The decline in wildlife populations serves as an early warning indicator of the potential loss of healthy ecosystems. | Photo Credit: Stockphoto
There has been a 73% decline in the average size of the monitored wildlife population from 1970-2020, according to the World Wide Fund’s (WWF) Nature’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2024, a biennial compilation of threats to wildlife. In the 2022 edition of the report, the estimated decline was 69%.
The report, released on Wednesday (October 9), said a “concerted effort” will be needed over the next five years to tackle the twin challenges of climate and the environment.
The Living Planet Index (LPI), provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), includes approximately 35,000 population trends for 5,495 species from 1970-2020. The greatest decline is reported in freshwater ecosystems at 85%, followed by terrestrial ecosystems at 69% and marine ecosystems at 56%.Habitat loss and degradation, driven primarily by the way the world plans to farm and eat food, is the most reported threat to wildlife worldwide, followed by overexploitation, invasive species and disease. Pollution is a further threat to wildlife in Asia and the Pacific, which has recorded an average decline of 60%, the report said. There are no specific projections for India. The LPI in the 2024 and 2022 reports are not directly comparable as the dataset changes in each edition. This year’s index included 265 more species and 3,015 more individuals than the previous LPI.
Declining wildlife populations may serve as an early warning indicator of increased extinction risk and potential loss of healthy ecosystems. When an ecosystem is damaged, it can be at great risk of tipping over – pushed beyond a critical threshold leading to drastic and irreversible change.
The report noted the decline of three species of vultures in India – the white-rumped vultureGyps bengalensis), the Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), and the griffon vulture (Gyps tenuirostris). A 2022 vulture survey by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) highlighted the extent of this decline: white vultures fell by 67%, Indian vultures by 48%, and the lesser vulture by 89% in comparison. to its population in 2002. “This situation underscores the urgent need for protective measures to protect these critical predators and preserve the balance of nature,” said an accompanying press statement.
“Nature is sending out a distress call. The linked problems of biodiversity loss and climate change are pushing wildlife and ecosystems beyond their limits, with high-risk areas around the world threatening to damage life-support systems and destabilize communities,” said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International, in a statement. “The catastrophic consequences of losing some of our most precious natural resources, such as the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs, can be felt by people and nature around the world.”
Despite the decline in the number of many wild animals in India, some populations are stable and have shown recovery, mainly due to active government efforts, effective habitat management, and strong scientific monitoring, combined with public communication and public support. Notably, India is home to the largest population of wild tigers in the world. The All-India Tiger Estimate 2022 recorded a minimum of 3,682 tigers, a significant increase from 2,967 estimated in 2018, the report said.
Countries have agreed on global goals to stop and reverse biodiversity loss (Global Biodiversity Framework), limit global temperature rise to 1.5C (Paris Agreement), and end poverty (UN Sustainable Development Goals). However, national commitments and initiatives fall far short of what is needed to meet the 2030 goals and avoid tipping points, the report said.
Published – October 10, 2024 06:00 am IST
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