According to the latest Living Planet Report 2016 published by WWF (World Wildlife Fund), our planet lost 58 percent of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles between 1970 and 2012. If current trends continue, this number will increase to 67% (two-thirds) by 2020.
The Living Planet Index cited in the report analyzed over 14,152 observed populations among 3,706 vertebrate species. Based on these data, conclusions were drawn about 64 thousand species of animals inhabiting the Earth. The main reason for the declining number of animals is the destruction of their natural habitat in favor of farming and logging: most of the earth's surface is occupied by human activity, and only 15% of the territory is protected for nature and its inhabitants. Another significant factor is poaching and exploitation for food (an unsustainable approach to fishing and hunting). For example, the uncontrolled consumption of animals for food has already led to the extinction of more than 300 species of mammals. The third key factor is pollution, which is particularly damaging to whale and dolphin populations in European seas.
Rivers and lakes have suffered the greatest losses: their animal populations have already declined by 81% (since 1970) due to excessive water extraction, pollution and the construction of dams. An additional factor, according to WWF scientific director Mike Barrett (Mike Barrett), is global warming, changing the habitats in which animals can continue to exist.
From the official commentary to Living Planet Report 2016:
Human activity is pushing our planet into uncharted territory. We do have strong evidence that we have entered a new geological epoch shaped by human actions, the Anthropocene. The inhabitants of the planet, including Homo sapiens, are faced with an uncertain future.
The loss of biodiversity is just one of the warning signs of danger to the planet. The Ecological Footprint, which measures our consumption of products and services "provided" by nature, shows that we are already consuming as much as if we had not one Earth, but 1.6 planets at our disposal. Other studies show that we have already crossed four of the nine planetary limits — safe boundaries for critical Earth processes that support life on the planet.
In order to prevent the unfortunate consequences for animals that we are seeing in these years, according to WWF, it is necessary to “act now to transform our food and energy systems, to live up to our commitments related to climate change, the protection of biodiversity and support for sustainable development.
See also anekdotig:
- News: " 2015 and 2016 will be the warmest years in the history of the Planet " (September 22, 2015)
- Newsletter: " Scientists have recorded the 6th human-caused extinction of species on Earth " (June 25, 2015)
- Article: " 9 limits of the Planet and how we already stepped over 4 of them ."
- Article: Ecological Footprint: How Many Planets Do We Need? ".
- Video: " On overfishing ".