The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) have claimed that 50% of wildlife has disappeared over 40 years, with a range of 3,000 to 10,000 species being analysed and reported on.
Dr Ken Norris of the WWF commented, "If half the animals of London zoo were to die next week it would be headline news, but this is happening in the great outdoors."
The WWF have cited exploitation as the biggest cause for the wipeout, with habitat change a close second. Climate change claims a further 7% of the responsibility, although habitat change such as deforestation will be contributing to climate change itself.
River populations have seen the greatest affectation, with a staggering 75% loss since 1970.
Cedrec's take
The numbers are sad to see, and hopefully it will give people inspiration to do their bit for the environment.
We as a public have limited powers over things such as deforestation, but we are consumers, too, and our demands are met by people stripping away natural habitats.
The river numbers are particularly shocking, and we do actually have more control over that then we might think. Littering is such a small thing in terms of actions, dropping plastic wrapping from your lunch, for example, but that litter can find its way to a river, and the bodies of water in our planet are for the most part connected. The depletion of river species is proof that small actions have large consequences. Tens of billions of tonnes of effluent, or waste water, are dumped into the Ganges in India every year.
Dave Tickner of the WWF has stressed the effect of river dams, which "prevent the healthy flow of water" however, river dams are also useful for hydroelectricity.
A common ground must be found, and within the next forty years, otherwise we may see even more drastic losses of wildlife.
