Declines of Species
2023-2024 Articles
Elephants May Die Young because of Climate Change 0324
Arctic Wildlife Faces Dire Challenges amid Record Heat and Ecosystem Changes 0224
Native Animals May ‘Start Dying' as Australia Weathers Extreme Temperature 0224
Monarch Butterfly Numbers Decline Sharply in Mexico 0224
Bird Populations Are Declining. Some Are in Your Neighborhood. 0124
Why Are Fish in Crisis in a Pristine Lake, One of Earth’s Oldest? 0124
Africa’s Birds of Prey Are in Decline 0124
‘Biodiversity Catastrophe’ - How Earth Could Look in 2050, unless We Act Now 1123
Fur Seals Are Declining, Thanks to Lack of Food and Climate Change 1023
Extreme Heat Is Taking a Toll on Florida Bay 1023
Ships Strike More Whales with Warming. Will Ships Slow Down to Spare Whales? 1023
Polar Bears May Struggle to Produce Milk for Cubs, as Sea Ice Melts 1023
At Canada's Largest Atlantic Puffin Colony, Chicks Are Dying of Starvation 1023
More than 100 Dolphins Dead in Amazon as Water Hits 102°F 1023
Direct Link Between Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Polar Bear Decline 0923
1,000s of Penguins Die in Antarctic Ice Breakup 0823 - 2nd year in a row for no penguin chick survival as ice shelf breaks up much more than in past years
Bird Populations Are in Meltdown 0623 - Mostly Europe, also California
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Ecological Tipping Points Could Occur Such Sooner than Expected 0623
Europe Lost Half a Billion Birds in 40 Years. Why? Pesticides, Fertilizers, etc. 0623
Global Wildlife Loss Is ‘Significantly More Alarming’ than Previously Thought 0523
As Ocean Oxygen Levels Dip, Fish Face an Uncertain Future 0523
The Fatal Impact of Climate Change on the Snowshoe Hare 0423
Rufous Hummingbirds Are Losing Their Battle to Survive. Can We Save Them? 0423
81 of 154 North American Bats Species Face Severe Declines over 15 Years 0423
Climate Change Threatens Insects — and Us 0423
Birds Are Vanishing. Their Crisis Is Our Crisis. 0423
Monarch Butterflies Lose Sanctuary in Mexico as Climate Changes 0323
Decline of Over 500 Marine Life Species on Australian Reefs Is ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ 0323
Alaska’s Climate-Driven Fisheries Collapse Devastates Indigenous Communities 0323
How Climate Change Killed 1,000s of Migratory Birds 0223
Climate Change Threatens Songbird Breeding 0123
Deep-Snow Caribou in Canada’s Are Vanishing, in ‘Death by 1,000 Clearcuts’ 0123
Climate Change Leaving African Elephants Desperate for Water 0123
Global Pollinator Losses Causing 500,000 Early Human Deaths a Year 0123
Large Wild Herbivores May Help Slow Climate Change 1222 - By removing living and dead plants, large animals dispose of material that may fuel wildfires. By consuming vegetation and excreting dung, they may improve availability of nutrients to plants and support the storage of carbon in vegetation and soil. By creating gaps in the vegetation and dispersing seeds, they create diverse ecosystems with plenty of opportunities for a variety of plants to grow, making ecosystems more resilient and better able to deal with climate change. By nibbling down polar region shrubs and trampling snow, large animals help maintain permafrost, helping prevent the release of carbon to the atmosphere.
2021-2022 Articles
The Collapse of Insects 1222 - Insects number 2/3 of animal species. They pollinate more than 75% of global crops, a service valued at up to $577 billion per year. 80% of wild plants rely on insects for pollination. The world has lost 5% to 10% of all insect species in the last 150 years. Insect abundance is declining around 1% to 2% per year. At that rate, we would lose 33 to 55% of all insect species in 40 years. Looks at bees, butterflies and moths, beetles, and freshwater insects. They are at the base of many food webs.
