Dozens of whales stranded on beach in Western Australia
Associated PressAPR 12 2024
The average size of the world's monitored wildlife populations declined by 73% in 50 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) 2024 Living Planet Report.
WWF and the Zoological Society of London tracked 5,495 amphibian, bird, fish, mammal, and reptile species to show how much human activity decimates them.
Based on 35K population trends, the report found that freshwater populations had declined the most by 85%, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine (56%).
The precipitoussteep decline in global wildlife populations spells disaster for humanity. It threatens our very existence, jeopardizing vital ecosystem services we depend on. Clean air and water, pollination, carbon storage, and natural flood protection are all at risk. This ecological crisis demands immediate action to prevent irreversible damage to our planet and our own survival.
Alarmist statistics oversimplify complex ecological realities and misdirect conservation efforts. The calculation method used is often inherently biased towards showing declines due to its focus on proportional changes rather than actual abundance. This magnifies the impact of small, struggling populations while downplaying the stability or growth of larger ones.
There is a 50% chance that 25% of Earth's land will be protected for wildlife on Jan. 1, 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.