What are we saving? Developing a standardised approach for conservation action

Are all species equal in terms of conservation attention? We developed a novel framework to assess the level of conservation attention given to 697 threatened mammals and 100 critically endangered amphibian species. Our index of conservation attention provides a quantitative framework for assessing how conservation resources are allocated, based on the degree to which conservation interventions have been proposed and implemented. Our results provide evidence of the strong biases in global conservation attention. We find that most threatened species receive little or no conservation, and that the small number receiving substantial attention is extremely biased. Species most likely to receive conservation attention are those which are well-studied, charismatic and that live in the developed world. Conservation status and evolutionary distinctiveness appear to have little importance in conservation decision-making at the global scale. Most species inhabit the tropics and are both poorly known and uncharismatic. Therefore, the majority of biodiversity is being ignored by current conservation action