Frogs vs. Climate Change - How Long Can They Stand the Heat? 1122
Alaska Cancels Snow Crab Season amid Population Declines 1022
Marine Heat Waves Could Wipe Out Fish Stocks 1022
Wildlife Is Recovering in Europe After Decades of Conservation 0922
Mass Death of Sequoias Is the Harbinger of Earth Systems Collapse 0822
Climate Change Likely Caused Alaska Snow Crab Decline 0622
Climate Change Threatens Bird Populations in National Wildlife Refuge System 0622
Winter Ticks Wiped Out Nearly 90% of Moose Calves in Part of Maine in 2021 - 0522
As Animal Seed Dispersers Go the Way of the Dodo, Forest Plants Are at Risk 0422
Climate Change, Big Agriculture Combine to Threaten Insects 0422
Climate Change Killing Off Biocrusts, Soil Organisms Critical to Arid Ecosystems 0422 - especially lichens
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Even the Cactus May Not Be Safe from Climate Change 0422
Salmon Travel Deep into the Pacific. As It Warms, Many ‘Don’t Come Back.’ 0322
Drought, Climate Change Will Worsen Human Conflicts with Elephants 0222
Plants Face Tough Climate Challenges as Seed-Dispersing Animals Decline 0222
Climate Change Adaptation Puts Patagonian Penguins in Peril 0122
How the Speed of Climate Change Is Unbalancing the Insect World 0122
We Saved the Puffins. Now a Warming Planet Is Unraveling that Work. 0122
Warmer, Oxygen-Poor Waters Threaten World’s ‘Most Heavily Exploited’ Fish 0122
Climate Crisis Pushes Albatross ‘Divorce’ Rates Higher 1121
Rising Temperatures Overcook Bumblebees' Brunch 1121 - Microbe growth in nectar speeds up with warmer temperatures. Bumblebees prefer intermediate levels of microbes in nectar.
Silent Earth - Averting the Insect Apocalypse 1121
Maine Bird Species May Become Extinct in Our Lifetime as Climate Warms 1121
Wildlife and Plant Species Decline 'a Crisis' 0921
Polar Bears Are Inbreeding, as Climate Change Melts Away Arctic Ice 0921
What Happens when Millions – or Billions – of Sea Animals Die on One Day? 0821
Montana’s Famed Trout under Threat as Drought Intensifies 0721
Extreme Heat Triggers Mass Die-Offs and Stress for Wildlife in the West 0721
Fighting to Save, Kelp Forests, the Ocean’s Most Important Carbon Capture System 0721
Lakes Are Losing Oxygen—and Their Inhabitants Are in Danger 0621
As Climate Warms, a Rearrangement of World’s Plant Life Looms 0621
Shrinking Sea Meadows Store More Carbon than Forests. How Much Is Left? 0421
Polar Bears Forced to Forage Bird Eggs as Warming Shrinks Hunting Grounds 0421Global Warming Disrupted Pacific’s Ecological Dance of Urchins, Sea Stars, Kelp. Otters Help Restore Balance. 0321
‘There's no ice’ - Warming Seas Chill Quebec’s Seal Tourism 0321
Warming Oceans Mean Smaller Baby Sharks Struggle to Survive 0321
Arctic Ice Loss Forces Polar Bears to Use 4 X as Much Energy to Survive 0221
More Problems Reported as Gulf of St. Lawrence Continues to Warm 0221 - impacts on scallops
Canada Jay Numbers in South Ontario Falling due to Climate Change 0221
Science Warns World of ‘Ghastly’ Future Ahead 0121
Climate Change Cuts Number of Humpback Whale Calves in North-West Atlantic 0121
Insect Populations Suffering Death by 1,000 Cuts 0121
Warming Oceans May Be Choking Off Oxygen to Starfish, ‘Drowning’ Them 0121
Growth Rings in Tundra Shrubs Reveals Spread of Arctic `Browning’ alongside 'Greening' 0121
2018-2020 Articles
Logging and Climate Change Decimate Steelhead Trout in B.C. River 1120
British Columbia’s Seamounts Are Becoming Uninhabitable 1020
Rising Water Temperatures Threaten Fish Populations 0820
Many Freshwater Fish Species Have Declined by 76% in Less than 50 Years 0720
Climate Change Will Make World Too Hot for 60% of Fish Species 0720
Global Heating Will Make It Much Harder for Tropical Plants to Germinate 0720
Climate Change Is Accelerating Mass Die-Offs in Marine Mammals 0620
Mangrove Forests Won't Survive Expected Sea-Level Rise by 2050 if CO2 Emissions Aren't Reduced 0620 - If sea level rise doubles from current rate of 3 mm / year, to 6-7 mm a year, mangrovesw will drown. In other times, they would move inland with the changing shoreline. But human “development” (structures and beaches) will prvent them moving inland to follow the changing shoreline.
