Wildlife population has decreased by 73 percent in 52 years

In the "2026 Living Planet Report" of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), it was stated that the average size of wildlife populations monitored in the 1970-2022 period decreased by 73 percent, however, nature can recover if steps are taken to trigger positive threshold points in energy, food and financial systems.

According to the statement made by WWF, the Living Planet Report, prepared in cooperation with the Zoological Society of London, revealed the change in 35 thousand 803 populations of 5 thousand 790 vertebrate species worldwide in the period 1970-2022. According to the report, the biggest decrease was seen in freshwater ecosystems with 85 percent, while a decrease of 69 percent was recorded in terrestrial ecosystems and 59 percent in marine ecosystems.

According to the report, habitat loss and degradation are among the main threats facing wildlife populations, whose average size has decreased by 73 percent. This was followed by overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, pollution, invasive species and diseases. The report pointed out that problems in food, energy and financial systems deepen the loss of nature.

Pointing out that long-term conservation efforts can yield positive results, the report reminded that the green sea turtle moved from the "Endangered" category to the "Low Risk" category in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2025.

The report also included information about the species whose populations were detected to increase. While the tiger population increased by more than 70 percent between 2010 and 2025, from 3,200 to 5,700, an increase was also detected in some savannah elephant populations in the south of Africa.

The need for transformation in energy, food and financial systems

While food, energy and financial systems were cited as the main factors behind nature loss, it was stated that the use of fossil fuels fueled climate change.

In addition, the report also includes findings that the transformation can be accelerated by exceeding positive threshold points in these systems, and the fact that solar energy has become the lowest-cost option for new electricity generation capacity in many countries in the energy sector was cited as one of the developments that support the transformation.

WWF General Manager Dr. Kirsten Schuijt stated that losses in biodiversity have reached alarming levels, but the recovery of some species shows that change is possible.

Schuijt emphasized that the tiger, bluefin tuna and green sea turtle examples show that long-term and coordinated efforts can yield results, and that for these gains to be permanent, the sectors and systems that cause nature loss must also be transformed.

WWF Nature Conservation Director Daudi Sumba stated that there is still an opportunity to achieve a different future in the field of nature and climate.

Sumba pointed out the importance of countries and different sectors taking action together to put nature and climate on the path to recovery by 2030.