Wildlife populations have declined 73% since 1970—but many of the world's animals still aren't being counted
Phys.org ·
Wildlife populations around the world have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. That's according to the WWF's new 2026 Living Planet Index—a major estimate, updated every two years, of the changing state of nature. This does not mean that 73% of the world's animals have disappeared. Rather, it is the average decline in the size of wildlife populations being monitored.
Wildlife populations around the world have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. That's according to the WWF's new 2026 Living Planet Index—a major estimate, updated every two years, of the changing state of nature. This does not mean that 73% of the world's animals have disappeared. Rather, it is the average decline in the size of wildlife populations being monitored.