Unchecked Global Warming Could Collapse Whole Ecosystems in 10 Years 0420
The Planet’s Largest Ecosystems Could Collapse Faster than We Thought 0320
Bumblebees Are Dying across North America and Europe as the Climate Warms 0220
Bees May Struggle in Winds Caused by Global Warming 0220
Climate Change is Decimating the Chinstrap Penguins of Antarctica 0220
Bumblebees Are Dying across North America and Europe as Climate Warms 0220
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Koala Mittens and Baby Bottles - Saving Australia’s Animals After Fires 0120
Climate Change Hitting Top U.S. Fishery in the Arctic - NOAA 1219
In Sweden’s Arctic, Ice atop Snow Leaves Reindeer Starving 1219
Munich Study Confirms Severe Decline in Insect Populations of Germany 1019
Emaciated Grizzly Bears in Canada Increase Concerns over Depleted Salmon Population 1019
Warming Climate Is Making Baby Sea Turtles Almost All Girls 1019
Climate Change Is Sapping Nutrients from Our Food, so Global Crisis Possible 0819
North America Has Lost 3 Billion Birds (29%) in 50 Years 0919
Climate Change Is Reducing Mating Behavior among Some Birds 0919
How Long Before These Salmon Are Gone? ‘Maybe 20 Years’ 0919 - to local extinction?
The Water Is So Hot in Alaska, It's Killing Large Numbers of Salmon 0819
More Right Whales Dying Off Canada, as Climate Change Disrupts Food Sources 0819
Extreme Weather Damaged Nearly Half Australia's Marine Ecosystems since 2011 - 0719
Many Animals Can’t Adapt Fast Enough to Climate Change 0719
The Return of the Caribou 0719
Warmer Waters, Less Oxygen, Threaten Large Invertebrates in the Arctic 0619
Warming May Reduce Sea Life 17% - 0619
Arctic Melt - Threat to Plankton beneath the Ice 0619
The Great Insect Dying - Vanishing Act in Europe and North America 0619
Climate Change Threatens to Water Down Brazilian Cerrado’s Rich Biodiversity 0619
100s of Puffins Are Starving to Death because of Climate Change 0519
Global Warming Is Hitting Ocean Species Hardest, Including Fish for Food 0419
Warming Seas Are Devastating to Dolphin Survival 0419
Global Warming Could Decimate Fish Supplies and Fuel Migration 0219
Current Massive Insect Decline Could Have ‘Catastrophic' Environmental Impact 0219
Massive Starfish Die-Off Tied to Global Warming Devastates Kelp Forests 0119Insect Collapse - ‘We Are Destroying Our Life Support Systems’ 0119
Climate Change Could Crash These Important Fisheries 1118
Biodiversity Collapse Imminent in World’s Tropics 1118
'So Many Bears' - Draft Plan Says Nunavut Polar Bear Numbers Unsafe 1118
Humanity Has Wiped Out 60% of Animal Populations since 1970 - 1018 - WWF update from 50% (2014) and 30% (2008)
‘Hyper-Alarming’ Study Shows Massive Insect Loss 1018
Climate Change Is Killing Antarctica's Ancient Moss Beds 0918
Study Finds Widespread Degradation, Deforestation in African Woodlands 0818
Sweden's Reindeer at Risk of Starvation after Summer Drought 0818
Turn Up The Heat, Turn Down Ocean Productivity 0518
Biomass Study Finds People Are Wiping Out Wild Mammals 0518
Honeybees May Be Dying in Larger Numbers due to Climate Change 0518 compounding other factors (mites, pesticides)
Climate Change on Track to Cause Major Insect Wipeout, Scientists Warn 0518
Dangerous Biodiversity Decline Threatens Livelihoods, Food and Water Security 0318
Marine Heat Wave Set Off 'Carbon Bomb' in World's Largest Seagrass Meadow 0318
In Iceland, Global Warming Is No Longer a Joke 0318
Almost All Sea Turtles Born in Florida Are Female. Here’s Likely Why. 0318
Antarctica's King Penguins 'Could Disappear' by 2100 - 0218
Seagrass Meadows Are Vital, but in Serious Decline 0218
Decline in Krill Threatens Antarctic Wildlife, from Whales to Penguins 0218
Warm-Weather Plague Killed over Half of Endangered Saiga Antelopes in 3 Weeks 0118
Australia's Severe Heat Is Affecting the Sperm of the Bird Population 0118
Living Planet Repot Update - WWF 0914 - PDF, 180 pp. update of 2012 report farther below
The global Living Planet Index (LPI) reveals a continual decline in vertebrate populations over the last 40 years. This global trend shows no sign of slowing down. For this 10th edition of the Living Planet Report, the LPI methodology has been updated and fine-tuned to give a better representation of the global distribution of vertebrate species.
