Destruction of 60% of Wildlife in Just Four Decades

The latest report from the World Wildlife Fund leaves little room for celebration; over the past four decades, 60% of wildlife, from mammals to fish and birds, has disappeared. The report, published on November 7, includes data from 1970 to 2014: during this period, the number of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in our habitat has decreased by 60%. On the same day this report was released, the Chinese government eased regulations regarding the killing of some of the rarest animal species, such as tigers and rhinos, ignoring criticism from environmental and wildlife activists. While eating rhino horn to combat fever, gout, or enhance 'sexual power' may seem ridiculous to some, in another part of the world, such beliefs can put some of the rarest and most unique species at risk of extinction. Simultaneously, widespread and unprecedented destruction of vertebrates in one corner of the world may seem strange to another. The reality, however, is that the World Wildlife Fund's report leaves little doubt that we play a major role in the life—or rather death—of other animals on Earth. The report shows that the primary reasons for the severe decline in animal populations are human activities: habitat destruction, overfishing, excessive hunting, and other actions, many of which lack scientific justification. It states that in the past four decades, the number of vertebrates in South and Central America has decreased by 89%, and freshwater species have declined by 83%. The report identifies 11 critical points in the ongoing destruction of forests; areas where extensive destruction has occurred and is likely to continue in the coming decade. Among developed countries, only Eastern Australia is on this list. Other areas include the Amazon—where Brazil's newly elected president has spoken about the possibility of withdrawing from climate agreements—the Congo Basin, Sumatra, and Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia, where warnings about extensive deforestation have been issued for years. The World Wildlife Fund states that the extinction of species and wildlife is occurring 100 to 1,000 times faster than previous rates, before human activity became the main cause. Marco Lambertini, the Director General of the World Wildlife Fund, told reporters, 'Without stable climate conditions, oceans and rivers that run dry, empty forests, destroyed lands, and a lack of biodiversity, regardless of the web of life that surrounds us, there will be no joy, prosperity, or comfort for future generations.' The World Wildlife Fund has described the next two years as a 'critical period' for wildlife and stated in its report, 'We may be the last generation that can stop the current trend.'