Abstract:  Ensuring protected areas (PAs) maintain the biodiversity within their boundaries is fundamental to achieving global conservation goals. Despite this, wildlife abundance changes in PAs are patchily documented and poorly understood. In this study we used linear mixed effect models to explore correlates of population change in 1902 populations of birds and mammals from 447 PAs globally. In contrast to global declines of wildlife populations, on average we find PAs are maintaining populations of monitored birds and mammals within their boundaries. PAs were more successful in maintaining wildlife populations in countries with higher development scores, and for larger bodied species. This suggests active management consistently overcomes disadvantages of lower reproductive rates and more severe threats experienced by larger species in these two distinct vertebrate classes.

Biography: Ian works on quantifying the performance and management costs of marine and terrestrial protected areas. He completed his PhD in 2010 which was carried out jointly with the University of Cambridge, ZSL London and the UNEP – World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Ian is currently a post-doc at the ARC CoE in Townsville and is working with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to understand the costs of effective protected area management. Additionally he is working with IUCN and the Global Environment Facility to assess the impact of international funding on protected area biodiversity outcomes.