LONDON: Nearly 6,000 monitored vertebrate species across more than 35,000 populations declined by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2022, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) latest Living Planet Report.
The 2026 Living Planet Report was published on Thursday. It tracks changes in populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish over a 52-year period.
The Living Planet Index, managed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and WWF, monitored 35,803 populations covering 5,790 species.
The report estimates that monitored populations declined by an average of around 2.5% per year during the period.
“Monitored global populations continue to decline on average with no evidence yet of that global recovery,” said Andrew Terry, chief conservation officer at ZSL.
Freshwater Species Face Steepest Decline
Freshwater species recorded the sharpest average decline, falling by 85% over the period.
Terrestrial species declined by 69%, while marine species recorded an average decline of 59%.
South America experienced the steepest regional decline, with monitored wildlife populations falling by 95%.
Africa recorded an average decline of 80% between 1970 and 2022.
However, WWF stressed that the figures do not represent a headcount of the total number of animals lost.
The average rate is particularly sensitive to changes in already small populations. It measures changes in monitored populations rather than the total number of individual animals worldwide.
Habitat Loss Remains Major Threat
The report identified habitat loss and degradation as the most frequently reported threat to wildlife populations.
Other major threats include overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease.
The 2026 report added 295 species and 967 populations to the dataset compared with the previous report published in 2024.
Andrew Terry said the additional data reinforced confidence in the continuing decline in biodiversity.
Conservation Can Help Wildlife Recover
Despite the overall decline, WWF said there are signs that targeted conservation efforts can help wildlife populations recover.
Successful conservation efforts have contributed to the recovery of species including tigers, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, southern African elephants and green sea turtles.
“Amid these steep declines, there are grounds for hope, rooted in evidence. Wildlife populations are under pressure but recovery is in reach,” said Kirsten Schuijt, WWF director general.
Schuijt said conservation efforts must be supported by changes to energy, food and financial systems to halt further nature loss.
