University of Pretoria-led study disputes 73% wildlife decline claim

"We need to be smart in protecting more areas, connecting populations where possible, and avoiding having animals in small areas behind fences. None of those options is easy, but explaining the problems and getting support for their solutions is the way forward. Let's celebrate our successes."

As governments and conservation organisations move to implement global biodiversity targets, the study serves as a reminder that how decline is measured-and how it is communicated-may shape not only public perception, but the future of conservation itself.

Stuart L Pimm is Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria's Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU) and Doris Duke Professor of Conservation at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University in North Carolina, US.

IFAW has partnered with CERU for more than 20 years. The accumulation of this scientific knowledge, together with engagement with local communities, is the foundation of IFAW's visionary Room to Roam initiative to secure and connect habitats, creating safe passages for elephants and other wildlife to travel freely through their home ranges in East and southern Africa. The positive outcomes of this far-reaching program are greater biodiversity, natural resilience to climate change, and a future where animals and people can coexist and thrive.