MAHMOUD BENNETT: THESE ARE DARK TIME FOR ANIMALS AROUND THE WORLD.
OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS WILDLIFE NUMBERS HAVE SUFFERED A DEVASTATING DECLINE ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND.
WHICH CLAIMS THE POPULATIONS OF MOST ANIMAL GROUPS, INCLUDING MAMMALS, BIRDS, AND FISH HAVE DROPPED BY A GLOBAL AVERAGE OF 69% SINCE 1970.
THEY ATTRIBUTE THE SHARP DECLINE TO DEFORESTATION, AND HUMANS POLLUTING THE AIR, LAND, AND SEA.
THE FINDINGS SHOW THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA HAVE BEEN HIT PARTICULARLY HARD WHERE WILDLIFE SAW A 94% DROP IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE, FELT IN PART BY PINK RIVER DOLPHINS, OCEANIC SHARK AND RAY POPULATIONS.
THE REPORT DID REVEAL SOME SIGNS OF HOPE.
CONSERVATION EFFORTS HAVE HELPED INCREASE THE POPULATIONS OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLES IN CYPRUS AND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS IN CENTRAL AFRICA.
THE DATA IS IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS NUMBERS ON WILDLIFE ABUNDANCE, WHICH SHOW A CONTINUED DECLINE OF ABOUT 2.5% A YEAR.
BUT THERE IS A CALL TO ACTION.
THIS DECEMBER DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL GATHER IN MONTREAL TO OUTLINE A NEW GLOBAL STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE WORLD’S PLANTS AND ANIMALS.