Wildlife populations face fast, ongoing declines with an average 69% reduction in population sizes across the world, in less than a lifetime

Wildlife populations face fast, ongoing declines with an average 69% reduction in population sizes across the world, in less than a lifetime - Zoological Society of London

The Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022 shows monitored wildlife populations declined between 1970 and 2018 across all assessed regions – with an average 69% decline in relative abundance globally. This is strengthened by the biggest influx of data collated by ZSL researchers working on the science behind it.

13th October 2022

The latest landmark report, led by WWF in collaboration with ZSL (Zoological Society London), lays out how the relative abundance – the rate at which species population sizes are changing – of populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish has fallen on average by 69% between 1970 and 2018. This includes alarming statistics on monitored freshwater populations, which have declined by an average of 83%.

Based on the Living Planet Index (LPI) – compiled by researchers at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology – this year’s analysis shows that some of the most biodiverse regions in the world such as Latin America and the Caribbean face some of the steepest falls, with an average -94% in relative abundance since 1970. Populations in Africa are also seeing average declines of around 66%.
Launched today (Thursday 13 October 2022), the 2022 LPR statistics indicate declines are continuing, despite this year’s Living Planet Index pulling on the biggest data set in its 24-year history, with almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species analysed.
Dr Robin Freeman, Head of Indicators & Assessments Unit at ZSL, said: "Our Living Planet Index continues to show sustained declines in wildlife populations. We now have more data than ever about trends in biodiversity. Across a variety of indicators, it’s clear we are being sent a serious message and urgent action is needed.”