India, March 21 -- A major global study has revealed that targeted conservation efforts have helped hundreds of animal species avoid extinction-though far more are still in decline.

Researchers reviewed data for over 67,000 animal species and found that while the planet remains in the grip of a biodiversity crisis, species-specific conservation measures significantly reduced extinction risks and, in many cases, prevented extinctions altogether.

The study, published in PLOS Biology on March 18, 2025, highlighted several success stories. The Iberian lynx, once considered the most endangered cat in the world, has rebounded from just a few hundred individuals to several thousand. The kakapo, a critically endangered nocturnal, flightless par...