World Wildlife Numbers Down Since 1970

Dan Industry News Release

world wildlife bull-elk
A new report from the World Wildlife Fund says populations of wildlife around the globe have plunged near 60 percent since 1970. Reuters says the data shows conservation efforts in the last 40 years have proven stagnant as human activities overwhelm the environment. An index compiled with data from the Zoological Society of London to measure the abundance of biodiversity was down 58 percent from 1970 to 2012 and would fall 67 percent by 2020 on current trends, according to the World Wildlife Fund report. The index tracks about 14,200 populations of 3,700 species of vertebrates – creatures that range in size from pea-sized frogs to 100 foot-long whales. And the report claims the rising human population is threatening wildlife by clearing land for farms and cities, while other factors include pollution, invasive species, hunting and climate change.

From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.