Wildlife Population Dropped by 73% in 50 Years, WWF Report Sounds Alarm

World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2024 highlights a staggering 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020. This alarming statistic highlights the devastating effects of environmental degradation and climate change on global biodiversity. According to the report, the planet is approaching dangerous tipping points that threaten not only wildlife but humanity’s future as well.

The Living Planet Index, provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), include nearly 35,000 vertebrate populations across 5,495 species over the last five decades. The most significant losses were observed in freshwater species, which saw an alarming 85% decline. Terrestrial and marine species were not secure either, with declines of 69% and 56%, respectively. These drastic reductions are largely attributed to habitat loss, degradation, and overharvesting, primarily driven by our global food systems. Additional threats include invasive species, disease, and the far-reaching impacts of climate change.

The WWF report also highlighted the decline of wildlife populations in India, including a significant drop in bird populations living in open habitats and the drastic fall of vulture numbers.

The report warns that these dramatic declines in wildlife populations undermine the health and resilience of ecosystems. Critical tipping points, such as the destruction of Amazon rainforests, mass die-offs of coral reefs, and the decimation of North American pine forests, could trigger far-reaching consequences. The collapse of these ecosystems threatens food security, economic stability, and livelihoods on a global scale.

The report highlights several species, including the Amazon pink river dolphin, which has seen a 65% decline in its population, and the Chinook salmon in California's Sacramento River, which has experienced an alarming 88% decrease. Similarly, the hawksbill turtle population saw a 57% decline in nesting females between 1990 and 2018. The recent deaths of over 330 Amazon river dolphins during 2023’s extreme heat and drought in Brazil further emphasize the urgency of the situation.

Despite these alarming trends, there are signs of hope. Some wildlife populations have stabilized or even increased due to effective conservation measures. For example, mountain gorillas in East Africa's Virunga Mountains saw an increase of around 3% per year from 2010 to 2016. Similarly, bison populations in central Europe have surged from zero to 6,800 between 1970 and 2020.

Global leaders have already set ambitious targets to halt and reverse nature loss, such as the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC. However, the Living Planet Report cautions that national commitments and on-the-ground actions are insufficient to meet these goals and avert dire tipping points.

The upcoming international biodiversity and climate summits, COP16 and COP29, present a crucial opportunity for leaders to take decisive action. WWF is urging nations to create and implement robust national plans to combat biodiversity loss and reduce emissions.