WWF Living Planet Report: Global wildlife populations down 73% since 1970

The WWF's Living Planet Report, released Thursday, documents a 73% average decline in monitored vertebrate populations (38,000+ populations) from 1970 to 2022, with Latin America suffering a 95% drop. The report attributes the loss primarily to habitat destruction, overexploitation, and climate change. This is a periodic assessment, not a new event, but it underscores the accelerating biodiversity crisis and its implications for ecosystem stability and climate resilience.