Living Planet Report 2026: Global wildlife populations decline 73%

Living Planet Report 2026 biodiversity loss wildlife population decline conservation efforts ecosystem degradation

The Living Planet Report 2026, released by the WWF and the Zoological Society of London, reveals a significant global decline in wildlife. Monitored vertebrate populations have decreased by an average of 73 percent between 1970 and 2022.

Regional declines vary widely: Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the most severe drop at 95 percent, followed by Africa at 80 percent, and the Asia-Pacific region at 49 percent. Freshwater ecosystems saw the steepest decline at 85 percent, while marine and terrestrial populations fell by 59 percent and 69 percent, respectively.

Key drivers of this biodiversity loss include food production systems, agricultural expansion, habitat destruction, and climate change. However, the report also highlights successes in conservation. For instance, the Brazil Soy Moratorium significantly reduced forest-to-soy conversion. Additionally, the green sea turtle was moved from Endangered to Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in 2025, and tiger populations have seen notable growth.

Entities

Africa · Australia · Kirsten Schuijt · Latin America · Living Planet Index · Living Planet Report · Living Planet Report 2026 · Portugal · WWF · World Wide Fund for Nature · Zimbabwe · Zoological Society of London

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Freshwater vertebrate populations saw the largest decline at 85%. efeverde.com · elpais.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Africa's monitored wildlife populations declined by an average of 80% since 1970. efeverde.com · news.mongabay.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The Living Planet Report 2026 tracks population trends for 5,790 vertebrate species across 35,803 populations. efeverde.com · elpais.com · www.perthnow.com.au · news.mongabay.com
[● 7 SOURCES] Global monitored wildlife populations declined by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2022. efeverde.com · elpais.com · news.mongabay.com · www.dagelijksestandaard.nl · nieuws.nl · +2 more
[● 3 SOURCES] Habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, disease, and invasive species are primary drivers of wildlife decline. efeverde.com · www.perthnow.com.au · news.mongabay.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a 95% decline in monitored wildlife populations. elpais.com · news.mongabay.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Half of the surveyed populations worldwide were found to be stable or increasing in size. www.perthnow.com.au
[● 3 SOURCES] Some species, including tigers, African elephants, and humpback whales, have shown signs of population recovery. efeverde.com · www.perthnow.com.au · www.dagelijksestandaard.nl
[● 5 SOURCES] The green sea turtle was moved from the Red List of threatened species to the 'not threatened' category following 50 years of conservation efforts in 80 countries. www.dagelijksestandaard.nl · nieuws.nl · www.welingelichtekringen.nl · observador.pt · www.upday.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Wild tiger populations increased by 70 percent over fifteen years, rising from approximately 3,200 to 5,700. www.dagelijksestandaard.nl · nieuws.nl · www.welingelichtekringen.nl · www.upday.com
[● 11 SOURCES] Wild animal populations have declined by an average of 73 percent over the last half century. www.dagelijksestandaard.nl · nieuws.nl · www.welingelichtekringen.nl · www.correiodamanhacanada.com · efeverde.com · +6 more
[● 5 SOURCES] Stricter fishing quotas have resulted in the Atlantic bluefin tuna losing its threatened status. www.dagelijksestandaard.nl · nieuws.nl · www.welingelichtekringen.nl · observador.pt · www.upday.com