National parks and other protected areas have had mixed success in conserving wildlife, according to the largest ever global study of their effects. “However, we have much less understanding of how protected areas help wildlife. Our study shows that, while many protected areas are working well, many others are failing to have a positive effect. Scientists compared waterbird population trends before protected areas were established with trends afterwards in 68 countries, and also analysed the trends of similar waterbird populations inside and outside protected areas. But it’s really important to know if these protected areas actually deliver or not.

Source: The Guardian April 21, 2022 11:39 UTC