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

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.