![\"Stark](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134774339,imgsize-1766697,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/wildlife-reprt.jpg\" "\\"Representative")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: There was a stark 73% decline in the \u201caverage size of monitored wildlife populations\u201d globally over a 52-year period (1970-2022), whereas India became one of the most important countries that were successfully involved in wildlife recovery by turning around the populations of certain animals, including tigers, one-horned rhino and Ganga river dolphins, according to WWF\u2019s biennial Living Planet Report (LPR) released on Thursday.Though the LPR remains silent on country-specific data, experts explaining certain points ahead of the release noted \u201csignificant changes\u201d in biodiversity in India where nine species of mammals figured in the \u201ccritically endangered\u201d list, 39% of 942 bird species reported \u201cclear decline\u201d and 32% (136 species) of the amphibians have been \u201cthreatened\u201d by a combination of factors including agricultural practices and climate change.Nine mammals classified as critically endangered (CR) in India under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria are Kashmir Stag\/Hangul, Malabar Large-spotted Civet, Chinese Pangolin, Andaman Shrew, Jenkin\u2019s Shrew, Nicobar Shrew, Namdapha Flying Squirrel, Large Rock Rat and Leafletted Leaf-nosed Bat.The report is based on Living Planet Index (LPI), which tracks how species populations are faring around the world. The Index, produced by Zoological Society of London, includes 35,803 population trends of 5,790 vertebrate species (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish) from 1970 to 2022.It noted the strongest decline in freshwater ecosystems (-85%), followed by terrestrial (-69%) and then marine (-59%) over the 1970 baseline. Region-wise, Latin America and the Caribbean registered the highest decline of 95%, followed by Africa (80%), Asia-Pacific (49%), North America (28%), and Europe and Central Asia (23%).The report said the \u201chabitat loss and degradation\u201d are the most frequently reported threat affecting monitored wildlife populations, followed by overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease. \u201cThese threats are, in turn, driven by broader systemic failures across the food, energy and finance systems,\u201d it said.Although the overall trend is negative due to the magnitude of the declining trends, LPR noted that half of the populations included in the Index are \u201cstable or increasing\u201d. It highlighted recoveries in populations of green turtles, bluefin tuna, tigers and southern African elephants, which demonstrate that targeted conservation interventions can deliver proven results.Asked about the biggest takeaway in the LPR that flagged an upward trend in the numbers of species in India including tigers, Asiatic lion, common leopard and snow leopard, Sejal Worah, programme director, WWF-India, said one big message is that the country can actually turn around wildlife populations and species with the right combination of factors, including political will, required finances, civil society engagement and involvement with local communities. India has shown that wildlife recovery is possible, she added.WWF-India, during its pre-release presentation, however, underlined certain significant changes in biodiversity in India. It noted that the country is home to around 135 bat species that face neglect due to a \u201clack of research\u201d and are threatened by urbanisation, deforestation, land-use changes and climate change. It also said that freshwater fish are among the most threatened vertebrates.\u201cThe LPR 2026 is both a stark reminder of the scale of the biodiversity crisis and a message of hope. While the LPI continues to highlight significant declines in monitored wildlife populations, the report also shows that these declines are not inevitable. Species recoveries, including those of tigers in India and globally, demonstrate what sustained conservation action, collaboration and long-term commitment can achieve,\u201d said Ravi Singh, secretary general & CEO, WWF-India.<\/p>\n Share your thoughts in the comments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n