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Wildlife populations have declined 73% since 1970—but many of the world's animals still aren't being counted

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Phys.org
Wildlife populations have declined 73% since 1970—but many of the world's animals still aren't being countedWorldPing
Image via Phys.org.

What happened

Wildlife populations around the world have declined by an average of 73% since 1970.

That's according to the WWF's new 2026 Living Planet Index—a major estimate, updated every two years, of the changing state of nature.

Key facts

  • Wildlife populations around the world have declined by an average of 73% since 1970.
  • That's according to the WWF's new 2026 Living Planet Index—a major estimate, updated every two years, of the changing state of nature.
  • Reported by Phys.org and published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:30:01 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Sources

The original report was published by Phys.org. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Phys.org

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