Based on an analysis of 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “Red List,” researchers found that one-fifth of these species are classified as Threatened, and this number is increasing. However, the rate of increase would have been faster if not for conservation programs.

According to this study, about 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year, although the rate of deterioration would have been at least 20% faster in the absence of conservation successes. However, efforts to preserve animal species remain inadequate to offset the main drivers of biodiversity loss which include agricultural expansion, logging, over-exploitation and invasive alien species.