According to the Living Planet Index created by the London Zoological Society and the World Wildlife Federation, populations of wild animals have decreased by an average of more than fifty percent over the past forty years.

According to the Living Planet Index created by the London Zoological Society and the World Wildlife Federation, populations of wild animals have decreased by an average of more than fifty percent over the past forty years.

Some species far exceeded the average. For example, vertebrates that live in freshwater have seen an estimated 76 percent decline in population size.

A previous report had lower estimates, and the use of a different methodology is attributed to much of the drastic change in estimates.

The researchers looked at several sources of data from between 1970 and 2010 to arrive at estimated figures about mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibian populations around the world.

Statistics from the latest report show significant, even devastating loss of species and other resources in some parts of the world.

The report also looked at the consumption rate of human populations in different countries.

Authors of the study note: "Given the pace and scale of change, we can no longer exclude the possibility of reaching critical tipping points that could abruptly and irreversibly change living conditions on Earth."


The study found that the largest contributor to the loss of biodiversity on our planet is habitat destruction, and other side effects from unsustainable human consumption practices.