The Living Planet Index recorded a decline in the average size of tracked vertebrate populations between 1970 and 2022. WWF stresses that this does not mean the total number of animals fell by 73%.
The Living Planet Index, compiled by the Zoological Society of London for WWF's report, covers 35,803 population trends across 5,790 vertebrate species, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish. Compared with the 1970 baseline, the steepest decline was in freshwater ecosystems, at 85%. The index fell 69% for terrestrial ecosystems and 59% for marine ecosystems.
By region, the average size of monitored populations fell most sharply in Latin America and the Caribbean, by 95%. Africa followed at 80% and Asia-Pacific at 49%. The decline was 28% in North America and 23% in Europe and Central Asia. Habitat loss and degradation were the most frequently reported threats. Other pressures include overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease.
The index does not count how many animals have died or how many populations have disappeared. It measures the average proportional change in monitored populations at selected sites. Half of the populations in the index are stable or increasing: 7% showed no change and 43% grew. Their gains, however, are outweighed by the scale of declines elsewhere.
WWF highlighted recoveries among green turtles, bluefin tuna, tigers and southern African elephants. Sejal Worah, programme director at WWF-India, said trends for some Indian species, including tigers, Asiatic lions, leopards and snow leopards, show that populations can recover when political will, funding and local-community involvement come together.
WWF-India's pre-release presentation also pointed to continuing risks in the country. Nine mammal species in India are classified as critically endangered under IUCN criteria. Of 942 bird species, 39% show a clear decline, while 136 amphibian species, or 32%, are threatened. The organization said about 135 bat species in India remain understudied and face pressure from urbanization, deforestation, land-use change and climate change.
WWF-India also identified freshwater fish as one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates. The global index does not provide separate population trends for every country. Its yearly results are not directly comparable without qualification because new species and populations are added and the observation period grows.