Climate

Africa’s monitored wildlife populations declined 80% since 1970, new report says

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 07/10/2026, 23:24:24 UTC.

Briefings

A new Living Planet Report 2026 released on October 8, 2026, indicates that monitored wildlife populations in Africa declined an average of 80% since 1970, a figure significantly higher than the global average of 73%. The report tracked 5,790 vertebrate species between 1970 and 2022, identifying habitat destruction and degradation as the primary pressures. While some pockets of recovery exist due to sustained conservation, the overall decline remains severe compared to global targets set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Key points

• Monitored wildlife populations in Africa declined an average of 80% since 1970, a rate exceeding the global average of 73%.
• The decline was driven primarily by habitat destruction and degradation, with overexploitation and climate change identified as other major threats.

Context and limitations

The data covers only vertebrate species tracked between 1970 and 2022, and the 80% figure represents an average decline rather than the loss of all species or individuals.

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