Africa’s monitored wildlife populations have fallen by about 80% since 1970, according to a new global assessment reported by multiple outlets. The decline is reported to be steeper than the global average, with one source citing a comparison to an average 73% drop worldwide over a similar period.
The reporting highlights the main drivers behind the decline: habitat loss, overexploitation and the impacts of climate change. While the overall trend is strongly negative, the sources also point to evidence of local or regional recovery in places where conservation measures have been sustained over decades. This mixed picture is presented as a sign that conservation efforts can influence outcomes even as broad pressures continue.
The assessment is part of the Living Planet Report and is based on monitored population data, which can show long-term trends and changes in relative abundance across countries and species. Together, the outlets describe both the scale of the losses across the continent and the potential for targeted conservation to slow or reverse declines in some areas.
