We are living through the sixth mass extinction. One million species face extinction within decades. Insect populations have declined by 75% in some regions since 1970. Bird populations in North America have dropped by 3 billion since 1970. Amphibians are disappearing faster than any vertebrate group in recorded history. The causes are interconnected: habitat destruction (agriculture, urbanization), pollution (pesticides, plastics), climate change (shifting ranges, phenological mismatch), invasive species, and overexploitation. Protected areas cover only 17% of land and 8% of oceans — far below the 30% scientists say is needed. Current conservation is top-down, underfunded, and disconnected from communities. Local people — who know their ecosystems best — are often excluded from conservation decisions. Data gaps mean species go extinct before they are even discovered.