The weighted LPI (LPI-D) shows that the size of populations (the number of individual animals) decreased by 52% from 1970 to 2010. This 52% includes 56% declines in tropical populations and 36% in temperate zone populationss. It includes 39% declines for terrestrial species populations, 76% for fresh water ones, and 39% for marine ones. Populations in protected areas declined only 18%.
For terrestrial species, habitat loss to human land use – notably agriculture, cities and energy – is the major threat. For freshwater ones, habitat loss and fragmentation, connectivity (water level changes from dams, irrigation, etc.), pollution, and invasive species are the threats. For marine ones, stability followed a steep drop to till the mid-80s, with the largest declines in the tropics and Southern Ocean.
This is a steeper decline than the 28% reported in the previous edition, when data from North America and Europe – where long-term trend information has been more readily available – dominated the global LPI.
The LPI is calculated using trends in 10,380 populations of over 3,038 vertebrate species (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals). These species groups have been comprehensively researched and monitored by scientists and the general public for many years, meaning that a lot of data is available to assess the state of specific populations and their trends over time.
2016-2017 Articles
The Impact of Global Warming in the Land of Santa Claus 1217
Disappearing Sea Ice Could Lead to Collapse of Vital Polar Food Chain 1217
Changes to the Ocean’s Micro Creatures Could Have Macro Effects 1117
As Oceans Warm, the World’s Kelp Forests Begin to Disappear 1117
Pacific Ocean Warm ‘Blob’ Appears to Take Toll on Alaska Cod 1117
Insect Numbers, in Dramatic Plunge, Portends 'Ecological Armageddon' 1017
As Seas Warm, Whales Face New Dangers 1017
Warming Planet Is Hazard to Fish, via Increased Salinity and Algal Blooms 0917
Warming Seas Endanger Antarctic Ecosystem, and Billion-Dollar Fishing Industry 0717
Global Warming Threatens North Carolina's Bees 0717
Threat of Moose-Killing Tick Infestation Looms, as Far-North Climate Warms 0517
Climate Change Could Drive Coastal Food Webs to Collapse 0417
How "Godzilla" El Niño Affected Tropical Fish in Low-Oxygen Zone 0417
Disastrous 2016 Shows Butterflies Are ‘Failing to Cope' with Climate Change 0417
More than 1/4 of UK Birds Face Extinction Risk or Steep Decline 0417 - turtle dove and Atlantic puffin included
Climate Change Impacting ‘Most’ Species on Earth, Down to Their Genomes 0417
Climate-Driven Species on the Move Are Changing (Almost) Everything 0417
Grassland Lab Warming Raises Species Loss Alarm 0317
Australian Mangrove Forest over 1000 Kilometers ‘Died of Thirst' 0317
Ticks, Thriving in Warm Weather, Take a Ghastly Toll on New England Moose 0117
Record-Breaking Extreme Weather in Australia in 2016 Devastates Ecosystems 0117
Climate Change Could Have Devastating Impact on Global Fisheries 1216
In the Polar Bear Capital of the World, the Snow Has Gone 1216
Polar Bear Numbers to Plunge by 1/3, as Sea Ice Melts 1216
Over 80,000 Reindeer Deaths In Russia Linked to Retreating Arctic Sea Ice 1116
Wildlife Populations Plunge Almost 60% since 1970 - WWF 1016
San Francisco Bay Ecosystem Collapsing, as Rivers Diverted 1016
1.5 Billion Birds Missing from North American Skies Is ‘Alarming’ 0916
Turning up the Heat to Push Many Australian Plants to the Brink 0916
Soaring Ocean Temperature Is ‘Greatest Hidden Challenge of Our Generation' 0916
All Aflutter - Extreme Weather Threatens Mexico's Monarch Butterflies 0816
Arctic Fish Populations Changing as Ice Dwindles 0816
The Blob - How Marine Heat Waves Are Causing Unprecedented Climate Chaos 0816
Mountain Biodiversity More Vulnerable to Climate Change than Earlier Reported 0816
World’s Longest Lake Is Being Depleted of Life as Waters Warm 0816
Wildlife Dying En Masse, as South American River Runs Dry 0716 - Pilcomayo in Paraguay, Bolivia
Sections of Great Barrier Reef Suffer Complete Ecosystem Collapse 0716 - Most fish populations plummet or vanish.
