Wildlife populations tracked by scientists have fallen by an average of 73% since 1970, according to WWF's Living Planet Report 2026, published on October 7. The report, built on data managed with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), also found that about half of the populations it follows are stable or growing. News outlets around the world were still covering it this week.

What the report found

The Living Planet Index behind the report covers 35,803 population trends of 5,790 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, from 1970 to 2022. Across all of them, the average change in population size is a fall of 73%. Reuters put that at roughly 2.5% a year.

Freshwater animals fared worst, with an average drop of 85%. Land populations fell 69% and marine populations 59%.

By region, WWF reports average declines of:

  • Latin America and the Caribbean: 95%
  • Africa: 80%
  • Asia-Pacific: 49%
  • North America: 28%
  • Europe and Central Asia: 23%

The lower numbers for Europe and North America don't mean wildlife there is in good shape. WWF notes that much of the damage in those regions happened before 1970, when the index starts.

What the 73% does and doesn't mean

This figure gets misread a lot, so it's worth being precise. It is not the share of all animals that have disappeared, and it's not a count of lost populations. WWF describes it as an average proportional change in population size across the trends it monitors. Reuters noted the report's own caveat that the figure is especially sensitive to changes in populations that were already small.

The dataset also grew since the 2024 edition, by 967 populations and 295 species, so the editors say the two reports can't be compared directly. Andrew Terry, ZSL's chief conservation officer, told Reuters the extra data "reinforces our confidence in the continued decline," and said there is "no evidence yet" of a global recovery.

Why it matters for animals

The report names habitat loss and degradation as the threat reported most often. Overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease follow. WWF links those pressures to how the world produces food and energy and how it invests money, and puts the yearly funding gap for nature at $942 billion.

There is real good news in the data, too. About 43% of monitored populations are increasing and 7% are stable, according to WWF. The report points to green sea turtles, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, tigers and southern African elephants as species that have come back where targeted protection was put in place. Kirsten Schuijt, WWF's director general, told Reuters that "recovery is in reach." Rebecca Shaw, WWF's chief scientist, said half the populations it tracks are stable or increasing.

What happens next

WWF is calling on governments to turn existing nature and climate pledges into action at the UN biodiversity and climate conferences due over the next two months. It also wants banks and investors to stop funding activities that harm nature.

What you can do

  • Read the numbers for yourself. The full report and regional data are free on WWF's site, which helps if you see the 73% quoted wrongly online.
  • Follow your country's position. Ahead of the UN talks, you can ask your national representatives what your government plans to commit to on nature.
  • Look close to home. Freshwater species had the steepest drop. Local river, pond and wetland groups often run volunteer surveys and clean-ups and welcome help.

Sources