural runoff, and toxic chemicals poses a severe threat to biodiversity. It contaminates air, water, and soil, leading to habitat degradation, reduced fertility, increased mortality, and the accumulation of toxins in wildlife.
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Climate change

Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events are making habitats increasingly inhospitable for many species. These changes disrupt migration patterns, alter food availability, and lead to biodiversity loss. Additionally, climate-induced habitat shifts, and resource scarcity can force both wildlife and people to migrate, increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflicts.
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Invasive alien species

Invasive alien species threaten biodiversity by outcompeting native species for food and habitat, altering ecosystems, and driving native species to extinction. They can disrupt food webs, leading to ecosystem imbalances and collapse. Additionally, some invasive species introduce or spread wildlife diseases to which native species have little resistance.
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Human-wildlife conflict

Human-wildlife conflict arises when wildlife threatens human lives, livelihoods, or property, often prompting retaliatory killings or preventive measures that endanger species. Animal attacks on people, livestock, and crops can lead to significant economic losses, deepening poverty in affected communities. This often results in overexploiting of natural resources to compensate for these losses, further worsening both conservation challenges and human hardships.
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Disruption of water flow

Disruptions to water flow such as flooding and droughts, can significantly affect ecosystems. Practices like deforestation and overgrazing lead to loss of vegetation, which reduces water retention in the soil and accelerates soil erosion. This erosion depletes topsoil, vital for growing both natural vegetation and crops, leading to habitat loss for wildlife and forcing local communities and animals to move or face extinction.
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Over-exploitation of natural resources & prey depletion

The unsustainable extraction of natural resources leads to the rapid depletion of species and the destruction of fragile ecosystems. Over-exploitation of prey species disrupts food chains, depriving predators of their natural food sources and causing cascading effects throughout the ecosystem. This imbalance weakens biodiversity, alters habitat conditions, and increases the risk of local or global extinctions.
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Reduced genetic diversity

When species populations become fragmented or isolated, or when they have survived with a small number of individuals over generations, genetic diversity decreases. This reduces their ability to adapt to environmental changes, maintain resistance to diseases, and sustain reproductive rates.
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