Extinction naturally occurs, but usually at a rate of one to five species a year. Right now, it’s claimed plants and animals are becoming extinct between 100 - 1000 times that rate.
The scale of those numbers has lead to studies showing we could be the entering the sixth-wave of mass-extinction - with reports suggesting the Earth stands to lose up to 75 percent of the world’s species as soon as mid-century.
This is all because of human activity like waste and pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and wildlife poaching.
But while this destruction carries on, there are people working day in and out determined to ensure we intervene in this seemingly overwhelming problem. People like Mark and Sophie Hutchinson who founded conservation group, Wild Ark.
Wild Ark’s mission is to secure land all around the world to restore and protect species under threat. They’re a small part of a much larger movement in pragmatic conservation taking place across the world with a focus on land acquisition.
If you would like to find out more about the conservation efforts in South Africa, visit Wild Ark, Southern African Wildlife College, EcoTraining and Friends of African Wildlife.
HuffPost Australia travelled to Hoedspruit in South Africa with Wild Ark.