Climate Change Blamed for Mangrove Deaths 0716 along Australia’s northern coast
Ocean Warming due to Plankton Collapse 0616
The Quest to Protect Threatened Amphibian Species 0516 1/3 of amphibian species threatened; 160 already disappeared.
Climate Change and the Case of the Shrinking Red Knot Birds 0516
Polar Bears Losing Weight as Arctic Sea Ice Melts 0416
Is Climate Change Putting the World's Micro-Biomes at Risk? 0316
Climate vs. Primate - Dawn of Extinction? 0316
Chilean Salmon under Threat 0316
Scotland’s Native Insects at Severe Risk from Climate Change 0216
Climate Stirring Change beneath the Waves 0216
Decline in Bee Population is Putting Global Food Industry at Risk 0216
Scientists Link Massive Starfish Die-off to Warming Ocean 0216
'Major Decline' in Antarctic Penguin Population 0216
US Seafood Species Are Highly Vulnerable to Climate Change 0216
Phytoplankton Rapidly Disappearing from the Indian Ocean 0216
Warmer Indian Ocean Could Be 'Ecological Desert', Scientists Warn 0116 - Phytoplankton down up to 20%.
Pacific Shellfish Set for Price Hike, as Ocean Acidity Keeps Rising 0116
Starvation Suspected in Massive Die-off of Alaska Seabirds 0116
Dealing with Climate Change in Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest 0116
2014-2015 Articles
Failing Phytoplankton, Failing Oxygen - Global Warming Could Suffocate Life on Earth 1215
US Wild Bee Numbers Decline, as Land Is Converted for Biofuel 1215
3/4 of the UK Butterfly Species Have Declined in the Last 40 Years 1215
Fish Stocks Are Declining Worldwide; Climate Change Is on the Hook 1215
Polar Bear Numbers to Fall, as Arctic Ice Shrinks 1115
Indonesia Blazes Threaten Endangered Orangutans 1115
Abrupt Changes in Food Chains Predicted as Southern Ocean Acidifies Fast 1115
Collapse of New England’s Iconic Cod Tied to Climate Change 1015
Global Warming Puts Snow Leopards in a Bind 1015
Acorn Crop Dips as Climate Changes 1015
Warming Oceans May Threaten Krill, Cornerstone of the Antarctic Ecosystem 1015
Marine Population Halved since 1970 - 0915
Thousands of Salmon Die in Hotter-than-Usual Northwest Rivers 0715
Polar Bears Can't Adapt to Melting Arctic, Will Waste Away 0715
Tough Days for Salmon, as Fraser River Runs Hotter, Lower than Expected 0715
Polar Bears Face Steep Declines Because of Melting Sea Ice 0715
Climate Change Is Latest Threat for Struggling Bird Species – Red Knots 0615
Fish, Crabs Are Losing Homes as Oceans Lose Oxygen 0615
North American Moose Dying in Droves, as Warming Fuels Disease, Pests 0515
Climate Change Is Devastating Ohio's Beloved Birds 0515
Wild Animals in Drought-Stricken Western States Are Dying for a Drink 0515
Wildlife Decline May Lead to ‘Empty Landscape' 0515
History Lessons Highlight Climate Threat to Birds 0415 - population ebbs and flows over 2 million years
Out of Plaice - Popular UK Fish at Risk from Rising Temperatures 0415
Beyond Almonds - a Rogue's Gallery of Guzzlers In California's Drought 0415
Hunters See Climate Changing Their Traditions 0415
Lemurs Losing Their Land to Climate Change 0215
California Sea Lion Crisis - Warmer Seas May Be to Blame 0215
Decreasing Range of California Pikas Linked to Climate Change 0215
Poor Outlook for Borneo's Mammals 0115
Mass Die-offs of Fish, Birds, Mammals Increasing 0115
Climate Change May Halve Giant Panda's Habitat by 2070 - 0115
Scientists Track Natural Responses to Climate Change 0115
Climate Changes, Habitat Loss Cited as Threats to 314 Bird Species 1214
Higher Temperatures May Result in Fewer Bees 1114
Britain's Migrating Birds Are Drastically Declining 1014
World Wildlife Populations Halved in 40 Years 0914 - about update of 2012 WWF report, just below
Common UK Birds, such as Sparrow and Skylark, Face Decline in Europe 1114
Half of North American Bird Species Threatened by Climate Change 0914
