Populations of wild species fell by an average of 73% from 1970 to 2022, WWF says
The report also found half of monitored populations were stable or increasing, while habitat loss and climate change remained the main threats.
- The World Wildlife Fund's 2026 Living Planet Report highlights Atlantic bluefin tuna's resurgence in UK waters as a key conservation success, demonstrating that targeted efforts can reverse species decline.
- While wildlife populations worldwide have declined by an average of 73% since 1970, conservation initiatives have created 'bright spots,' helping wild tigers and green sea turtles rebound from endangered status.
- Hannah Rudd, head of marine at the Angling Trust, described the bluefin surge as an 'explosion,' crediting reduced catch quotas and protected spawning grounds; the report tracks 35,803 populations of nearly 6,000 species.
- Nature underpins roughly $58 trillion of the global economy, making recovery vital for security; WWF-UK chief executive Tanya Steele warned that nature loss is already 'sending us the bill' through climate extremes.
- WWF chief scientific advisor Mike Barrett stated the science shows a 'closing window of opportunity' to reverse nature loss, emphasizing that systemic reform in food and finance systems remains essential for recovery.
182 Articles
182 Articles
Living Planet Report 2026: Why biodiversity matters for business - WWF South Africa
Despite significant declines in global wildlife populations, WWF’s latest Living Planet Report (LPR) shows that nature loss is not inevitable. Recovery is possible, and business has a critical role to play in shaping a nature-positive future.
Planeta Vivo report 2026: the populations of fauna studied fall by 73% on average between 1970 and 2022. WWF explains the threats and the keys to recovery.
A recent report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) revealed that since 1970, the population of wild vertebrates has declined by an average of 73 percent.
Wildlife populations have plunged globally, but some buck the trend
This story was originally published by Inside Climate News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. A new report paints a dark picture of the state of global wildlife—but also highlights flickers of light where some populations are on the upswing. Over the past half-century, populations of thousands of vertebrate species across the globe have […]
Africa: Wildlife Populations Have Declined 73% Since 1970 - but Many of the World's Animals Still Aren't Being Counted
Analysis - Wildlife populations around the world have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. That's according to the WWF's new 2026 Living Planet Index - a major estimate, updated every two years, of the changing state of nature. This does not mean that 73% of the world's animals have disappeared. Rather, it is the average decline in the size of wildlife populations that is being monitored.
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