Wildlife Populations Drop By 73% As Ecosystems Near Collapse, Report Finds

A new report by WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) reveals that global wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73% over the past 50 years due to human activities such as habitat destruction, climate change, and deforestation.

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Updated on: 10 October 2024 3:50 pm

The report warns that critical ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest and Arctic are approaching tipping points. Photo: Pexels

A new report by WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has found that global wildlife populations have dropped by an average of 73% in the last 50 years. This alarming decline is driven by human activities that continue to threaten ecosystems worldwide, pushing many species closer to extinction.

The steepest drop was seen in Latin America and the Caribbean, where wildlife populations have plummeted by 95%. Africa experienced a 76% decline, while Asia and the Pacific recorded a 60% decrease. Europe and North America saw smaller, yet still concerning, declines of 35% and 39%, respectively. Scientists attribute the lower numbers in these regions to earlier wildlife losses before 1970.

The report’s data comes from the Living Planet Index, which tracks nearly 35,000 population trends across 5,495 species, including birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. This index has become a key measure of global biodiversity, but it has faced criticism. The index is more heavily weighted toward data from regions like Africa and Latin America, where population information is less reliable. As a result, some experts believe it may exaggerate the global rate of decline.

Still, the findings show an urgent need for action. Matthew Gould, ZSL’s chief executive, highlighted the severity of the situation: “We are dangerously close to tipping points for nature loss and climate change. But we know nature can recover, given the opportunity, and that we still have the chance to act.”

Beyond the Living Planet Index, other assessments paint a grim picture. The IUCN’s Red List, which evaluates more than 160,000 plant and animal species, found that nearly a third of these species are at risk of extinction. Among them, 41% of amphibians, 26% of mammals, and 34% of conifer trees are in danger of disappearing.

The report also warns that ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest, the Arctic, and marine environments are approaching critical tipping points due to global warming. If these systems collapse, it could lead to devastating effects not only for wildlife but for human society as well.

The findings come just days ahead of the Cop16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia, where global leaders will discuss efforts to stop biodiversity loss. Despite previous international agreements, countries have failed to meet biodiversity targets. This time, scientists are urging world leaders to take decisive action.

“We must listen to science and take action to avoid collapse," said Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s environment minister and Cop16 president. "Globally, we are reaching points of no return and irreversibly affecting the planet’s life-support systems.”

One of the main drivers of wildlife decline is land-use change, as agriculture continues to expand into natural habitats like rainforests. Mike Barrett, WWF-UK’s director of science and conservation, pointed out that countries like the UK play a role by importing food produced on previously wild lands.

“The data that we’ve got shows that the loss was driven by a fragmentation of natural habitats. What we are seeing through the figures is an indicator of a more profound change that is going on in our natural ecosystems... they are losing their resilience to external shocks and change,” said Barrett.