These are dark time for animals around the world. Over the last 50 years, populations of most animal groups have dropped by 69%.

Mahmoud Bennett Social Media Producer

Report: Animal populations shrunk 69% over the past 50 years

Oct 14, 2022

Mahmoud Bennett Social Media Producer

By Mahmoud Bennett (Social Media Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer)

These are dark times for animal populations around the world, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund. Over the past 50 years, wildlife numbers have suffered a devastating decline, the WWF study revealed. The organization said the monitored populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have seen a devastating 69% drop on average since 1970.

The report attributes the sharp decline to a range of issues namely pollution, climate change and deforestation. The findings show the Caribbean and Latin America have been hit particularly hard. Wildlife there saw a 94% drop in relative abundance — specifically the pink river dolphins, oceanic sharks and ray populations.

However, the report did reveal some signs of hope. Conservation efforts have helped increase the populations of loggerhead turtles in Cyprus and mountain gorillas in Central Africa, as per the report.

The findings were broadly similar to those in WWF’s last assessment in 2020, with animal populations continuing to decline at a rate of about 2.5% per year, according to Reuters.

This December delegates from around the world will gather in Montreal for the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity to outline a new global strategy to protect the world’s plants and animals.

Tags: Conservation

MAHMOUD BENNETT: THESE ARE DARK TIME FOR ANIMALS AROUND THE WORLD.

OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS WILDLIFE NUMBERS HAVE SUFFERED A DEVASTATING DECLINE ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND.

WHICH CLAIMS THE POPULATIONS OF MOST ANIMAL GROUPS, INCLUDING MAMMALS, BIRDS, AND FISH HAVE DROPPED BY A GLOBAL AVERAGE OF 69% SINCE 1970.

THEY ATTRIBUTE THE SHARP DECLINE TO DEFORESTATION, AND HUMANS POLLUTING THE AIR, LAND, AND SEA.

THE FINDINGS SHOW THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA HAVE BEEN HIT PARTICULARLY HARD WHERE WILDLIFE SAW A 94% DROP IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE, FELT IN PART BY PINK RIVER DOLPHINS, OCEANIC SHARK AND RAY POPULATIONS.

THE REPORT DID REVEAL SOME SIGNS OF HOPE.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS HAVE HELPED INCREASE THE POPULATIONS OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLES IN CYPRUS AND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

THE DATA IS IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS NUMBERS ON WILDLIFE ABUNDANCE, WHICH SHOW A CONTINUED DECLINE OF ABOUT 2.5% A YEAR.

BUT THERE IS A CALL TO ACTION.

THIS DECEMBER DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL GATHER IN MONTREAL TO OUTLINE A NEW GLOBAL STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE WORLD’S PLANTS AND ANIMALS.