Alarming decline in global wildlife populations calls for urgent conservation efforts.

A new study analyzing global population trends among 71,000 animal species found that nearly half are "sliding toward extinction," with only 3% increasing and 49% remaining stable. The rapidly increasing imbalance signals a looming "sixth extinction," according to the study. The number of populations collapsing "is far higher than the species adaptively 'catching up'." Although the declining species are cause for concern, the study also found that many species are doing okay or even better, representing good news for conservation efforts.