Since 1970, the size of populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians across the planet has decreased by 73%. This drastic decline in 50 years is detailed by the environmental organization WWF in its report «Living Planet» in which he warns of a «Code Red» for nature and biodiversity. The decline has been radical among all invertebrates, although freshwater species are where it has been greatest with a reduction of 85% between 1970 and 2020.
NEW REPORT | Code red for nature
► Populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians % since 1970
Ecosystems on the verge of collapse ⚡
We must ACT NOW!Share the video!#ActForOurPlanet#LPR2024 pic.twitter.com/BETh0qs0g1
— WWF Spain (@WWFespana) October 10, 2024
WWF reports that the average size of vertebrate animal populations in the world has been reduced by a catastrophic 73% in just 50 years. They highlight this in the Living Planet study, where in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London, they have analyzed almost 35,000 population trends of 5,495 species between 1970 and 2020.
Populations of freshwater species are those that have suffered the greatest decline, with a drop of 85%, followed by terrestrial species (69%) and marine species (56%). While by area, the most affected are Latin America and the Caribbean, which register an average decrease of 95% of populations.
Among the factors that have caused this decline, the NGO mentions the degradation and loss of habitats, driven mainly by our food system, as the most notable threat in each region, followed by overexploitation, invasive species and diseases. And climate change and pollution are also pointed out as causes of the problem.
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