Switzerland: Global monitored wildlife populations declined by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2022, according to WWF’s 2026 Living Planet Report, with freshwater species suffering the sharpest losses amid habitat destruction, climate change, pollution and other pressures.
The report, released Thursday, examined 35,803 monitored populations representing 5,790 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. The Living Planet Index, managed by WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), found that monitored populations declined by an average of about 2.5% annually over the 52-year period.
Why are wildlife populations continuing to decline?
Habitat loss and degradation remain the most frequently reported threats to wildlife, while overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease are also contributing to population declines.
Freshwater species recorded the largest average decline at 85%, followed by terrestrial species at 69% and marine species at 59%.
The report also identified major regional disparities. South America recorded the steepest average decline at 95%, while Africa experienced an 80% decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022.
Can conservation efforts reverse the decline?
WWF and ZSL said the findings do not mean that 73% of all animals have disappeared. The figure represents the average change in monitored wildlife populations and is particularly sensitive to changes in small populations.
The report said there are signs that targeted conservation can produce recoveries. Populations of tigers, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, southern African elephants and green sea turtles have shown improvements following conservation interventions.
WWF Director General Kirsten Schuijt said wildlife recovery remains possible but requires conservation measures alongside changes to global energy, food and financial systems to address the underlying drivers of biodiversity loss.