Wildlife populations around the globe have experienced a staggering decline of 73 percent since 1970, according to a landmark report released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Thursday. The WWF's Living Planet Index, which monitors 35,000 populations of over 5,000 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, reveals accelerating declines in biodiversity across the world. The situation is particularly dire in biodiversity-rich regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean, where animal populations have plummeted by an alarming 95 percent. The index tracks trends in species abundance rather than individual animal numbers, highlighting the extensive impact of human activities on wildlife. \"The picture we are painting is incredibly concerning,\" said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International, during a press briefing. \"This is not just about wildlife; it's about the essential ecosystems that sustain human life.\" Daudi Sumba, Chief Conservation Officer at WWF, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the interconnected crises of climate change and nature destruction. \"The changes could be irreversible, with devastating consequences for humanity,\" he warned. Sumba cited deforestation in the Amazon as an example of a potential tipping point, where continued habitat loss could transform this critical ecosystem from a carbon sink into a carbon source. The report identifies habitat degradation and loss—driven primarily by human food systems—as the most significant threat in all regions. Other major threats include overexploitation, invasive species, disease, climate change, and pollution. Freshwater species populations have experienced the most substantial declines, followed by terrestrial and marine vertebrates. \"We have emptied the oceans of 40 percent of their biomass,\" noted Yann Laurans of WWF France, underscoring the profound impact of overfishing and unsustainable maritime practices. The WWF's findings arrive ahead of the upcoming United Nations summit on biodiversity, set to open in Colombia later this month. The summit aims to spotlight the urgent need for global action to preserve biodiversity and prevent irreversible damage to the planet's ecosystems.
Reference(s):
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