SINGAPORE, Oct 8 — Monitored wildlife populations across nearly 6,000 vertebrate species declined by an average of 73 per cent between 1970 and 2022, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said in its latest Living Planet Report published today.
The Living Planet Index, managed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and WWF, tracked 35,803 populations covering 5,790 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish over the 52-year period.
The 2026 Living Planet Report estimates that the monitored populations declined by an average of about 2.5 per cent annually during the period.
"Monitored global populations continue to decline on average with no evidence yet of that global recovery," said Andrew Terry, ZSL's chief conservation officer.
The average rate of decline across monitored populations does not represent the total number of individual animals lost between 1970 and 2022, as the figure is particularly sensitive to changes in populations that are already small.
Freshwater species recorded the steepest average decline at 85 per cent, followed by terrestrial species at 69 per cent and marine species at 59 per cent, according to the index.
Regionally, South America recorded the sharpest average population decline at 95 per cent, while Africa experienced an 80 per cent decline over the same period.
The 2026 Living Planet Report incorporated an additional 295 species and 967 populations, covering a longer time series than the previous report published in 2024.
Terry said the additional data "reinforces our confidence in the continued decline in biodiversity".
Habitat loss and degradation were the most frequently reported threats, although wildlife populations also face risks from overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease, the report said.
Despite the worrying trends, WWF said there was evidence that targeted conservation efforts could help reverse population declines.
"Amid these steep declines, there are grounds for hope, rooted in evidence. Wildlife populations are under pressure but recovery is in reach," said WWF director general Kirsten Schuijt.
Targeted conservation initiatives have helped populations of several species recover, including tigers, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, southern African elephants and green sea turtles.
Schuijt said that alongside conservation efforts, changes to energy, food and financial systems were necessary to halt the loss of nature.
