From 1970 to 2020, wildlife populations worldwide have plummeted by 73% as documented in the report. This figure shows data collected from nearly 35,000 population trends, covering 5,495 species of birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
The declines were seen in Latin America and the Caribbean with a 95% drop in wildlife populations. Africa followed with a 76% decrease, while Asia and the Pacific experienced a 60% reduction. Europe and North America saw smaller declines at 35% and 39%, respectively.
Also Read: Storm Milton News: Storm Milton Expected to Bring Heavy Rain to Florida
The Living Planet Index, a tool developed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has tracked nearly 35,000 wildlife population trends across 5,495 species from 1970 to 2020.
This analysis revealed a 73% average decline in wildlife populations worldwide. The declines were found in freshwater ecosystems, where species populations plummeted by 85% followed by terrestrial ecosystems at 69% and marine ecosystems at 56%.
Latin America and the Caribbean suffered the most losses with 95% decline in wildlife populations. Africa experienced a 76% reduction, while Asia-Pacific recorded a 60% decline.
Europe and North America showed smaller declines 35% and 39% respectively due to earlier large-scale impacts on biodiversity before the 1970 baseline.
The primary threat to wildlife populations is habitat loss and degradation largely driven by unsustainable food production systems.
Overexploitation of resources, the spread of invasive species and the emergence of diseases are additional threats contributing to the crisis.
Declines in wildlife populations act as early indicators of the risk of reaching ecological tipping points. A tipping point is when ecosystems are beyond a threshold leading to irreversible changes.
Global tipping points such as the potential dieback of the Amazon rainforest and the mass die-off of coral reefs could have catastrophic consequences for global weather patterns, food security and biodiversity.
A 57% decline in nesting females was recorded between 1990 and 2018 in the Great Barrier Reef’s Milman Island. Pink river dolphins in Brazil’s Mamirauá reserve have decreased by 65%, while the smaller tucuxi population fell by 75% between 1994 and 2016.
In India, the populations of white-rumped vultures, Indian vultures and slender-billed vultures saw decreases with declines of 67%, 48% and 89% respectively from 2002 to 2022.
The declines have been seen in freshwater species with an 85% fall in population since 1970. These ecosystems are vulnerable to pollution, overfishing and habitat loss.
Terrestrial wildlife populations have shrunk by 69% during the same period primarily due to land-use changes for agriculture.
Species in the oceans have also suffered with a 56% decline in marine wildlife populations. Overfishing, pollution and ocean warming are all contributing to this loss.
Also Read: Bosnia Floods News: At Least 21 Killed and Dozens Missing
Populations in East Africa’s Virunga mountains increased by about 3% annually between 2010 and 2016 due to targeted conservation efforts. Populations of this species in central Europe have also seen a resurgence.
The Global Biodiversity Framework aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The Paris Agreement sets a target to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals include eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development.
The Living Planet Report reveals that action on the ground is falling far short of what’s necessary to meet these targets.
The report addresses that the next five years are critical for achieving international goals related to climate and nature conservation.
Two major international summits COP16 on biodiversity in Colombia and COP29 on climate change in Azerbaijan present opportunities for countries to strengthen their commitments and actions.
WWF urges governments to adopt more ambitious national biodiversity strategies and climate plans to address both domestic and imported biodiversity loss, overconsumption and climate emissions.
Fossil fuels account for approximately 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food production is responsible for the majority of habitat loss and 70% of global water use, as well as over a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions.
The relatively smaller declines in wildlife populations in these regions are partly due to larger declines that occurred before 1970. Conservation efforts and better environmental policies have helped slow the rate of decline in decades.
Some wildlife populations in India have stabilized and even recovered. Government initiatives effective habitat management and community engagement have contributed to the resurgence of species such as tigers and snow leopards.
For example, the All-India Tiger Estimation 2022 recorded at least 3,682 tigers, up from 2,967 in 2018.
Also Read: Amazon Rainforest Fires Hit Brazil’s Indigenous Communities
