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WWF Reports Massive Drop in Wildlife Numbers

A new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says that the sizes of animal populations around the world have dropped by an average of 73% since 1970. The report says humans are the main cause of these drops, and that we must act quickly to protect Earth’s animals.

The report is based on information about 5,495 different species of animals around the world. The information was collected by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which used it to create what it calls the “Living Planet Index” (LPI).

The LPI focuses on vertebrates – animals with backbones, such as birds, fish, and mammals. The report shows that between 1970 and 2020, the average size of these populations dropped by 73%.

The Living Planet Index (LPI) tracks the best efforts of scientists to count wildlife populations around the world. This year's LPI says that, on average, wildlife populations dropped by 73% in the 50 years from 1970 to 2020 (red line in graph above). That's a huge and worrying drop.
The Living Planet Index (LPI) tracks the best efforts of scientists to count wildlife populations around the world. This year’s LPI says that, on average, wildlife populations dropped by 73% in the 50 years from 1970 to 2020 (red line in graph above). That’s a huge and worrying drop.
(Source: [CC BY 4.0], OurWorldInData.org.)

The LPI can be a little confusing. It doesn’t show the change in the total number of animals on the planet. Instead, it shows the average change in the size of animal populations since 1970.

For example, if one species dropped from 1,000 animals to 500, that’s a 50% drop. If another species dropped from 100,000 to 50,000, that’s also a 50% drop. The number of animals lost in the second population is much higher, but they would both count as a 50% drop for the LPI.

The LPI is meant to help scientists understand what’s happening to animals around the world. But not all scientists like the way the LPI works. Some say the numbers make the situation seem worse than it really is.

But even if the numbers aren’t perfect, scientists agree that animal populations are shrinking. And that’s a serious problem. Without healthy animal populations, humans could have trouble getting clean water, healthy soil, and food.

The LPI is reporting the average change in the size of animal populations over time. The numbers for all species or populations didn't drop by 73% (see details above). About half of the populations studied are dropping. But their losses are so extreme that the average drop was 73%.
The LPI is reporting the average change in the size of animal populations over time. The numbers for all populations didn’t drop by 73% (see details above). About half of the populations studied are dropping. But the losses are so extreme that the average drop was 73%.
(Source: Hannah Ritchie, via [CC BY 4.0], OurWorldInData.org.)

The report shows that populations have dropped in all kinds of habitats. Freshwater habitats, such as rivers and lakes, saw the biggest drop – an average of 85%. On land, the number of animals fell by an average of 69%. In the oceans, the drop was 56%.

The report shows that animals are disappearing in many parts of the world. Latin America and the Caribbean saw the biggest drop of all – an average of 95%. Africa’s animal populations fell by an average of 76%, and animal numbers in Asia and the Pacific dropped by 60%.

Europe, Central Asia, and North America had the smallest drops. That’s partly because these areas lost many animals before 1970. Even so, vertebrate populations in these areas have dropped by an average of over 33% since then.

The WWF report says the biggest problem is that humans are destroying the places where wild animals live. The report says that 40% of the land on Earth is used for growing food for humans. Above, an image from the air of the Amazon rainforest in 2018. The lighter brown areas have been cleared for farmland.
The WWF report says humans are destroying the places where wild animals live, and that 40% of the land on Earth is used for growing food for humans. Above, an image from the air of the Amazon rainforest in 2018. The brown areas have been cleared for farmland.
(Source: Alexander Gerst [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)

The WWF report says humans are the main reason that animal populations are dropping. The biggest problem is that humans are destroying the places where wild animals live. The report says that 40% of the land on Earth is used for growing food for humans. Climate change,  pollution, and over-hunting are also major problems.

The WWF says strong steps are needed to protect the planet’s animals; humans will need to make big changes in the ways they eat, farm, and create energy. The group also says it’s important to protect 30% of the world’s land, oceans, and rivers by 2030.

Note: WWF has a special version of their report for young people. You can find it here.


Did You Know…?
Later this month, leaders from around the world will meet at an important United Nations meeting in Cali, Colombia. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss how to protect the world’s animals.

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