International experts have issued a stark warning about the accelerating loss of biodiversity, driven by global environmental changes. Speaking at the 2025 World Science and Technology Development Forum in Beijing, Rodolfo Dirzo, a biology professor at Stanford University, emphasized the urgent need for strengthened scientific research to combat this crisis. Dirzo described the current era as one of ‘anthropogenic, dramatic global environmental change,’ with biodiversity loss being the most critical issue. He cited the drastic decline of vultures in India as a case study, where a 95% population drop led to increased stray dogs, rabies cases, and public healthcare costs. Dirzo stressed the importance of halting habitat destruction, overexploitation of resources, and adopting a multidisciplinary approach to address the problem. Sun Baojun, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, echoed these concerns, highlighting the need for proactive research to identify vulnerable species and regions. Sun’s team found that lizards from low-latitude areas are particularly at risk and should be prioritized for protection. Both experts underscored the critical role of science in mitigating biodiversity loss and its cascading effects on ecosystems and human health.