Wildlife populations in Africa have plummeted by an average of 80% over the past 50 years, according to a recent report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The “Living Planet Report 2026” highlights the critical need for changes in energy, food, and financial systems to combat ongoing biodiversity loss.
The report revealed that populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish monitored across Africa fell sharply between 1970 and 2022. Africa experienced the second-largest decline in wildlife after Latin America and the Caribbean, where populations dropped by 95%. The Asia-Pacific region saw a decline of 49%, with the global average at 73%. These figures are based on the Living Planet Index, managed by the Zoological Society of London, which tracks changes in wildlife populations rather than the total number of animals lost.
Yann Laurans, WWF France’s director of conservation programmes, noted, “The decline is continuing,” stressing that the number of wild vertebrates is still decreasing. He pointed out that Africa’s biodiversity levels were particularly high in the 1970s, which means the decline is more recent compared to regions like Europe that had already seen considerable losses before monitoring began.
This report precedes the UN’s Cop17 biodiversity conference in Armenia from 19-30 October, where governments will review progress towards commitments to halt nature loss.
The Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, is under significant threat from agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and infrastructure development, all contributing to habitat fragmentation and exploitation. Populations of African forest elephants have declined by over 60% mainly due to poaching and habitat destruction.
WWF highlighted that climate change, habitat loss, pollution, and disease are major threats to wildlife globally. It specifically identified the food and agricultural systems as the largest driver of biodiversity loss, causing habitat destruction and excessive resource extraction.
Despite these challenges, WWF remains optimistic. Approximately half of the global wildlife populations monitored are either stable or increasing. Laurans mentioned successful conservation efforts that have led to the recovery of species, including tigers and some gorilla populations in Africa. He emphasised the importance of sustained funding for conservation to achieve positive outcomes.
WWF is advocating for more investment to be directed towards conservation and restoration, noting the stark contrast between the $7.3 trillion spent on harmful activities and the mere $220 billion devoted to protecting nature in 2023. Durrel Halleson, WWF Africa’s head of policy and partnerships, described the findings as a “stark warning” and a “call to action”.