Massive Deaths in Northern Seabird Colonies Are Due to Climate, Ocean Changes 0814
Built for Survival, Birds Are in Trouble from Pole to Pole, from Toxins and Heat 0814
Suburbs, Farms, Plus Global Warming Threaten Wild Animals and Plants 0814
Wading Birds Declining in the UK 0714
Antarctic Fur Seals Feel Climate Impacts 0714
Growth, Global Warming Threaten African Species 0714
Warming Threat to Emperor Penguins 0614
Acid Ocean Is Dissolving Pteropod (Tiny Snail) Shells off U.S. West Coast 0414
2013 Articles and earlier
Predatory Development Threatens Brazil's Amazon - Marina Silva 1113
Jellyfish Winning the Fight for Food - Against Humans 1113
Climate Change Biggest Threat to Deer, Moose 1113
Precarious Future Looms for Canada’s Great Inland Delta 1113
Army of Volunteers Compiles Evidence of Climate Change in Alaska 1113
Climate Change Is Killing the Wolves of Isle Royale 1013
Warming Bolsters Alberta Grizzlies 1013
Moose Die-Off Alarms Scientists 1013
UK's Natural Environment in Jeopardy, as Species Decline 1013
Koalas Face Huge Fall in Numbers as Climate Change Bites 1013
Warming Lake Superior Leaves Trout Less Able to Cope 1013
Climate Change Puts US Freshwater Fish at Risk 0913
78% Drop in Coastal Fish Over 40 Years Off California 0713
Evolution Too Slow to Keep Up with Climate Change 0713
Birds Outpace Climate Change to Avoid Extinction 0713
Common Plants, Animals Threatened by Climate Change 0513
Amazon on Path to Lose 65% of Biomass by 2060 - 0513
Painted Turtles Set to Become All Female, Extinct 0513
Monarch Butterflies Drop Ominously in Mexico 0313
Climate Change a Threat to Wildlife 0113
Caribou Populations in Steep Decline 1212
Marine Heat Wave Off West Australian Coast Kills Lots of Valuable Shelled Seafood 1212
UK Birds Down 20% Since 1966 1112
Climate Change Is Killing Ground Squirrels 0812
Intense New England Rains Imperil Gulf of Maine’s Food Chain 0612
Warming Makes Minnesota Moose Population Plummet 0512
Climate Changing Outlook for Harp Seals 0112
World's Ocean Life in Shocking Decline 0611
Heated Oceans Endanger Coral Reefs 0910
Bee Population Decline May Be Due to Warming 0910
More Bird Population Destruction Predicted with Warming 0810
Rapid Decline in Phytoplankton 0710
Mangroves Disappear Faster Than Land Forests 0710
Polar Bears Face Rapid Tipping Point 0510
Bio-Losses = 30% Animals, etc. Cost $121 Trillion 0510
Bio-losses = 30% Animals, 40% Corals 0510 - "Since 1970, we have reduced animal populations by 30%, the area of mangroves and seagrasses by 20%, and the coverage of living corals by 40%… These losses are clearly unsustainable."
Why Monarch Butterfly Numbers Are in Freefall 0713
updated from Brower et al., Insect Conser. & Diver., 5, 95, 2011
Living Planet Report - Biodiversity & Declines - WWF 2012 - PDF, 164 pp.
Wild Populations Down 30% Since 1970 0512 - Report Summary
Population changes for a few of more than 11,000 populations and species studied, around the world. See 2014 update, above.
below
These figures summarize thousands of species declines (and increases) across regions.
India, Pakistan, SE China, SE Asia, Australia +.
Neotropical is Latin America.
The Global Living Planet Index suggests that across the globe, vertebrate populations were on average 28% smaller in 2008 than they were in 1970. This is based on trends in the size of 9,014 populations of 2,688 mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish species – many more than in previous editions of the Living Planet Report (WWF, 2006b; 2008b; 2010a). Above, declines were greatest in tropics.
Shading on this, and all Living Planet Index figures represents the 95% confidence limits surrounding the trend; the wider the shading, the more variable the underlying trend (WWF/ZSL, 2012).
Section Map: Bio Impacts