How do we know what lands – or how much – to protect to maintain the current level of biodiversity? Jenny McGuire, an assistant professor with joint appointments in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, and Benjamin Shipley, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Biological Sciences, share a byline for a Perspectives editorial in Science on that topic. In late 2021, McGuire received National Science Foundation and National Environment Research Council (NERC) funding to study the long-term relationships between Africa's large animals, their traits, and how they respond to changes in their environments. The goal is to use the data to forecast future changes and help inform conservation biology decisions for the continent.